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Victorian Litter Strategy 2012–14Love your Victoria

2

Contents

Sustainability Victoria Level 28, Urban Workshop 50 Lonsdale Street Melbourne 3000 T 1300 363 744 E [email protected] www.sustainability.vic.gov.au

© Sustainability Victoria 2013 (PRO121) Printed on 100% recycled paper

Disclaimer Information in this document is current as at January 2013. While all professional care has been taken in preparing this document, Sustainability Victoria accepts no liability for loss or damages incurred as a result of reliance placed upon its content.

Message from the Minister 1

Introduction 2

Our vision 4

Current situation 5

Litter priorities and action 10

Partnerships to deliver change 16

Victorian Litter Strategy 2012–14 1

Message from the MinisterSpending time at the beach, in the bush or along Melbourne’s Yarra can be a scenic, peaceful and healthy experience for Victorians. Litter can not only affect the beauty of these places but can have damaging consequences for our precious wildlife, vegetation and water quality. We all have a part to play in the prevention of litter by appropriately disposing of litter in public spaces as well as at work, at school and at home.

Victoria is getting better – we are seeing less litter every year and we have the least litter by count and volume in Australia. Victoria’s approach to preventing and managing litter has received positive recognition nationally and we have an opportunity to build on our successes. Addressing current developments, such as an increase in the incidence of illegal dumping, requires vigilance and new approaches to maintain our high standards.

The Victorian Government is committed to creating a healthier and safer environment for all Victorians and driving sustainability and economic development through efficient recycling and waste management programs. Through our Victorian Litter Strategy 2012–14 we will:

• Tackle the issue of illegal dumping at charitable recyclers.

• Improve data collection and conduct research into illegal dumping behaviours to inform monitoring, enforcement and prevention approaches.

• Increase public place recycling infrastructure in regional Victoria to divert more materials for recycling.

• Improve resources and develop a training program for local governments, regional waste management groups and land managers to deliver local litter prevention and enforcement programs that focus on litter hot spots and important litter issues.

• Expand community partnering projects and programs to share knowledge across regions and local government boundaries.

• Increase roadside litter prevention via grants to prevent commonly littered items such as cigarettes butts and beverage containers.

Victorians are taking positive action every day and volunteers are crucial in helping prevent and manage litter across the state. I applaud these groups and individuals for their effort and commitment and inspiring others in their community to create change.

The new strategy represents the next step in the prevention and management of litter in Victoria and is underpinned by three critical elements for success – education, infrastructure and enforcement.

To create clean and safe public places which we are proud to live, work and relax in I encourage all Victorians to make a difference in their everyday activities to reduce litter in the environment and to Love your Victoria.

The Hon. Ryan Smith MP Minister for Environment and Climate Change

2 Victorian Litter Strategy 2012–14

IntroductionA revised Litter Strategy

The Victorian Litter Strategy 2012–14 is an updated strategy for the prevention of littering in Victoria that reflects recent and relevant changes, challenges and opportunities. The strategy provides new programs to prevent litter, increase public place recycling and address illegal dumping in Victoria.

Victoria has a strong track record in reducing litter but the financial cost of litter is an ongoing issue for local and state government organisations that manage public land and for private land owners and businesses. Littering can also impact communities in ways that include reduced amenity, community pride and people’s feeling of safety.

Lifestyle changes mean people are spending more time in public places and consuming more items outside the home. This further adds to the potential of waste and litter occurring and a loss of resources for reuse and recycling.

Another growing concern is the illegal dumping of household items (such as televisions, mattresses, small electric appliances and furniture) in public places and private land. A better understanding of littering behaviours, in particular illegal dumping, is required to develop an informed approach to reducing litter and illegal dumping.

Other recent developments and changes affecting how litter is currently managed in Victoria have highlighted the need for an updated litter strategy. These include:

• In 2012 the Victorian Government launched the 17 point action plan: A Cleaner Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay, that clarifies responsibilities and actions (including reducing litter) to create a cleaner Yarra and bay.

• In 2012, the Draft Victorian Waste and Resource Recovery Policy was released for public comment. The policy sets a clear direction for the importance of waste and resource recovery over the next 10 years.

• In 2009 a 10-year National Waste Policy was launched by the Federal Government that provides a framework for action on litter and recycling issues that are best tackled on a national level, or where there is benefit in cooperation between jurisdictions.

