Bundaberg Regional Council has been named Snap Send Solve's Environmental Award winner after out-performing 90 organisations in Queensland with the quickest response to dumped rubbish reports.
The inaugural 2022 Solver of the Year Awards highlight the organisations that make a notable difference to their communities by utilising Snap Send Solve, a mobile app that allows residents to report faults and issues to Councils in a timely manner.
The app enables users to report incidents such as dumped rubbish, graffiti, illegal parking, trip hazards and more.
In 2022, up to 278 reports of dumped rubbish were sent through the Snap Send Solve app by residents and acted upon by Bundaberg Regional Council.
It equates to more than five illegal dumping clean-up jobs per week, consisting of piles of dumped tyres to trailer loads of dumped household waste in the region's natural areas.
Health, Compliance and Enforcement portfolio spokesperson Cr May Mitchell said the recent Snap Send Solve award was a fantastic result and a great example of the community and Council working towards creating a healthy environment.
“Illegal dumping is an issue that heavily impacts our environment with Council statistics showing that up to 33 per cent of dumping is done in the region’s natural areas,” she said.
“This has a major effect on wildlife and habitat and also creates an expensive clean-up job.
“Recognition should be given to those local illegal dumping officers who are on the ground each day responding to reports through Snap Send Solve as well as the community members who use the app and clearly feel our environment is worth protecting.”
Snap Send Solve founder and CEO Danny Gorog said Australians and New Zealanders prioritised community improvement in the year 2022, and that it was important to recognise those who want to take action for positive change.
“It is amazing to see the positive impact that our app has had on communities,” he said.
“The Solver of the Year Awards allow us to celebrate and thank the Solvers who have made community improvement a priority and taken action to bring positive change by consistently using the app.
“Our purpose has always been to be a part of the solution and to simplify the reporting of community issues, so to see communities come together for the greater good feels very rewarding and humbling.”
Find out more about Snap Send Solve, including how to download the app, here.
For those caught dumping rubbish illegally, Bundaberg Regional Council issues the following fines and requires offenders to clean the entire impacted site:
- General Littering Infringement: $287 (up to a shopping bag full of rubbish).
- Dangerous Littering Infringement: $575 (examples include: glass, lit cigarettes)
- Dumping infringement less than 2500L: $2300 (up to a medium trailer load)
- Dumping infringement more than 2500L: $2875 (more than a medium trailer load)
