Two piles of building material along the Princes Highway – which include everything from timber, plaster and carpet to bricks, branches and old ceramic sewer pipes – are being investigated by Wollongong City Council’s illegal dumping squad. 

One pile sits on the northbound side of the highway, little more than a kilometre north of the Sublime Point lookout at Bulli Tops.

About two kilometres south of the Boomerang Golf Course at Maddens Plains, another scrap heap has been left on the opposite side of the road. 

Both dumpings occurred before December 1.

Manager of regulation and enforcement Jeannie Nicol said the council was part of the Southern Councils Group regional illegal dumping (RID) program, which gave them access to additional resources – including covert camera technology –  to combat the problem.

The RID squad for the Illawarra and Southern NSW region, which extends to Wingecarribee and down the coast to Bega, was announced in June last year by then NSW Environment Minister Robyn Parker. 

Ms Nicol said cleaning up litter and illegally dumped material cost the Wollongong community hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.

‘‘There is a significant cost to council in removing illegal dumping and any assistance by the public is welcome so that enforcement action can be taken,’’ she said.

Anyone who spots illegal dumping is urged to report it to council’s customer service line on 4227 7111.

Dumping can also be reported to the NSW Environment Protection Authority on 131 555. 

Fines of up to $1million and/or seven years’ imprisonment can be imposed on individuals who harm the environment through the disposal of waste.

On-the-spot fines of up to $1500 can be issued to people caught illegally dumping.