Partnerships

The Victorian Government is responsible for the statutory framework for litter prevention in Victoria. The Victorian Litter Strategy 2012–14 has been developed by Sustainability Victoria (SV) on behalf of the Victorian Government. SV leads on best practice in litter prevention programs and drives integrated waste and resource efficiency in Victoria.

SV works closely with key government portfolio partners, including the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria. These key organisations share responsibility for preventing and managing litter across the state, with DSE responsible for waste and litter policy and EPA Victoria for litter enforcement.

Since 2009, Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria (KABV) programs – part of the National KAB group – have been managed by SV. Programs including Stationeers and the Tidy Towns – Sustainable Communities Awards encourage and celebrate sustainable actions and volunteer work undertaken everyday by Victorians.

Partnerships are essential in delivering this strategy and local government, waste management groups, industry and community all have a significant role to play. In particular, SV will work closely with the Victorian Litter Action Alliance (VLAA) on monitoring the implementation of the Victorian Litter Strategy 2012–14 (see page 18 for more information about VLAA).


Consultation

The Victorian Litter Strategy 2012–14 has been developed in consultation with DSE, EPA Victoria and VLAA. VLAA is made up of representatives from EPA Victoria, Melbourne Water, VicRoads, City of Melbourne, KABV, the Australian Food and Grocery Council Packaging Stewardship Forum, Municipal Association of Victoria, Victorian Local Governance Association, Victorian Waste Management Association, Metropolitan Waste Management Group and the Association of Victorian Regional Waste Management Groups and SV.

The consultation period involved workshops and interviews with a group of organisations that were geographically spread and are key to litter prevention and management. Participants were asked a series of questions relating to their feedback on the 2009 Victorian Litter Strategy and their organisation’s priorities and needs in relation to litter prevention.

Smart promotion and education key to Council’s successful approach to litter management

Illegal rubbish dumping was a major concern for Manningham Council, spending over $350,000 in clean up annually. Household goods, garden and commercial waste were the most prevalent types of dumped rubbish, and cigarette butt litter was also increasing around Manningham’s shopping centres strips.

To combat illegal rubbish dumping and litter Manningham Council appointed a Litter Prevention Officer (LPO) in 2011. A key aim for the LPO role was to improve the Council’s ability to identify illegal dumping incidents and people littering from motor vehicles. This role was funded as part of the Victorian Government’s Litter Prevention Officer Program led by EPA Victoria.

To achieve this, Manningham introduced its Litter Watch Hotline (1800 665 448) to act as a portal for community litter reporting and a medium to educate hotline users about the litter issue. The hotline allowed the LPO to respond immediately to a call, optimising the chances of identifying the illegal dumpers and litterers themselves.

The initiative resulted in significant media coverage and raised awareness of illegal rubbish dumping and littering

in the community. The introduction of the hotline was also supported by an education campaign on litter reduction and recycling options, including the promotion of the Council’s hard waste collection service.

The hotline resulted in an increase in reporting by the community. In 2012 the Council received 260 reports of incidences of illegal dumping and littering from motor vehicles via the hotline. This compares favourably to report results before the hotline’s introduction, with 103 and 139 reports in 2010 and 2011 respectively – an increase of 150% overall. In 2012 almost 500 infringement notices were issued and valued at over $80,000. An additional 65 illegal rubbish incidents were resolved with their owners.

The LPO role has allowed Manningham Council to devote more resources to both litter research and innovation. This enables them to respond directly to reports and opportunities to monitor and measure illegal dumping and littering.

www.manningham.vic.gov.au

Photo courtesy of KABV


Our visionThe Victorian Government’s vision is to improve littering behaviours to reduce litter in our state to deliver:

• a more liveable Victoria with cleaner public parks, gardens, recreation areas, roadsides and waterways;

• improved prevention measures at litter hotspots; and

• coordinated litter prevention programs across government portfolio partners (DSE, EPA Victoria and SV), VLAA, local government, waste management groups, industry and community.

To achieve our vision we will:

• conduct statewide monitoring of litter as well as producing tools and training to reduce litter based on up to date research; and

• provide infrastructure grants and deliver the programs of Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria.

