Council litter grants

Bankstown City Council

$124,585

We Like Our Park Litter Free

This project, at four recreational reserves and associated car parks, builds on the lessons learned from Bankstown's litter pilot programs and focuses on developing infrastructure, service standards and community education to reduce littering during peak usage on weekends.

Highlights will be an outreach program using pledges and rubbish bag give-aways to engage park users. The key audience will be families and community groups having picnics.

Bathurst Regional Council

$93,000

Hey Tosser! Bathurst

Bathurst Council and Charles Sturt University in partnership will tackle litter at hotspots identified within Bathurst CBD and around the university. Working together to address the problem collaboratively, the project will include educational, infrastructure, community engagement, enforcement, measurement and monitoring at four major retail sites.

Blacktown City Council

$90,000

Transient Tossers

This project addresses littering targeting two types of visitors to the area - truck drivers who use the Minchinbury Industrial Area as rest stops and people visiting major attractions in and around Reservoir Road, Prospect. The project has the support and participation of local businesses and retailers, including StarTrack Logistics, Aldi, Woolworths, Village Roadshow (owner of Drive In Blacktown) and Wet'n Wild Sydney. In particular, there will be an enforcement focus on litter from vehicles in combination with an enhanced education program.

Brewarrina Shire Council

$10,850

Brewarrina Town anti-litter educational & enforcement program

Brewarrina Council has identified that littering along the Brewarrina town retail strip and surrounding park is a growing problem. This project will involveHey Tosser!anti-litter signage throughout the hot spot areas along with an advertising campaign in the local newspaper. The council will also run a significant clean-up program with support and engagement from local schools, Brewarrina Aboriginal Land Council and the Brewarrina Fishing Club.

City of Canada Bay

$26,026

Hey Tosser! - Bin your Butts

Canada Bay Council will target cigarette butt littering at two key retail precincts which have direct stormwater links and are close to the Parramatta River.Hey Tosser!Bin your Butts will include two different trial concepts for tackling litter in the two locations with the finding feeding into Canada Bay's litter strategy to tackle litter for the broader community. The project will target smokers and others users of the area who witness littering and will use a range of tactics to compare engagement and enforcement techniques. This will include infrastructure upgrades, butt litter bins and communication strategies to encourage people to do the right thing.

The City of Canterbury

$50,000

Railway Parade Lakemba Litter Prevention Program

This project will build on community goodwill and the hard work of local residents to reduce litter in Lakemba. An active local litter action group partnered with the Canterbury Council to implement Round 1 of the Litter Prevention program. The aim is to engage and collaborate with the community to clean and remove litter along a small shopping strip, car parks, and recreational area and reserve. The sites were chosen to build on the earlier project and to continue to maintain the community goodwill and momentum.

Central West Local Government Alliance

$45,521

Better Litter Outcomes for Travelling Stock Reserves in the Central West

This project will focus on travelling stock routes of Crown-owned land, managed by local land services and containing valuable biodiversity refuges and areas of significant cultural heritage value. Stock routes are often the only uncleared land for kilometres around and their popularity for camping and other recreational activities often means that littering is a problem. People fail to appreciate the environmental value of the sites and they litter because they think they can't be seen. This project aims to address those behaviours by educating users about the values of the sites and highlighting the adverse impacts of litter and the penalties that apply. It will use signage at each of the targeted sites and leverage the concept of 'the witness' as a behavioural deterrent by installing surveillance cameras.

Cooks River Alliance

$110,500

Cooks River: Cutting the Litter

The Cooks River Alliance aims to reduce litter by delivering culturally appropriate, creative and locally relevant education, enforcement and community participation activities. The project brings together three councils, two community groups and the Ethnic Communities Council. Actions include: community pride events, clean-ups, tree planting, litter source investigations, drain infrastructure interventions and increased enforcement to reduce littering in Canterbury, Marrickville and Strathfield local government areas. It will target littering from cars, smokers and small businesses and engage Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Hindi speakers.

Dubbo City Council

$48,420

Dubbo Central Business District - Bin Your Butts and Bat for the Macquarie River

This project focusses primarily on reducing cigarette butt litter in Dubbo's CBD, highlighting the impact of litter on stormwater run-off draining into the Macquarie River. While the primary objective of the project is to change the behaviour of smokers, it will also address paper, paperboard, takeaway containers and glass litter in the CBD, drawing awareness of the broader problem. The project will combine community education and engagement, regulation and enforcement, clean-up programs and new infrastructure.

Eurobodalla Shire Council

$29,820

Eurobodalla Public Retail and Car-Park Litter Reduction

This project aims to reduce litter and stormwater pollution in targeted public car parks and retail areas through community engagement, education, enforcement and improved infrastructure. Cigarette butts will be a primary focus, having been identified as the main litter items. There will be a clean-up at each site and new bins installed, where needed, to encourage responsible litter prevention behaviour.

