While walking along busy streets, you saw a guy casually tossing a plastic cup on the roadside. After a few more strides, you passed by a teenager leaving an empty pocket of chips while calmly walking away as if nothing had happened.
People think throwing a cigarette butt out of the car window, spitting gum on the sidewalk, letting old newspapers get carried away by the wind, or throwing an empty bottle in the gutter won’t affect the environment. Unfortunately, even a tiny piece of trash can be detrimental.
No matter how often people hear about reuse and recycling or the laws, it’s still apparent that many places in Australia are having trouble with litter. In NSW, approximately 7 billion cigarette butts are littered each year.
Moreover, ninety-five per cent of beach litter comes from suburban streets, down street drains and stormwater systems. The estimated cost of litter services nationally is approximately $300 million to $350 million annually.
The Environmental Protection Agency of NSW researched littering behaviour, showing that people know that littering is socially unacceptable. They know that it is wrong. Thus, they tend to do it when no one is watching.
As a responsible citizen, you shouldn’t be involved in this narrative. You can file a complaint directly to the EPA if you see one. You can contact and report stubborn offenders depending on the type of litter and where it is.
Report littering from a vehicle
Roadside litter is one of NSW’s most unnecessary and preventable environmental problems. If you witness someone littering from their vehicle, you can report them online using the Report to EPA.
This is a part of Report a Tosser!, an advertising campaign that highlights the problems of roadside littering and encourages people to report litterers. The campaign was launched in 2015. There are over 64,000 registered reporters, which is constantly growing each day.
It sends a strong message to litterers that their behaviour will not be tolerated, and anyone seen littering from their vehicle can be charged with fines from $200 for an individual and $500 for a corporation. This can be issued directly from your report.
To report, you need to have seen the litter being thrown or blown from the vehicle and provide the vehicle registration and the location where the littering occurred within 14 days using Report to EPA.
Register and make a report to Report to EPA
You will be asked to register if it’s your first time reporting. You only need your mobile phone to receive an SMS code for verification. If you don’t have it with you or are underage, you are recommended to register offline. You have to download the reporting forms and fill them out.
Make a report, and ensure you are free and available — not driving or crossing a street. Take a photo of the car, location and the litter item. It’s also best to have notes about the time you observed the littering, where you were heading at that moment, your current location about, the offender’s vehicle, other witnesses, weather conditions, or any voice or video recordings.
EPA may contact you to get more information when a fine is issued. You are also advised to keep any notes and evidence for a year in case the penalty is disputed, or if the offender chooses to have the matter dealt with in court, you may have to attend as a witness.
Conclusion
The sad truth is that tonnes and tonnes of litter are tossed in NSW alone, harming the environment and making our streets and spaces unhealthy and unpleasant. Make a stand and report any incident of roadside littering.
You can file a complaint digitally through the Report to EPA. You can read more about the Don’t be a tosser campaign or contact the Contact Environment Line at 131 555 or email: info@epa.nsw.gov.au.
At Paul’s Rubbish Removal Sydney, we value our clients as much as the environment. Together, let’s support the campaign and become advocates of change. Don’t be a tosser!
