A council will barricade vehicles from part of its coastline to stop illegal dumping, after hundreds of tyres were cleared from the foreshore.
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The City of Greater Geelong recently removed 700 tyres as well as car wreckage and a small amount of asbestos from the shallow waters at Point Henry, to the city's east.
The council will build barriers in the coming weeks to bolster existing barriers and CCTV surveillance installed last year.
The site was home to an Alcoa aluminium smelter and rolling mill from 1963 to 2014, and is slated for rehabilitation and urban development in the coming decades.
Acting city services director David Greaves said illegal dumping cost Geelong ratepayers roughly $800,000 per year.
"We responded to more than 4000 clean-up requests over the past 12 months, which is really disappointing when you consider both the cost and the environmental impact of dumping on our precious natural environment," Mr Greaves said in a statement.
"Tyres are a commonly dumped item, often in large quantities. Point Henry has been a hot spot in Geelong but unfortunately it happens in many places across both our region and others."
The tyres are progressively being sent to Melbourne for recycling, the council said.
"We urge everyone to consider the impact of rubbish dumping on the environment and the community, and please just don't do it," Mr Greaves said.
Australian Associated Press
