The drill on clean dirt and landscaping fill this summer
The NSW EPA has launched a Gumtree community awareness campaign in response to increasing reports from unsuspecting tradespeople, gardeners and renovators receiving delivery of contaminated fill - soil excavated from one site and used as a base material in building, landscaping or general fill at another site.
A soil delivery may often appear to be fine, but is later found to contain building and demolition waste, heavy metals or asbestos. In some cases, initial loads of fill are clean however, subsequent loads are not.
Dodgy operators often advertise their ‘clean’ or ‘certified’ fill through classified advertising. That’s why the EPA is targeting the online forum Gumtree, where a search for fill material will now prompt an EPA pop-up advertisement alerting consumers to only accept clean and good quality fill.
EPA Director Waste Compliance Greg Sheehy said if the ‘dirt deal’ seems too good to be true, it probably is.
“The campaign will remind anyone undertaking DIY works this summer to think twice, especially when it comes to free fill.”
Property owners who accept contaminated waste are inadvertently breaking the law and are responsible for clean-up costs and dealing with any environmental pollution.
The EPA is reminding people to:
- check with their council about necessary approvals before accepting fill
- use a reputable supplier
- record deliverer and delivery details
- be at the property to receive delivery
- check for odd materials in a load, and
- secure the property to prevent operators from gaining entry when you’re not there to supervise.
Find out more about the ‘clean fill drill’.