Council combatting car litter with free reusable bags

To encourage the appropriate disposal of litter while out and about this summer, Maitland City Council is giving away free reusable car litter bags.

Bags can be collected, within business hours, from any of the four Maitland library branches, the Visitor Information Centre or the Council Administration Building from Monday 30 November through to Sunday 13 December.

Council’s Manager of Environment and Sustainability Catherine Pepper says ‘by using the car litter bags the community are playing their part in protecting the environment from litter thrown from motor vehicles, left behind in parks, shopping precincts or travel rest spots.

‘The result of littering not only makes the environment and waterways look untidy, but it can also be harmful to the environment and cause human injury.’

Littering can cause animals, birds and aquatic life to ingest or becoming tangled in rubbish, stormwater drains becoming blocked or land and waterways becoming contaminated with pollutants.

The following litter fines apply in New South Wales:

• $80 for littering small items, such as bottle tops and cigarette butts
• $250 for general littering
• $250 for an individual littering from a vehicle ($500 for corporations)
• $450 for littering in aggravated or dangerous circumstances, such as depositing a syringe or a lit cigarette ($900 for corporations).

If someone is seen littering they can be reported by contacting the EPA on 131555 or online at epa.nsw.gov.au   

Should you identify a site where illegal dumping has occurred, you can report it for investigation by visiting ridonline.epa.nsw.gov.au