In line with learnings from the 2009 Victorian Litter Strategy, and based on consultation for this strategy, five key priority focus areas have been identified:

1. Litter policy

2. Littering and illegal dumping

3. Increased enforcement emphasis

4. Partnerships and community engagement

5. Education and resources

SV will continue to work closely with partners to deliver projects and results in these areas.

Measuring success

The Victorian Litter Strategy 2012–14 will enable the achievement of the target for a 25% improvement in littering behaviours by 2014, from 2003 levels1.

An integral part of the strategy is the continuation of litter monitoring and reporting programs, including the Victorian Litter Report, which is essential to tracking and evaluating ongoing performance against the target.

The strategy plans for improvements to current data collection methods to improve overall performance monitoring and to identify further opportunities to target litter and improve littering behaviours.

SV will work closely with VLAA to monitor and implement the actions and projects and the results will be reported annually.

1 SV2015 Strategic Plan

Photo courtesy of Barwon Regional Waste Management Group


Current situationLitter has changed over the last few years to become more complex and diverse in type, scale and amount. The definition of litter is quite broad and was determined over 40 years ago.

Litter can be described as any small, medium or large item placed inappropriately. Litter is defined according to the Environment Protection (EP) Act 1970 (which covers private and public land) as:

‘any solid or liquid domestic or commercial waste, refuse, debris or rubbish and, without limiting the generality of the above, includes any waste glass, metal, plastic, paper, fabric, wood, food, soil, sand, concrete or rocks, abandoned vehicles, abandoned vehicle parts and garden remnants and clippings, but does not include any gases, dust or smoke or any waste that is produced or emitted during or as a result of, any of the normal operations of the mining, building or manufacturing industry or any primary industry.’

Littering is inappropriately ‘depositing’ waste, which according to the EP Act 1970, is ‘the act of parting with the possession of the litter’.

The impact and cost of litter

The presence of litter increases the likelihood of socially unacceptable behaviour and sends a message that an area is uncared for. Litter dropped in the street can travel into waterways through the stormwater system, and ultimately pollute land and ocean environments. Many littered items can be recycled and when these items become litter they are a lost resource.

Contact with litter can be a potential hazard to both animals and humans, such as the ingestion of cigarette butts or stepping on broken glass. The prevalence of cigarette litter from smoking has encouraged recent legislative measures to increase the range of smoke free settings. In 2012 the Victorian Government banned smoking on patrolled beaches in Victoria to protect beach users from exposure to harmful tobacco smoke and reduce the environmental damage caused by cigarette litter.

Significantly, litter is also costly to remove. In 2009-10, litter and street sweeping services cost Victorian local governments more than $78 million (up from $58 million in 2004–05) and the management of illegally dumped items cost $4.53 million.2 This work has a direct impact on local government rates. Charitable recycling organisations are also experiencing an increase in costs due to illegal dumping.

2 2009–10 Victorian Local Government Annual Survey


Who litters?

Littering behaviours are complex and there is no stereotypical litterer. People’s litter disposal actions tend to vary with the items they are using and the context in which they use them. Some people litter only in certain places, while others only litter certain types of items. The most common reasons people give when asked why they litter include ‘no bin nearby’, ‘too lazy’, ‘no ashtray nearby’, ‘it’s a habit’ or ‘don’t know’.

Littering is generally a habitual or careless activity whereas illegal dumping is a premeditated action to intentionally dump material. As a result different approaches are required to prevent and manage littering and illegal dumping.

The diagram below outlines the acts of illegal waste disposal in terms of scale and likely perpetrator and indicates whether local or state government is responsible for clean up and prosecution.

Litter research in Victoria

Victoria has demonstrated excellence in preventing litter and has reduced the amount of litter measured to well below the national average, and currently the lowest in Australia.3 We are working towards achieving the target of a 25% improvement in littering behaviours by 2014, from 2003 levels4. Victoria is on track to meet this target with a 23.4% improvement in littering behaviours recorded in 2011 from 2003 levels (see Figure 2). Progress will continue to be reported in the Victorian Litter Report.

To measure and monitor litter in Victoria, various research and data is used, including the:

• Victorian Litter Report (VLR) – produced by SV, this is the primary litter measurement tool and annual report card for Victoria that assesses public littering behaviours, litter levels in public places, problem litter types and litter hot spots.