Fairfield City Council

$78,000

I Sustain - LOTS (Litter off the Streets) Campaign

This campaign will work in conjunction with the council's current 'Litter off the Streets' program and will focus on infrastructure, including the installation of bigger bins and new designated free standing cigarette butt bins. It will also include a strong educational component to deliver a healthier and more pleasant environment for the general community.

Hawkesbury City Council

$90,630

Hey Tosser! in our car parks and Richmond main street

Three main hotspots have been identified in this project involving bin upgrades to replace the existing bins and the trial of ashtray models to encourage smokers to put their cigarettes out before putting them in the bin. Signage and posters will be installed at all three sites and an Enforcement & Compliance Officer will monitor littering and issue fines, each weekday, for one hour. The project will useHey Tosser!branded advertising and material, including posters on bins and shopfronts, flyers, newspaper advertisements, outdoor banner, car stickers, litter display. There will also be a school poster to calendar competition and two public education events at the sites at the busiest time, Saturdays.

Holroyd City Council

$77,010

No butts about Holroyd

Cigarette and chewing gum litter is a major issue in Holroyd, especially outside shopping malls and in retail strips and associated sitting areas. The target audience will include young people and adults from diverse cultural backgrounds who are smokers and/or gum chewers. A range of methods will be used, including signage, promotion of alternative disposal behaviours and community education. The community engagement and awareness strategy will include street theatre to raise awareness of littering and penalties, input from cultural and community organisations, local media promotion and strategic advertising.

Kiama Municipal Council

$124,430

Kiama's Litter Hotspots Project

This project aligns with Kiama Council's Litter and Illegal Dumping Integrated Plan. It focuses on cigarette butt litter along the retail strips in Kiama and Gerringong and will involve the installation of new double bin enclosures (garbage/recycling) with integrated ash bins in each hotspot. A cigarette butt litter education campaign will be developed for retail strip workers, focusing on proper cigarette butt disposal, the harmful effects of butt litter to the environment and potential fines associated with butt littering. The project also includes the purchase of a mini street sweeper to be used at all retail strips within the municipality to enable the Council to improve the current level of cleanliness across a wider area.

Ku-ring-gai Council

$72,943

Litter Free Wahroonga

To address littering in Wahroonga Village, this project will include five major elements. Community engagement and awareness will be raised through media and other visual campaigns. Business owners will be asked to engage with their customers to encourage the correct disposal. A thorough clean-up of the Village will be conducted and regular scheduled maintenance will ensure the site remains clean. The bin infrastructure will be upgraded with cleaner, close-lidded bins to minimise wind-blown litter, and signage will highlight the fines that can be imposed on litterers.

Kyogle Council

$65,000

Kyogle Events Litter Prevention Project

Kyogle Council will tackle litter at six sporting and community sites, including the showground, amphitheatre, racecourses and several sports fields. Many of these sites host major public events, such as agricultural shows, gymkhanas, camp drafts, car rallies and horse racing carnivals which generate considerable litter. This program will make waste bins more visible to patrons, provide mobile waste bins where needed and skips with the 'Hey Tosser' branding as well as engage local sports clubs and community groups to promote theHey Tosser!message.

Lithgow City Council

$50,000

Lithgow Litter Prevention Program

Lithgow City Council will target cigarette butts and littering at roadside stops using education, community engagement, enforcement and new infrastructure. New lidded waste and recycling bins will be installed at roadside stops after Local Litter Checks identified wind and animals as a major cause of litter spread in these areas.

Maitland City Council

$28,055

Litter Reduction Program

This project aims to reduce waste and empower the community to appropriately dispose of waste. Two sites will be targeted as examples of litter areas, with a larger focus promoting litter education across the entire local government area. The project will use signage, media and education materials and include the installation of new bins that are user friendly, highly visible and encourage good behaviour.

Manly Council

$90,000

Manly Council Litter Prevention Program - targeting gum chewers

Manly Council will focus on chewing gum litter from locals and visitors who arrive by ferry and walk down The Corso toward Ocean Beach. A Local Litter Check identified large amounts of chewing gum on many of Manly's public walkways, especially business and shopping strips. This project will fund a gum removal machine to clean up the environment and discourage littering. As well as the new equipment, the project will include innovative education techniques such as 'gum targets' or 'gum boards' where gum chewers are invited to stick their gum on an engaging target board rather than create litter.

Muswellbrook Shire Council

$25,000

Hey Tosser, Don't Rubbish Muswellbrook!

This project will tackle cigarette butts and littering from cars to address two key littering behaviours identified by Muswellbrook Shire Council. The campaign will include installing litter bins in the council-owned car park in the centre of town to deter cigarette butt littering and education to stop people throwing takeaway packaging out of car windows. The takeaway containers component addresses research that shows that the large amount of takeaway container litter along the highway around areas of major employment was a result of workers buying breakfast on their way to work and discarding the packaging out of the window rather than keeping it in the car to dispose of at work.

