Clean Up Australia founder Ian Kiernan helps Queensland tackle litter

There is now less than four months until the Palaszczuk Government’s plastic bag ban comes into effect, and to mark Clean Up Australia Day, Queensland Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch is encouraging everyone to get prepared and reduce the amount of plastic we use.

Queensland is also hosting a very special guest this Clean Up Australia Day – Ian Kiernan AO, Chair and founder of Clean Up Australia.

“It is fantastic to have Ian here in Brisbane today to help us clean up,” Ms Enoch said.

“Ian started Clean Up Australia 28 years ago, when he wanted to make a difference in his own backyard. This idea has now become one of the nation’s largest community-based environmental events.”

Ms Enoch said a lot of rubbish picked up by volunteers was plastic, which highlighted the need to reduce the amount of plastic bags, and containers, we use in Queensland.

“Close to 1 billion lightweight single-use plastic shopping bags are used in Queensland every year,” she said.

“Our ban on single-use plastic bags, which comes into effect on July 1, aims to reduce the impacts they have on the environment.

“We are also introducing the container refund scheme in November, which will allow Queenslanders to recycle their drink containers, most of which will return a refund of 10 cents.

“Queenslanders want and deserve a clean and safe environment, and that is what today - Clean Up Australia Day - is all about.”

Mr Kiernan said clean up volunteers found non-food packaging, food packing and beverage containers were the most common plastic items collected.

“Plastic bags are also a problem, representing 3.6 per cent of reported rubbish,” Mr Kiernan said.

He also congratulated the Queensland Government on its leadership with the plastic bag and container refund initiatives.

“By regulating these common packaging items, Queensland is now leading the way when it comes to waste management reform,” Mr Kiernan said.

Ms Enoch thanked all of the Queensland volunteers who gave up their time to pick up rubbish today.

“We all want to strive for a cleaner Queensland and that is why days like this are so important.

“In the past 27 years, Australians have devoted more than 32 million hours in Clean Up Australia Day, and collected more than 344,000 tonnes of rubbish.

“While it is distressing that this rubbish is lying around our streets and public places in the first place, I would like to thank those Queenslanders who do the right thing every day and dispose of their rubbish properly.

“Litter expenses cost Queensland businesses and communities millions of dollars per year, so it’s time for those who toss their rubbish to stop.”

Information on the plastic bag ban and container refund scheme is available via the Queensland Government website.

For more information on Clean Up Australia, visit https://www.cleanupaustraliaday.org.au/

Members of the public can report littering or illegal dumping at www.des.qld.gov.au.

Clean Up Australia Day 2018 in Queensland:

• 1,327 registered clean-up sites
• 61,258 volunteers
• 2,919 estimated ute loads of rubbish that will be removed

Media contact: 0437 859 987