• Victorian Local Government Annual Survey (VLGAS) – produced by SV, this is an annual survey to evaluate local government waste and recycling services.

• Keep Australia Beautiful National Litter Index (KAB NLI) – Australia’s only national, annual report on litter in each state and territory.

3 2011–12 Keep Australia Beautiful National Litter Index4 SV2015 Strategic Plan

RANGE OF ACTIVITIES

ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT 1970

STATE GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY – CLEAN UP / PROSECUTION

LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY – CLEAN UP / PROSECUTION

INDIVIDUALS DOMESTIC AND SMALL BUSINESS BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

Litter Small scale illegal dumping

Medium scaleillegal dumping

Large scaleillegal dumping

Acts of illegal waste disposalDiagram: Acts of illegal waste disposal

Diagram courtesy of the Department of Sustainability and Environment


Victoria’s litter profile

Victoria needs to tackle a range of litter sources. However, cigarette litter is a priority as according to the 2011 litter count (see Figure 1) they were the most littered item and account for approximately 54% of litter. Beverage containers are also deemed important as they are the second most littered item and account for approximately 29% of litter (see Figure 1). Beverage containers are also highly visible and generally recyclable.

The 2011 VLR research was conducted in regional and urban Victoria from September to early December 2011, throughout 216 public place locations divided into 13 site types including beaches, public buildings and transport sites.

The VLR data on public litter levels and behaviours is assessed using a standardised Clean Communities Assessment Tool (CCAT) to establish annual benchmark scores and to monitor the state’s progress against the target of a 25% improvement in littering behaviours by 2014, from 2003 levels.

Figure 2 indicates the state’s performance relative to the 25% improvement target for litter prevention expressed as a percentage change since 2003. The score has increased by 23.4% since the base year of 2003 and exceeded the notional 2011 target of 18.2% by 5.2% (an increase of 3.1% from 2010).

Figure 1. Composition of littered items 2011

Figure 2. Litter prevention performance and CCAT score 2003–11

Photo courtesy of KABV

Cigarettes 54%

Cardboard <1%

Confection wraps 2% Organics 5%Other 1%

Paper 6%

Plastic �lm 3%

Beverage 29%

0.0

6.3 7.8

17.2

20.3

25

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Per

cent

(%)

Actual score Notional target

23.4


New public place recycling equals less contaminated bins at Mount Waverley Shopping Village

In 2011, Monash City Council received a $25,000 grant through the Victorian Government’s Public Place Recycling Grants Program which is led by SV. Council used this funding to improve recycling rates in Mount Waverley Shopping Village.

Monash City Council also contributed $10,000 to the project that included research, design and installation of a new set of public place recycling bins and waste bins for the busy shopping precinct.

The project commenced with an audit of existing waste bins that found they contained 60% of recyclable material – providing strong opportunities for diversion of material for recycling. Consultation with local businesses identified suitable locations for new recycling bins and gathered local intelligence on litter hot spots.

Research indicated that the current bin design was unable to deal with larger litter items such as pizza boxes. Advice from an outdoor furniture specialist and Council’s architecture and design team helped refine the design of new bins and guide the redesign of existing ones. As a result waste and recycle

bins were standardised to include a large linear opening instead of two round circles.

The 13 new recycling bins were installed across the shopping village in 2011 and have been working well since. An audit conducted shortly after the installation found that there were high volumes of material diverted for recycling and very low contamination rates:

•93%ofthematerialcollectedintherecyclingbinswasrecyclable – with a low contamination rate of 7%.

•recyclablematerialfoundinthewastebinshalved– from 60% at the beginning of the project to 30%.

New bin design, strong consultation and well researched locations were essential to the success of Monash City Council’s public place recycling project.

www.monash.vic.gov.au


Victoria’s approach to preventing litter

The prevention of litter in Victoria requires a partnership approach. SV will work with EPA Victoria, DSE, VLAA, local government, waste management groups, industry and community in the prevention and management of litter. The involvement, support and cooperation with a range of stakeholders across the sector is critical to the success of this strategy.

The VLAA Litter Champion program (managed by SV) has been running since 2002 and is responsible for the coordination of best practice litter prevention in Victoria.