NetWaste

$64,850

Roadside litter, 'blown not thrown'

This project aims to reduce litter from uncovered loads ending up on roadsides and parklands. NetWaste and participating councils will encourage residents accessing landfills and transfer stations to cover their load through an awareness and enforcement campaign to help make sure the rubbish ends up where it should and not on the road.

North East Waste

$69,610

Litter Reduction and Prevention in the North East Waste Region

North East Waste will target cigarette butts, paper and plastic packaging in problem hotspots across member council areas. The project will target materials and locations identified as priorities through Local Litter Checks, including retail shopping strips. It will include installing extra bins, implementing theHey Tosser!litter campaign; increased enforcement through effective signage, collaboration with local businesses and a community engagement activity based around an initial clean up using NE Waste contractors and performers.

Parramatta City Council

$123,642

Zoom in on Cigarette Butt Littering in Parramatta

Parramatta City Council will partner with building owners and managers in the Parramatta CBD to address cigarette butt littering through infrastructure and education. The latest micro litter cleansing equipment will be bought to clean up cigarette butt litter in hotspots and a community education and awareness campaign will encourage people to use new butt bins installed around town. Stage one of a month-long media blitz will begin in October 2014 to coincide with the National Butt Free Day and will involve train station ad panels advertising, cigarette butt litter inspired public art, free personal ashtray giveaways, increased monitoring and frequent cleaning.

Port Stephens Council

$60,000

Litter in Industrial Sites & Access Roads

This project will focus on litter at industrial sites in the Port Stephens local government area, addressing the issue of litter on access roads thrown from vehicles as people drive to and from work. Port Stephens Council will use an integrated approach that will start with a Local Litter Check to gather evidence and data, followed by community education and engagement, regulation and enforcement, infrastructure and clean-up activities.

RAMROC Riverina Waste Group

$60,000

RAMROC Riverina - Terminate the Tosser

RAMROC Riverina's project will focus on litter around parks, shopping centres and roadsides, targeting people who don't understand the impact of litter and potentially don't see it as an issue. A number of areas will be targeted in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area in a project that will involve a major advertising campaign and upgrades to make it easier to dispose of waste correctly. Key audiences will be seasonal workers, tourists and travellers.

Southern Councils Group

$93,000

Southern Councils Litter Prevention Program

This regional program will raise community awareness of the problem of litter, influence people's choice to not litter and encourage them to dispose of their litter appropriately, using theHey Tosser!material. It will run in conjunction with participating councils' local litter prevention programs and include print media, signage, posters and regional community engagement events. It builds on the success of the Southern Councils Regional Illegal Dumping Prevention Program, utilising established networks, partnerships, coordination and governance arrangements to implement, monitor and report on results.

Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC)

$124,990

Trash Your Ash - A Picnic-Based Approach: Applying Resident Research to Charcoal Disposal Bin Solutions

SSROC plans to change the littering behaviours of portable charcoal barbecue users through an integrated approach. The project will involve capturing direct observational and qualitative data and ideas from park users and maintenance staff. A Local Litter Check baseline will be established and a purpose-built bin will be designed using the feedback. Nineteen bins will be rolled out at three popular parks as a pilot project and, if successful, SSROC and member councils will share the findings with other councils who service this litter type. The pilot may also be extended into a second round of charcoal bins.

Uralla Shire Council

$122,516

Uralla Shire Council - Back to Basics Stage 2

Back to Basics Stage 2 will focus on identified hotspots in the Uralla Shire and build on the work undertaken in Stage 1, due to be completed in June 2014. The four parts to Stage 2 involveHey Tosser!promotion, site clean-up with new infrastructure and signage, enforcement by council rangers and an evaluation at each site.

Wagga Wagga City Council

$26,600

Hey Tosser!

Through this project, Wagg Wagga City Council will tackle the problem of roadside litter along two main arterial roads. Targeting drivers who litter from cars, the project will include a community clean-up of the target areas through the annual 'Clean Up Wagga Wagga Day' event held in August. Free car tidy bags will be given out at strategic locations, while community education will let people know about fines for littering from cars and ways they can report people they see littering. Council staff will deliver enforcement activities and a follow up with Local Litter Check, when the project is complete, will determine its success.

Wollongong City Council

$105,000

Wollongong Council Litter Prevention Program

Wollongong City Council will target a number of popular coastal hot spots that generate litter on a daily basis and are used by locals and tourists alike. The project will support the Southern Councils Group regional initiative and highlight where litter goes to when it flows into the stormwater system after rains, which is on beaches where we swim. Promotions and activities will include media releases, signage, posters, enforcement and community events.

