Litter in Australia

An anti-litter movement began in 1969 in Victoria with the formation of Keep Australia Beautiful. Its major anti-littering campaigns "Do the right thing" and "Tidy Towns" became well known nationally. Today, the most vocal organisation is Clean Up Australia which holds a national clean up day.

There is currently no national legislation against litter, because the federal government is not authorised by the Constitution to legislate on such a subject.

In 2006, the most commonly littered item was cigarette butts, followed by items made from paper and cardboard with plastic items a close third.{{cite web |url=https://www.nepc.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-09/wastemgt-rpt-litter-management-australia-200811.pdf |title=Litter Management in Australia |date=November 2008 |website=National Environment Protection Council |access-date=19 December 2023 }}

In 2015, Victoria was the state with most littering followed by Queensland.{{Cite web |last=Review |first=Waste Management |date=2016-02-23 |title=Victoria named most littered state in Rubbish Report 2015 |url=https://wastemanagementreview.com.au/victoria-named-most-littered-state-in-rubbish-report-2015/ |access-date=2024-01-30 |website=Waste Management Review |language=en-US}}

Shopping strips were the most littered areas in 2018.{{cite news |last=Hasham |first=Nicole |date=25 January 2018 |title=Australians still trashing their beaches and streets, national report finds |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/australians-still-trashing-their-beaches-and-streets-national-report-finds-20180124-h0n9ar.html |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=}} Another commonly littered area is highways.{{cite web |date=29 June 2021 |title=Littering |url=https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/circular-economy-waste-reduction/litter-illegal-dumping/littering |website=Queensland Government |publisher=The State of Queensland |access-date=}}

In Victoria, the first legislation included the Environment Protection Act 1970 and later the Litter Act 1987.

Litter offences are a local government issue to manage with the exception of litter from vehicles reported to EPA Victoria, and illegal dumping which also managed by EPA Victoria.{{cite web |author= EPA CEO Nial Finegan |title=Inquiry into the CFA training college at Fiskville - Transcript |url=https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/48febe/contentassets/9b490cf0820948e5b95de159498ee686/epa.pdf |website=Parliament of Victoria |publisher=Environment, Natural Resources and Regional Development Committee |access-date=15 June 2024 |page=17 |date=14 December 2015}}{{cite web |title=Illegal waste dumping |url=https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/for-community/environmental-information/illegal-waste-dumping |website=EPA Victoria |access-date=15 June 2024 |date=24 February 2023}}

The responsibility to enforce litter laws is divided between the litter authorities including EPA Victoria, Victoria Police, local governments, VicRoads, Parks Victoria and Melbourne Water.

EPA Victoria was the first to facilitate report littering online (based on vehicle registration details) by introducing the appropriate legislation and dispense fines. EPA was also the first in Australia to create a public litter reporting service in 2002.{{Cite web |title=Keep Cleaning Up Your Act Victoria {{!}} Premier of Victoria |url=http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/keep-cleaning-your-act-victoria |access-date=2024-02-05 |website=www.premier.vic.gov.au |language=en-AU}}

In 2015-16, more than 75 per cent of reports submitted to EPA Victoria by the public were about people discarding cigarette butts from their cars and 60% of offenders were male. Altona, Melbourne and Altona North were the three areas where the most littering was reported.{{Cite web |title=Keep Cleaning Up Your Act Victoria {{!}} Premier of Victoria |url=http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/keep-cleaning-your-act-victoria |access-date=2024-02-05 |website=www.premier.vic.gov.au |language=en-AU}}

As of 2024, fines for littering can go up to $769 for individuals and $3846 for corporations.{{Cite web |last=Victoria |first=Environment Protection Authority |title=Report litter from vehicles {{!}} Environment Protection Authority Victoria |url=https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/report-pollution/report-litter-from-vehicles |access-date=2024-02-05 |website=www.epa.vic.gov.au |language=en}}

The Independent Inquiry into the EPA report commissioned by the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water that was delivered in 2016 found that litter fine revenue accounted for "just under five per cent of the EPA’s operating budget".{{cite book |author1=Environment Protection Authority Inquiry Ministerial Advisory Committee |title=Independent Inquiry tnto the Environment Protection Authority |date=2016 |publisher=State of Victoria |location=Melbourne |isbn=9781760471392 |page=361 |url=http://www.epa-inquiry.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/file/0008/336698/Inquiry-report-EPA_June.pdf |access-date=27 May 2024}} The report recommended that the EPA no longer retain revenue from litter fines as retaining revenue is a "clear conflict of interest and aligns poorly with the EPA’s mission. The availability of these receipts may distort the regulator’s incentives and encourage it to dedicate a disproportionate share of its limited resources to a relatively minor environmental hazard."{{sfn|Environment Protection Authority Inquiry Ministerial Advisory Committee|2016|p=378}}

Northern Territory followed Victoria and adopted the Litter Act (1972).

In South Australia the Container Deposit Legislation (1977) was introduced with the aim of reducing litter by encouraging recycling and remains the only state in Australia with this type of legislation.{{cite web |url=http://www.kesab.asn.au/uploads/File/Fact%20Sheets%20-%20Container%20Deposit%20Legislation%20(CDL).htm |title=Fact Sheets - Container Deposit Legislation (CDL) |website=www.kesab.asn.au |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831173649/http://www.kesab.asn.au/uploads/File/Fact%20Sheets%20-%20Container%20Deposit%20Legislation%20(CDL).htm |archive-date=2007-08-31}}

Anti-litter legislation was introduced to Western Australia through the Litter Act (1979).

Litter legislation was introduced to the Australian Capital Territory with the Litter Regulations (1993).

File:StateLibQld 1 204220 Cleaners worked hard after the Civic Welcome to Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, Brisbane, 1954.jpg in Brisbane, 1954]]

In Queensland, litter laws first came into place through the Environmental Protection Act (1994). The Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 provides provisions to manage litter and illegal dumping across the state.{{cite web |date=16 July 2024|title=Litter and illegal dumping legislation |url=https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/circular-economy-waste-reduction/litter-illegal-dumping/law |website=Government of Queensland |location=Brisbane |publisher=The State of Queensland |access-date=14 February 2025}} It stipulates that dangerous littering is litter that causes or is likely to cause harm to a person, property or the environment. It facilitates the reporting of illegal dumping by members of the public.

File:Only Idiots Litter sign, Woodford Island, New South Wales, June 2021.jpg

In New South Wales, legislation was introduced through the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.

In Tasmania, anti-litter legislation was introduced through the Litter Act (2007).{{cite web |title=Litter Act 2007 |url=https://epa.tas.gov.au/about-the-epa/policy-legislation-cooperative-arrangements/acts-regulations/litter-act |publisher=Tasmanian Government |access-date=16 February 2025}}

{{Portal|Australia|Environment}}

• Environmental issues in Australia
• Container deposit legislation in Australia (container deposit legislation is an effective measure for reducing litter)
• Waste management in Australia
• Plastic bag bans in Australia

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Category:Environmental issues in Australia

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Category:Waste management in Australia