Shared responsibility also underpins and supports litter programs in Victoria which are built around the three elements of the VLAA’s litter prevention framework (see Figure 3):

Education includes information, incentives and communication to explain the issues associated with litter and encouraging how to correctly dispose of litter appropriately in any given situation.

Infrastructure includes bins and signs in appropriate public places to enable people to correctly dispose of litter.

Enforcement provides consequences and penalties for those that litter and provides a deterrent and powerful message that littering is unacceptable.

Education Infrastructure Enforcement

Figure 3. Victoria’s litter prevention framework


Litter priorities and actionA review of the Victorian Litter Report (VLR), Victorian Local Government Annual Survey (VLGAS) and Keep Australia Beautiful National Litter Index (KAB NLI) data, as well as feedback received from stakeholders during the consultation period, uncovered problems and relevant solutions that determined the following five litter priorities to be addressed.

Analysing these problems and solutions also determined appropriate action over the next two years that will give effect to each of the solutions. The overall aim of the action is to achieve the target of a 25% improvement in littering behaviours by 2014, from 2003 levels.

1 Litter policy

Litter is changing. The original definition of litter was determined in 1970 and since then social, economic and policy changes have seen a shift in what constitutes litter. In Victoria we are seeing an increase in different types of litter, particularly cigarette litter, and an increase in illegally dumped items.

a) Problem: Litter has changed over the last few years to become more complex and diverse in type, scale and amount.

Solution: The Draft Victorian Waste and Resource Recovery Policy provides better clarity about key stakeholder roles and their approach to the prevention and management of litter and illegal dumping.

Action: • Shapelitterpolicy,includingillegaldumping,throughtheDraft Victorian Waste and Resource Recovery Policy.

• Clarityaroundkeypartnerrolesandresponsibilitiesinpreventingandmanaginglitterandillegaldumping.

• Improvelittercoordinationacrossgovernmentbyprovidingarecognisedframework.

• Formalrecognitionanddefinitionoflitterandillegaldumpingasagrowingconcern. – Project: Draft Victorian Waste and Resource Recovery Policy

Responsible organisation: DSE

Delivery partners: SV, EPA Victoria, Metropolitan Waste Management Group (MWMG) and Regional Waste Management Groups (RWMG)


2 Littering and illegal dumping

With the types of litter in Victoria changing and illegal dumping increasing, new research, programs and support are required to continue and prevent littering and illegal dumping.

a) Problem: Littering behaviours are complex and there is no stereotypical litterer. The most recent research into littering behaviours occurred over five years ago and recent developments, such as the banning of smoking outside public buildings and an increase in illegal dumping, call for new insights.

Solution: New behavioural research into littering and illegal dumping to understand the current reasons for it occurring.

Action: • Conductresearchtobetterunderstandlitteringandillegaldumpingbehavioursincludinghowtheydifferand

the scale at which materials are dumped.

• Collectconsistentlitteringandillegaldumpingevidencetodetermineeffectivelitterpreventionactivitiesbeyond2014. – Project: Small to medium illegal dumping data collection program

b) Problem: In Victoria three main means of litter data collection occur through the VLR, VLGS and KAB NLI. This valuable data helps direct litter prevention activities. However, not all councils and land managers provide data and not every local government area is measured through the VLR, as it is designed to provide a snapshot of Victoria’s performance.

Solution: Local litter measurement training provided to local government to enable litter managers to systematically monitor litter, collect data at their local level and avoid duplication of effort. Investigate systems to allow sharing of information across Victoria and develop fit for purpose tools to tackle litter effectively.

Action: •Providelocallittermeasurementtrainingto20councilstosupportaconsistentapproachtolittermeasurement.

– Project: VLAA litter prevention kits including Local Litter Measurement Tool and Illegal Dumping


2 Littering and illegal dumping (continued)

c) Problem: Victorians are spending more time away from home which increases the amount of recycling and waste in public places. A consistent approach is required between effective waste disposal in public places, at work, at school and at home.

Solution: Improvement of public place infrastructure, including bins and signs, in high-use public areas such Victoria’s rivers and coastline and at retail, recreational, sporting, tourist and transport sites.

Action: • Improveandexpandpublicplacerecyclinginfrastructureandeducation.

– Project: Public Place Recycling Grants

d) Problem: An increase in the amount and range of waste items being illegally dumped in parklands, at charitable recyclers and in public places presents both financial and environmental costs for the community.