Wyong Shire Council

$117,000

Expanding Litter Prevention (ELP) at The Entrance - Picnic Point and Terilbah Reserves - Phase 2

The continued partnership project between Wyong Shire Council and Take-3 will focus on prevention of fishing litter, cigarette butts and plastic items at specific areas within Picnic Point and Terilbah Reserves at The Entrance. The project will build on the success of the Round 1 Foreshore Fishing Focus at The Entrance and expand prevention activities to include cigarette butts and plastics. In addition it will develop specific local research on behaviours of all user groups.

Roadside Clean-up

This project will target roadside litter thrown from vehicles during summer holiday and winter snow seasons. It will establish partnerships with nine local councils as well as Roads and Maritime Services. The Project will target litter hotspots at the junction between highways and arterial roads leading to towns. Roadside litter clean-ups, and litter counts will be undertaken at selected monitoring sites. Signage will be installed on the arterial roads, and a range of educational litter prevention activities and training of council staff in litter prevention will be completed.

Recreational Parks and Sports Field Litter Reduction

This project will target takeaway packing and drink container litter at sporting, social and recreational parks across the Hunter Region. This project will develop collaborative partnerships with sporting and community groups, residents and businesses to encourage park users to take responsibility for proper disposal. This project will build on a successful stage 2 grant project delivered in 2017, using targeted education programs, improved infrastructure and clean-up kits, signage and litter enforcement.

Own it and Act

 his project will support Councils improve policy, planning and efficiency in litter management and improve equipment and a suite of community education materials. It will include a review and update of cost of litter analysis, review of council staff code of conduct to incorporate litter prevention practices, review of existing public litter bins infrastructure and clean-up practices, and development of localised litter education resources.

We Bin our Butts: Reducing cigarette butt litter in recreational parks

 This project will target cigarette butt litter at recreational parks across the southern highlands and south coast. The Project will build on strategies developed for the recent NSW EPA Cigarette Butt Litter Trial. It will review existing bin infrastructure, establish designated smoking areas in litter hotpots, install new butt bins, floor stencils and Tosser! collateral. A clean-up and education blitz will engage residents and visitors and partnerships will be formed with local businesses to spread the campaign message. A short film will be created for social media and promoted by councils, businesses and community organisations.

$6,500

Determining disposal barriers resulting in silage wrap littering rural waterways and roadsides

This project will target littering of silage wrap on agricultural farms. The project will engage with suppliers and consumers of agricultural silage wrap to improve disposal practices. Strategies will include a review of existing practices, engagement of livestock farmers through local workshops and development of a campaign to encourage correct disposal.

Cost of litter study

 This project will support member councils to undertake a cost of litter study to improve internal litter management policies. Currently activities are managed across multiple internal department, with evidence of duplication of effort, lack of resource effectiveness and no clear business case for litter prevention.

$56,850

Operation 40: Part 2

 This project aims to build on the success of the Stage 3 LRIP Operation 40 Project, targeting the littering of containers, take-a-way wrappers and coffee cup from vehicles. The project will target three additional roadside litter hotpots in Wollondilly, Campbelltown and Camden councils. It will educate road users through local campaigns and roadside signs and develop a community of rangers, through the active promotion of the Report to EPA littering from vehicle program. The project will form partnerships with local quick-service restaurants to engage with their customers on correct disposal of waste.

$66,500

Reducing litter at source

 This project will target litter in recreational parks at sports fields in the mid-north coast region. The project will partner with local sports clubs to tackle takeaway food packaging, boot strapping and drink containers. The project will also work with local businesses to identify solutions to reduce single-use takeaway items and provide alternative products to avoid litter. Improved bin and signage will also be implemented at litter hotspots.

PICITUP Program: Part 2

 This project aims to increase community involvement in litter prevention and clean-up in the mid-north coast region councils, extending the PICITUP Program implemented under Stage 2 LRIP grant program. The program supports volunteers to identify hotspots, improve data collection, coordinate clean-ups and collaborative with councils on litter prevention activities. Local promotion of voluntary clean-up activities, including through local media, will encourage participation. Infrastructure improvements will be made based on volunteer litter data and feedback. Volunteers will provide their litter collection data at regular intervals, so Councils can evaluate the impact of the program, identify hotspots and target materials for intervention.

Embedding improved litter prevention

 This project will support member councils improve policy, planning and efficiency in litter management and improve equipment and a suite of community education materials. It will include a review and update of cost of litter analysis, review of council staff code of conduct to incorporate litter prevention practices, review of existing public litter bins infrastructure and clean-up practices, and development of localised litter education resources.

Roadside Litter Reduction

 The project will target roadside litter on the Pacific Highway in the Northern rivers region. North East Waste will collaborate with Roads and Maritime Services to assess and improve bins, signage, bin servicing and litter management of roadside rest stops and pull-overs. The project will be supported by a targeted media campaign across social media and local highway radio stations.

