About Litter

Cigarette butts are the most littered item in Australia, making up a staggering 58% of all items littered. Other frequently littered items include PET bottles, fast food wrappers, chewing gum, plastic chip and confectionery bags, ATM receipts, plastic bags, paper, glass alcholic beverage bottles and polystyrene.

The Environment Protection Act 1970 prohibits and regulates the deposit of litter in the environment, regulates the distribution of materials that may become litter and also allows for the removal of detrimental or disorderly objects and other things.

Litter prevention priorities developed after consultation with regional waste management groups, councils and other stakeholders, and endorsed by VLAA, are:

1. Cigarette butts - see Cigarette Butt Litter Prevention Kit
2. Building sites - see Stormwater and Litter Management Kit for Building Sites  
3. Dog poo - Dog Poo Litter Prevention Kit
4. Illegal dumping
5. ATM litter
6. Bill posters
7. Fishing litter
8. Charity bin dumping
9. Plastic bags