Solution: A new partnership approach with charitable recycling organisations and local government to address illegal dumping at charitable recyclers and increase support for local government and land managers to address illegal dumping.

Action: • Developaprogramwithcharitablerecyclingorganisationsandlocalgovernmenttoaddressillegaldumping.

– Project: Illegal dumping program to tackle dumping at charitable recyclers

e) Problem: Restaurants and cafes require an increased understanding of the impact of stormwater pollution on our rivers and bays; local government needs dedicated Litter Prevention Officers to contribute to litter prevention; and waste management groups, Victorian Government agencies and local government require further support to combat roadside litter.

Solution: Provide new targeted funding and grant programs that address these issues.

Action: – Project: Roadside Litter Prevention Grants – Project: Litter Prevention Officers Program – Project: Lower Yarra Litter Strategy Trader Engagement Program

Responsible organisation: SV, EPA Victoria and Melbourne Water

Delivery partners: MWMG, RWMGs and local government

Photo courtesy of Barwon Regional Waste Management Group


3 Increased enforcement emphasis

Enforcement is critical as it provides a strong deterrent that littering is unacceptable. Fewer than 40% of councils run an enforcement program as part of their usual business. In the last five years, over 90,000 motor vehicle litter fines have been issued by EPA Victoria. However, more enforcement can be conducted at a local level to increase reach, scope and reporting of illegal litter incidents.

a) Problem: State and local governments need to work together to develop a coordinated enforcement approach.

Solution: EPA Victoria to provide support to local government via training programs that build their capacity to use the legislation and the provisions of the EP Act 1970 more effectively, and to improve enforcement outcomes.

Action: • Implement stronger enforcement on litter and illegal dumping to provide a greater deterrent to littering.

• Support councils and land managers to enforce litter provisions within the EP Act 1970, and to improve outcomes resulting from enforcement. – Project: Litter enforcement training program – Project: EPA Victoria and SV Summer Litter Campaign

Responsible organisation: EPA Victoria and SV

Delivery partners: Local government and land managers

Illegal dumping enforcement reduces council operational costs

Yarra Ranges Council, located in the northeast fringe of Melbourne, was facing a growing and costly problem with over $200,000 spent per year on managing litter and illegal dumping.

The Council decided to strengthen their enforcement approach and appointed a dedicated Litter Enforcement Officer to focus exclusively on litter and follow up prosecutions monthly.

In 2011, with the support of a Victorian Government grant led by SV, the Council purchased video surveillance cameras to effectively monitor illegal dumping and to identify and gather evidence for prosecution of illegal dumpers, particularly in rural areas. Households were provided with a personalised brochure including information on best practice waste and recycling.

The project was a huge success as Yarra Ranges Council now prosecutes offenders and in more than 75% of cases the dumped materials are retrieved for correct disposal, which significantly reduces the Council’s operational costs. The Litter Enforcement Officer and the video surveillance cameras are now a permanent approach for how the Yarra Ranges Council manages illegal dumping.

www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au


4 Partnerships and community engagement

Victorians are leaders in litter prevention. Greater sharing of resources, approaches and research will further enhance this. Communities are integral to the success of litter prevention programs and greater community engagement will increase action at a local level.

a) Problem: Greater regional collaboration on projects is required so stakeholders, in particular local government, can work better together in solving litter problems.

Solution: Establish new partnerships through grants and programs to share knowledge across regions and local government boundaries.

Action: • Establishnewpartnershipstoshareknowledgeacrossregions.

– Project: Roadside Litter Prevention Grants – Project: Illegal dumping program to tackle dumping at charitable recyclers

b) Problem: Continued and enhanced reward and recognition is essential to support the vital work communities play in litter prevention.

Solution: Expansion of community partnering projects and recognition programs to enhance the contribution of communities and take-up of volunteers in litter prevention activities.

Action: • Expandcommunitypartneringprojectsandrecognitionprogramstoenhancecommunityandvolunteerlitter

prevention activities. – Project: KABV Stationeers and Adopt a Roadside community volunteer programs – Project: KABV Awards program

Responsible organisation: SV and EPA Victoria

Delivery partners: VicRoads, VLine, Metro, VicTrack, local government


5 Education and resources

Victoria’s population is diverse and litter prevention programs need to effectively target littering behaviours. Development of resources and training for local government and land managers will support consistent messages and best practice in litter prevention.

a) Problem: Litter prevention toolkits, templates, training, funding, grants and advice are widely sought after by local government and land managers. In particular, information needs to be created and refreshed about litter prevention auditing and data collection, illegal dumping, enforcement, business accountability and working with traders to reduce litter, need to be created and refreshed.