Litter Bin Tool and Business Case

 The project will trial the bin decision tool, recently develop by Southern Sydney Region of Councils, in Tweed Shire Council to improve bin placement efficiency. Tweed Shire has over 450 public place bins, and this project seeks to ensure these are appropriately positioned to optimise use and maximise litter capture. The Project will help build improved data collection, encourage council ownership of bin placement, with the findings used to roll-out similar projects across other member councils.

Litter Clean-Up and Prevention at Regional Roadside Rest Areas

The project will target roadside litter at two regional rest stops on the New England Highway. The project will conduct litter checks, clean-ups, install new bin infrastructure and signage. The project will partner with local takeaway outlets to install point of sale litter messaging. The project will be supported by campaigns in local and social media, and onsite community engagement and enforcement activities.

Litter a Waste of Money?

The project will partner with City of Ryde Council to assess the true costs of litter management. The project will seek to identify those elements contributing most to litter management and recommend preventative actions to reduce associated costs across the region. The project will develop a cost of litter study template for use by other member councils.

Litter Clean-Up and Prevention at Regional Roadside Rest Areas

 The project will target cigarette, drink container and takeaway litter at three riverside recreational areas in the Murray region. The project will deliver a regional education campaign, undertake enforcement patrols, and install Tosser! Signage to engage with site users. The project will install solar compactor bins to improve bin servicing efficiency and reduce bins overflows.

Stop, before you drop!

 The project will target drink container and takeaway litter at recreational and sporting areas in the Riverina region. The project will include an assessment of current infrastructure and litter management costs, followed by installation of new bin infrastructure. This will be supported by signage at entry points indicating bin locations, and Tosser! campaign messaging. Radio advertising, social media campaigns, newsletters, targeted enforcement patrols and litter champions will be used to engage with local users to dispose of waste correctly.

Litter: It has a price

This project aims to undertake a cost of litter study pilot at recreational areas. Based on the information gathered in the study, a business case will be developed showing what litter prevention changes can be made and what costs savings are involved.

Cost baseline

The project will assess current “smart technologies” and user experiences that specifically manage and provide efficiencies related to public place litter bins. These include bin sensors, software and cameras. The project aims to provide the first-ever baseline in Australia of current technologies and user experiences in this area. The project will report on the cost-benefit analysis across environmental, social, and cost-effectiveness criteria. The study will integrate findings from pilots and case studies from across NSW and Australia. A final report will be shared with councils across NSW.

Reducing food and drink containers and packaging in recreational areas

This project will target food and drink container litter at high-use weekend recreational parks in Western Sydney. The project aims to increase awareness of park visitors of the impact of litter to encourage proper disposal. New litter bins will be installed, completed by floor stencils and signs to improve bin visibility. Users will be engaged through bilingual educators, street performers, and an enforcement blitz.

Hunter Joint Organisation of Councils

$80,000

Clean-up and awareness campaign for arterial roads

This project will target roadside litter thrown from vehicles. It will establish partnerships with RMS and centre management and businesses at highway service centres, located at the junction between highways and arterial roads leading to towns. Roadside litter clean-ups will be undertaken and litter counts undertaken at selected monitoring sites. Signage will be installed on the arterial roads, and a range of educational litter prevention activities will be undertaken at the service centres.

• Case study (PDF 225KB)

Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation

$106,500

Source Reduction at Foreshore reserves

This project will develop and deliver a range of foreshore reserve litter reduction strategies. Workshops will be held with community groups, industry, Council and Councillors to collect and assess litter data. Targeted source reduction projects will be rolled out at a minimum of 2 sites in each member council. The project will support community driven projects. Council rangers will be trained and engaged to target littering on beaches and at foreshore parks. Clean-up events hosted at specific sites will feature large novelty litter items to create interest and awareness within the community and create media opportunities. Litter will be collected and data will be logged in the Australian Marine Debris database. Social media campaigning, including a short, animated film showing the life of a cigarette will also be used to promote litter prevention across the region.

$103,400

Litter Reduction at Main road intersections and tourist hotspots

This project will target roadside litter at main road intersections and tourist hotspot sites across the Illawarra Region. Highly visible signage, erected at entry and exit points to South Coast and southern Highlands towns and villages, will increase the incidence of community litter reporting and raise awareness of the environmental damage caused by litter.

The project will include campaign displays at prominent business locations and service centres; outdoor banners; bus backs and bus stop signage to promote the Report to EPA program and life sized cut-outs indicating the correct behaviour.

Council, regional staff and actors from the Eton Gorge Theatre Company will be visible at key sites over peak periods and will set up banners, cut-outs, large litter items and signage to engage with customers. Additional ranger patrols and trained volunteers will also focus on litter at hotspot locations during peak periods to re-enforce the campaign.

