Illegal dumping is a significant issue for governments and land managers across Victoria. It is found in our bushland, vacant lots, roadsides and waterways, making it one of the most visible and prevalent signs of pollution in our environment.
In Victoria, if waste is dumped, abandoned or buried at a site that is not an authorised place, the disposal of that waste is illegal.
The $8.5 million Illegal Dumping Clean-Up Rebate Program is part of the Victorian Government’s response to the negative impact illegal dumping has on our environment and waterways and the significant impact to local council services and community perceptions of safety and community pride.
It provides support to local government authorities and other land managers for clean-up activities of illegally dumped waste.
The rebate program guidelines detail eligibility requirements and conditions.
Key Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
Applications open | From 6 January 2026 |
Program closure | 30 June 2029 (unless declared prior) |
Eligibility
Who can apply?
- Local government authorities
- Crown land Committees of Management
- Parks Victoria
Who cannot apply?
- Individuals
- Private sector businesses and agencies
- Sole traders
- Educational institutions
- Not for profit organisations
- Unincorporated organisations
- Victorian or other state government agency or body (unless explicitly listed as eligible)
- Incorporated trustees on behalf of a trust
- Individual partners on behalf of a partnership
- Incorporated joint ventures
- Consortia applications with a lead organisation
- Applicants who do not hold an Australian Business Number (ABN).
Funding information
How much funding is available
Applicants may apply for rebate claims up to:
- 50% of costs up to $250,000 per claim and capped at $500,000 per council or Crown land Committees of Management organisation per financial year.
- 25% of costs up to $75,000 per claim and capped at $150,000 per financial year for Parks Victoria.
What might be funded?
Eligible expenses include costs for collecting, transporting and disposing of illegally dumped waste, including equipment hire and disposal fees at authorised facilities.
What will not be funded?
Ineligible expenses include costs not directly related to the clean-up and disposal of illegally dumped waste, such as operational and administrative costs, equipment purchases and vehicles, site rehabilitation, litter clean-ups, standard hard waste services and disaster waste.
What are the funding conditions?
Key conditions include:
- Minimum volume of waste illegally dumped is equal to, or greater than, 2.5m3 or 2.5 tonnes or if a lesser amount, total eligible clean-up cost expenses exceeding $1,000.
- The clean-up area is confined to a single dump site in a confined localised area and is not widely dispersed – multiple dumping incidents may be included in the same claim if they are within the same confined area.
- All avenues to trace the perpetrator and recover costs have been exhausted or can be reasonably assumed to be infeasible.
- Waste must be cleaned up on or after 1 July 2025 and in accordance with requirements under the EP Act, disposed of at a place authorised to receive it, including through the appropriate waste stream where applicable.
- Photographic and documentary evidence must be provided.
- Applications must be lodged within 12 months of cleanup activities taking place.
Further conditions, legislative and regulatory requirements, Tax implications, Payments and Privacy conditions are further detailed in the rebate program guidelines.
Submitting an application
How to apply
Applications and supporting documents need to be submitted online using the DEECA Grants Online portal:
New application
Return to a draft
Guidelines and supporting documents
- Guidelines (Version 2) (PDF, 1.5 MB)
- Guidelines (Version 2) (DOCX, 24.7 MB)
- FAQs (PDF, 162.2 KB)
- FAQs (DOCX, 250.4 KB)
- Statutory Declaration (PDF, 176.3 KB)
- Statutory Declaration (DOCX, 367.4 KB)
- Location URL instructions for applications (PDF, 201.1 KB)
- Location URL instructions for applications (DOCX, 805.5 KB)
What supporting documents need to be provided?
- A signed statutory declaration
- Invoices and receipts for eligible expenses
- Photographs of illegally dumped waste showing scale of issue and main type of material and impact.
- Photographic evidence of the area after clean-up.
- Relevant site inspection reports.
Contact
If you require assistance submitting your application online, email grantsinfo@deeca.vic.gov.au.
For rebate program queries, please email: illegal.dumping.rebate@deeca.vic.gov.au.