Working towards a cleaner Queensland

Published Sunday, 06 March, 2016 at 10:45 AM

Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection and Minister for National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef
The Honourable Steven Miles

Queensland’s Environment Minister Dr Steven Miles has joined Queenslanders on rubbish duty today (Sunday March 6), helping out some Brisbane scouts on Clean Up Australia Day, ahead of Community Cabinet in Dakabin.

Dr Miles said last year local governments spent $18.7 million to deal with 10,900 tonnes of illegally disposed of waste.

“Clean Up Australia Day is a fantastic way for everyone to come together and do their bit to help our beautiful environment,” Dr Miles said.

“It is a total eyesore to see plastic bags, cigarette butts, glass bottles, hazardous material and other wastes tainting our environment because they have been discarded thoughtlessly.

“If people think they can continue to dump rubbish inconsiderately and get away with it then they are wrong because fines will be issued through the online, littering reporting system.

“Since the inception of the litter and illegal dumping online reporting system, we have received over 12,000 reports from the public and have issued over 8400 fines,” he said.

To coincide with Clean Up Australia Day, Dr Miles announced round two of the litter and illegal dumping grants totalling more than $250,000.

“Our vision is to create a state, free from litter. The Litter and Illegal Dumping Community and Industry Partnerships program aim to help community and industry stakeholders tackle these issues through activities in a bid to change people’s behaviour,” Dr Miles said.

“The program supports a small number of innovative projects that bring together the expertise and energy of a range of interested parties.”

Round two recipients are:

Healthy Waterways - $40,000 to address the issue of littering in industrial areas adjacent to Stable Swamp Creek (a tributary of Oxley Creek), through collaborative work with the Oxley Creek Catchment Association and local industry operators.

  • UnitingCare - $50,000 to help community and industry stakeholders tackle littering and illegal dumping around charity bins and stores.
  • Burnett Mary Regional Group for Natural Resource Management - $100,000 to roll out school activities on storm water litter to help educate students about the issue of litter entering the southern edge of the Great Barrier Reef.
  • Cape York Natural Resource Management - $100,000 to involve the community in development of sculptural artwork for placement across the Cape York Peninsula to educate people about litter and illegal dumping. 
  • Garage Sale Trail - $50,000 to support the 2016 Garage Sale Trail event.

Witnesses can report incidents to EHP via the Littering and Illegal Dumping Online Reporting System (LIDORS) at https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/waste/report-litter-illegal-dumping.html.

ENDS

Media: 0422 580 342