Macarthur Regional Organisation of Councils

$38,000

Project Building Solutions

This project will focus on reducing the volume of containers, take-a-way wrappers and coffee cup litter being dropped from vehicles and blowing from building sites in suburban areas and residential roads across the Macarthur region. The project will educate and enforce litter compliance on building sites though engaging with the managers and owners of building companies to educate them on the environmental and legal requirement for them to control litter on their building sites.

• Case study (PDF 375KB)

$20,000

Operation 40

This project aims to reduce the volume of containers, take-a-way wrappers and coffee cup litter being dropped from vehicles by 40%. The project will promote community involvement through roadside signs to help educate road users and assist in monitoring and enforcement, developing a community of rangers, through the active promotion of EPA report littering from vehicle app.

MIDWASTE

$110,000

Clean-up and awareness campaign for arterial roads

This project will target takeaway containers, drink containers and plastic litter on arterial roads. The project builds on the successful pilot project conducted in 2016-17 in Port Macquarie-Hastings and Kempsey Shire, continuing work in those LGA’s and extending the project to MidCoast and Coffs Harbour City Council.

The project will establish and develop partnerships with centre management and businesses at highway service centres, which are generally located at the junction between the Pacific Highway and arterial roads leading to major towns in the MIDWASTE region. Roadside litter clean-ups will be undertaken and litter counts undertaken at selected monitoring sites. Signage will be installed on the arterial roads, and a range of educational activities will be undertaken at the service centres.

$30,000

2017/18 roll-out: Supporting community clean-up activities

This project aims to increase community involvement in litter prevention and clean-up in each participating council in the MIDWASTE region. The project will build on the 2017 Litter Enhancement Grant, developing collaborative partnerships between MIDWASTE councils and community groups. The project will work volunteers to identify hotspots, improve data collections, coordinate clean-ups and collaborative with councils on litter prevention activities.

Local promotion of voluntary clean-up activities, including through local media, will encourage participation, including information about litter fines and the Report to EPA program. Infrastructure improvements will be made based on volunteer litter data and feedback.

Volunteers will provide their litter collection data at regular intervals so Councils can evaluate the impact of the program, and identify hotspots and target materials for additional intervention.

• Case study (PDF 142KB)

$60,000

State pilot program: Highway rest stop and pullover infrastructure improvement

This project involves working with RMS to assess and improve bins and signage at roadside rest stops and pull-overs across the MIDWASTE region. The project seeks to provide a foundation for state-wide improvements to litter management at RMS rest stops and pull-overs, by identifying and trialling the most suitable infrastructure and servicing systems. The project will build off strategies currently being developed by RMS and Brisbane City Council looking at staged engagement approach to rest stops for implementing messaging and bins placement for user experience as they pass through the space from entry, through centre, to exit; and a contractor feedback process to gather information on current practices and considerations for litter management rest stops.

• Case study (PDF 313KB)

North East waste

$108,000

Pick up for your park

The project will target cigarette butts, drink containers and takeaway food packaging at four high profile recreational parks in Byron, Ballina, Richmond Valley and Clarence Valley. The objective will be to activate the local community to pick up and reduce target litter items by supporting community groups to champion and drive regular and ongoing clean ups at the sites. The intention of the project is not just to clean up sites but to create a culture of litter awareness and prevention through building the capacity of groups to be civic leaders for the protection and care of their local environment. These activities will be supported by an integrated prevention strategy, which will utilise Hey Tosser campaign materials, signage informing park users of littering fines, bin signage, Hey Tosser site banners, collection bags and other suitable campaign material at clean ups, and a local media campaign around activities at each site. Routine ranger patrols and monitoring will continue with an increased focus in the target areas. The expansion of the Regional Illegal Dumping Forum in Ballina in March 18 to include litter will assist in further building the capacity of councils to improve litter prevention and enforcement. The project will also leverage off existing high profile events to further promote litter prevention initiatives.

Northern Inland Regional Waste

$85,000

Recreational parks infrastructure project

 The project will target high-use recreational parks with litter issues through clean-ups, infrastructure improvements and service improvements complemented by media and community engagement activities. This project expands the existing recreational parks projects that commenced in 2016 into Glen Innes Severn, Gwydir, Liverpool Plains, Uralla, Inverell councils. The project involves conducting a ‘local litter check’ for baseline data at each site, and reviewing infrastructure and servicing to determine improvements required. It will include site clean-ups, new bin infrastructure and service changes which may include improving bin numbers and placement, butt bins. The project will also improve bin cleansing program, adjusting service frequency, installing litter signage, and a media and community engagement campaign focused on littering in parks/reserve. Rangers will also undertake AELERT litter enforcement training.

Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils

$142,393

Regional litter volume reduction program for recreation parks and sports fields

The project will target litter at sports fields and recreation parks through an engagement and enforcement program by appealing to, and building partnerships with, athletes, sporting clubs and regular uses of park facilities. Litter infrastructure will be reviewed and new infrastructure provided in consultation with project partners. Positive anti-litter behaviours will be sought from members of partnering sporting associations and park hirers. Prompts will be provided to remind the public to ‘do the right thing’. Councils will undertake review and enforcement of park hire policies across the region. Partnerships will be established with sporting associations and local community groups.

