Manager of the Department of Waste Management, Mr. Neville Allen said that a significant amount of derelicts have been removed since the launch of the “No Derelicts Left Behind” campaign.

Mr. Allen said the department is happy with the progress made to date, but the goal is to do a Territory-wide removal of derelict vehicles from public and private properties before the end of the year.

The process he said starts when someone from the public makes a complaint about a derelict vehicle. “They are required to give the description, location of the derelict vehicle and indicating if it is situated on private or public property. Then an officer goes to the location, identifies the vehicle(s) and issues a notice appropriate to the location,” Mr. Allen explained.

The Manager added, “The notice is completed in triplicates, the original is affixed to the derelict or can be handed to owner and two (2) copies remain with the department. The notice states section 7 of the Derelict Vehicle (Disposal) Act, 2000 in which the individual is in contravention. Vehicles on Public Property have a duration of (14) days and Private Property (21) days before the notice expires.”

Owners of derelict vehicles are advised to contact the department if they have interest in a vehicle that was tagged as the officer may use discretion and may give an extension to the notice based on the circumstance.

Mr. Allen further explained that once the notice expires, the department’s wrecker operator or hired operator will remove the derelict from the location and transport to the temporary site in Pockwood Pond.

Persons can contact the Department of Waste Management at 468-4934 to report a derelict vehicle or for further information about this programme.

The motoring public is also advised to exercise caution around these wreckers and trucks when they are travelling to and from the derelict site, especially when they are loaded with vehicles.

The Department of Waste Management is committed to ensuring that the natural beauty of the Territory is enhanced by utilising state of the art waste management technology to ensure timely collection, disposal and where possible, the recycling of waste.