The Case for Prevention
Foreword
With around $70 million spent annually by Victorian local governments, cleaning up litter is an expensive business*.
Litter is the biggest cause of visual pollution and impacts on our environment causing damage to waterways and harm to animal and marine life.
The presence of litter increases the likelihood of socially unacceptable behaviour as it sends the message that the area is uncared for. People are more likely to report feeling unsafe in a littered area and have a lower level of satisfaction with a littered community.
Litter includes a broad range of items and can occur almost anywhere, from places where people frequent, to places people seek out to dump their material. Littering behaviour is fascinatingly complex and research shows that there is no typical 'litterer.' Peoples' reasons for littering vary widely and what people report that they do, upon closer observation, is not necessarily how they behave.
Litter prevention programs are essentially behaviour change programs. They aim to reduce litter at its source by:
- increasing positive behaviour by encouraging people to 'do the right thing'
And:
- changing the investment of organisations from 'clean up' to prevention
State and local government agencies are increasingly recognising the value and importance of litter prevention and nearly three quarters of organisations involved in land management have run a litter prevention program. This is measured through the Capacity Building and Litter Prevention Survey, undertaken every two years by the Victorian Litter Action Alliance (VLAA).
VLAA is the peak body for litter management and prevention in Victoria and aims to provide a coordinated approach to preventing litter in Victoria across state and local government, industry and community sectors. There are thirteen members of the Alliance who each play their own part in the fight against litter.
The Litter Low-Down is a comprehensive compendium, highlighting the latest research and economic impacts of a range of litter issues. Links to other resources are provided in addition to suggestions on undertaking best practice litter prevention programs. Ideal for those wishing to maximise their understanding of this complex topic, build the case for litter prevention or those new to the field, the Litter Low-Down provides a one-stop-shop.
Abby Rees
VLAA Litter Champion
* Sustainability Victoria. Local Government Data Collection 2005-06. Available at www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au