$88,075

Interactive anti-litter displays and activities for use by the region at priority litter sites

The project will promote litter prevention though a community litter education and awareness program delivered through a range of mobile interactive and educational displays and activities that can be rolled-out across the CBD and high transit areas within the region.

Litter clean-up from priority sites will be displayed in a transparent, mobile casing to demonstrate to the public the extent of the littering issue. Additional displays and exhibits to include art exhibitions and street theatre and/or other activities. Time phase impacts of litter to also be displayed to demonstrate the visual impact of litter over time. The project will be bolstered through on-site ranger enforcement and installation of new bins.

Riverina and Murray Regional Organisation of Councils - Riverina

$56,000

Don’t mess with the Riverina

This project will target cigarette butt, takeaway food packaging and drink container litter at recreation sites in each member council. The councils will be consulted to ensure infrastructure (such as litter bins) are well positioned and match any existing bin design and placement strategy. The park signage and the litter bins will promote the ‘Hey Tosser’ litter prevention messaging. Each council will utilise their regulatory staff to enforce correct litter behaviour at these identified sites. Local Litter Checks will be sued to monitor and evaluate the project success.

Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils

$148,155

Reducing cigarette butt litter in shopping strips

This project will target cigarette butt litter in shopping strips. Cigarette butts have been identified as a challenge and cost for councils in our region to address. This project aims to increase awareness of local shoppers that butts belong in the bin and the location of bins in the area. This would be achieved by installing new specially designed cigarette butt disposal bins and drawing attention to the location of the bins out using high visibility and engaging directional messaging. There will also be specialised engagement with local shoppers to draw attention to cigarette butt littering, using either CALD speaking educators or theatre performers, depending on the location and audience. An enforcement blitz at locations will follow. Consistent cleanliness and local shopper awareness of the issue would be measured before and after campaign using centrally coordinated local litter check monitoring.

• Case study (PDF 151KB)

Pilot Program: Clean-up and Awareness Campaign for Arterial Roads and Highway Service Centres

This project addresses takeaway containers, drink containers and plastic littered on arterial roads identified as the highest priority in the MIDWASTE 2016-2021 Regional Litter Plan. It will establish partnerships with centre management and businesses at highway service centres located at the junction between the Pacific Highway and arterial roads leading to major towns in the region. Site clean-ups and litter counts will be undertaken at the service centres and at selected monitoring sites on the arterial roads. Signage will be installed on the arterial roads and a range of educational activities will be undertaken at the service centres.

• Case study (PDF 379KB)

This project will be a pilot project focusing on behaviour change of users of recreational areas within eight council areas in the region to prevent litter. This project will implement council specific strategies and then evaluate them to identify the most successful approaches for litter reduction. This will then be used to engage the broader NetWaste member councils. Each council will focus on one park, lookout or riparian area and work with existing community groups and encourage community members to get involved in clean-ups. Included in the baseline data component of the project is a detailed cost analysis of litter in the selected recreational area. This will allow councils to build a business case for a greater focus on litter prevention in the future rather than continual clean-up.

This multi-faceted project will use both enforcement and clean-up as well as community engagement and education to reduce litter along roadsides. A media campaign will be launched through local radio, print and social media to encourage people to register to report littering from vehicles to the EPA. The campaign will be supported by face-to-face engagement of the public to help increase this target. Council networks and councils' visual mobile signs will be used. In consultation with council staff, three sites between towns will be selected on arterial roads that approach major highways. Data will be gathered at each site prior to the launch of the campaign. To gauge the project impact on litter reduction at the hotspots, the number of incidents reported and the number of people who register to report will be evaluated.

• Case study (PDF 379KB)

The recreational parks infrastructure project will commence in 2016-2017 and is expected to continue each year to 2021. This project will identify one high-use recreational park with litter issues in at least six local government areas, and these will receive clean-ups, infrastructure improvements and service improvements complemented by media and community engagement activities. Rangers will undertake litter enforcement training provided by the EPA. The project involves conducting a Local Litter Check for baseline data at each site, and reviewing infrastructure and servicing to determine improvements required. Conducting site clean-ups and implementing infrastructure and service changes which may include improving bin numbers/placement/type, including consideration of butt bins, improving bin cleansing program, adjusting service frequency, installing litter signage, media campaign focused on littering in parks/reserves (free council media plus TV advertising utilising local imagery and messaging), enforcement and community engagement activities, including links to Clean Up Australia Day.

This project involves the use of advertising to raise awareness of how to report littering from a vehicle to the EPA. This project aims to raise public awareness via a media campaign via flyers, signage, posters and on radio stations across the region.

