The Luganville Municipal Council has identified 15 illegal dumping sites around Luganville, highlighting growing concerns over waste management in the municipality.

Senior Solid Waste Management Officer, Leonard Lolo, said the high number of illegal dumping sites is linked to increasing population movement into urban areas and a lack of awareness about proper waste disposal rules.

He explained that with urban drift, people frequently move in and out of town, making it difficult to maintain consistent awareness.

“People come and people go. We conduct awareness with some residents, but after some time they return to their islands and new people move in without knowing the rules. It makes it challenging, but we are doing our best to educate the public and strengthen compliance systems to maintain better hygiene in Luganville,” Mr Lolo said.

He added that the issue is not limited to local residents. Some business houses have also been caught illegally dumping waste.

Mr Lolo pointed to a hotspot area along the road towards Beleru, where residents travelling to their gardens often dispose of rubbish along the roadside. He also confirmed that fines have been issued to businesses, including a recent case where a bakery was fined for dumping waste along the Tebroma road.

Despite limited working hours, the Council has engaged local residents to act as observers, reporting illegal dumping activities and suspicious vehicles to the office for further assessment.

Fines issued to offenders fall under Waste Management By-Law No.1 of 2013, Article 8, with penalties not exceeding VT20,000.