This project involves six waste depots targeting litter on the roadsides 250 metres leading to waste depot entrances. The participating councils and other groups agreed that the roadsides leading to waste depots was a hotspot that should be tackled. The project involves a series of elements at the primary waste depot in each local government area. This project will involve conducting a Local Litter Check audit of the sites to determine the quantity of litter before the project commences; a clean-up of the designated areas; providing a ‘Hey Tosser’ education campaign including brochures, advertising and signage; and conducting a final Local Litter Check audit of the sites to determine the quantity of litter at the finalisation of the project.

• Case study (PDF 307KB)

This project focuses on regional roads and littering from cars. This project encourage people to wait until they stop to dispose of their litter. It will focus on public toilets identified as frequently used by travellers where Hey Tosser! signage will be displayed and additional bin infrastructure will be provided. Member councils will audit their existing bin infrastructure that services travellers to ensure that it meets their needs. Car tidy bags will be made available through local service stations, tourist information centres and takeaway locations in each local government area. The project also aims to identify other locations in each local government area where car tidy bags can be made available. The project will be supplemented by radio advertising targeting drivers travelling through the region. In addition, the target market will be encouraged to report littering from vehicles to the EPA.

This project will support Hunter regional council staff to review and improve infrastructure development including litter measurement and enhanced community engagement at nominated high use recreational parks. This project will encourage users ofrecreational parks to take responsibility for disposing of bottles and takeaway packaging appropriately using the infrastructure provided, rather than littering and assuming it will be cleaned up by someone else. The focus will be on people using targeted council owned and managed recreational facilities for sporting, social and community activities by developing partnerships and working collaboratively with stakeholders, community groups, local residents and businesses. Coupled with the use of targeted education programs, improved infrastructure, signage and enforcement deterrents, this project will function as a pilot case study for the region to reduce the volume of litter in at least one targeted high use recreational park in each council area by 2019/20.

• Case study (PDF 467KB)

This project aims to reduce the volume of takeaway food and beverage packaging littered on highways and major arterial roads across the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Wingecarribee region. Local Litter Checks will be conducted on nominated road sites including on/off ramps in each local government area to establish the volume of litter at each site. Each council will engage with the relevant quick service restaurants and their customers. The project will use mobile signage on highways, posters, car litter bags and radio using the ‘Hey Tosser!’ message and promote reporting littering from vehicles to the EPA.

• Case study (PDF 389KB)

This project will focus on the reduction of the volume of containers, takeaway wrappers and coffee cup litter ‘leaking’ from building sites in suburban areas and residential roads across MACROC. This will be achieved through educating and enforcing litter compliance on building sites. MACROC, council rangers and consultants will work together on this project. Building site employees will be asked to use bins and skips on building sites. Warnings and penalties will be given to repeat offending building sites.

An engagement and enforcement program aiming to reduce the volume of littered items found at sports fields and recreation parks by building partnerships with, athletes, sporting clubs, community groups and regular uses of park facilities. Litter infrastructure will be reviewed and new infrastructure provided as required taking on feedback from project partners. Positive anti-litter behaviours will be sought from members of partnering sporting associations and park hirers. Prompts will be provided to remind the public to do the right thing with their waste. Councils will undertake review and enforcement of park hire policies across the region.

This project targets litter on roads through signage at transport hubs which raises awareness that the community can report littering from vehicles to the EPA. Transfer stations users will also be reminded to cover their loads to avoid fines and reduce roadside litter.

The first part of this project will quantify the extent and types of litter discarded at transport interchanges and bus stops associated with town centres, along with associated litter behaviour, utilising Local Litter Checks, observational methods and other assessment tools. Findings from this research will inform litter prevention approaches in Stop! Bus Stop Litter project. This project will design and deliver a litter reduction program incorporating infrastructure, education and enforcement to reduce litter at bus transport interchanges associated with town centres. Local Litter Checks will be used to monitor the project. An education and engagement plan will be designed to respond to the key issues identified. This will include rangers and waste enforcement officers in helping to educate transport users. The outcomes and evaluation will be shared with other SSROC councils to encourage targeted, place-based approaches to litter prevention.

Driver Education:Fines Apply For Littering
This project targets littering on arterial roads in the WSROC region. It will involve multiple stakeholders such as Roads and Maritime Services and neighbouring councils. This project aims to increase awareness of local residents that littering from vehicles is illegal, encourage witnesses to report littering behaviour to the EPA and to increase the perception of getting caught. This will be achieved using a high profile campaign that involves media saturation using ‘Hey Tosser!’ and anti-litter messaging for a short duration, followed by an enforcement blitz at key locations where media placement is prominent. Local resident awareness of the issues will be measured before and after the campaign and with in-depth focus group research, and reports of registrations, reports and penalties issued as a result of the campaign. Local Litter Checks will also be used to determine the project’s impact on roadside litter.

• Case study (PDF 319KB)