Solution: Promotion and education of refreshed resources to provide best practice approach to litter prevention to ensure programs are based on rigorous research, have consistent messaging and cover a range of locations.

Action: • UpdateandpromotearangeofVLAAtoolkitsthatproviderelevantandconsistentinformationaboutbestpractice

in litter prevention.

• Providelocallittermeasurementtrainingto20councilstosupportaconsistentapproachtolittermeasurement. – Project: VLAA litter prevention kits including Local Litter Measurement Tool and Illegal Dumping – Project: Litter Prevention Education and Communications Toolkit

Responsible organisation: SV, EPA Victoria and VLAA

Delivery partners: Local government, MWMG, RWMGs and land managers


Partnerships to deliver changeThe priorities and action of the Victorian Litter Strategy 2012–14 will be realised through engagement and collaboration between stakeholders, including:

Sustainability Victoria

Sustainability Victoria (SV) drives the prevention and management of litter in Victoria and delivers programs that make a difference to the wider Victorian community – through integrated waste management and resource efficiency. SV supports and complements the work of its portfolio partners – DSE, EPA Victoria and the metropolitan and regional waste management groups.

SV is the state government agency responsible for facilitating and promoting environmental sustainability by developing and delivering strategies, programs and training to create awareness and behavioural change. SV does not have the authority to make legislative or regulatory decisions.

Since 2009, Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria (KABV) programs – part of the National KAB group – have been managed by SV. These programs encourage and celebrate sustainable actions taken every day by Victorians.

Since 2002 SV has been responsible for coordinating the Victorian Litter Action Alliance (VLAA) and managing the VLAA Litter Champion program.

www.sustainability.vic.gov.au

Department of Sustainability and Environment

The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) leads the Victorian Government’s efforts to sustainably manage water resources and catchments, aspects of climate change, bushfires, parks and other public land, forests, biodiversity and ecosystem conservation.

DSE directs environmental policy development for Victoria and coordinates the environment portfolio with EPA and SV’s support and input. The Department supports the Victorian Government’s priorities in environmental sustainability and facilitates local government and industry to deliver key services that balance the interests of communities.

www.dse.vic.gov.au

Environment Protection Authority Victoria

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria is part of the environment portfolio and is charged with protecting the Victorian environment. EPA is an administrative office of DSE and its sole role is to regulate pollution.

It has independent authority to make regulatory decisions under the EP Act 1970. By effectively regulating pollution in Victoria, EPA Victoria aims to deliver clean air, healthy waterways, safe land and minimal disturbances from noise and odour for Victorians.

www.epa.vic.gov.au

Victorian Litter Action Alliance

The Victorian Litter Action Alliance (VLAA) is the peak body for litter management and prevention in Victoria. It provides a coordinated approach to preventing litter across state and local government, industry and community sectors.

VLAA’s 12 members represent a diverse range of public and private organisations that help reduce litter in the community, these include:

1. Sustainability Victoria

2. EPA Victoria

3. Melbourne Water

4. VicRoads

5. City of Melbourne

6. The Australian Food and Grocery Council Packaging Stewardship Forum (PSF)

7. Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria (KABV)

8. Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV)

9. Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA)

10. Victorian Waste Management Association (VWMA)

11. Metropolitan Waste Management Group (MWMG)

12. Association of Victorian Regional Waste Management Groups (AVRWMG)

www.litter.vic.gov.au


Metropolitan Waste Management Group

The Metropolitan Waste Management Group (MWMG) is a Victorian Government statutory authority responsible for coordinating and facilitating the delivery of municipal solid waste management and planning across Melbourne. It was established in 2006 under the Environment Protection (Amendment) Act 2006.

MWMG works with Melbourne’s 30 metropolitan councils to plan, coordinate and facilitate their procurement of waste management and resource recovery services and to undertake individual and collective efforts on waste minimisation and resource recovery.

www.mwmg.vic.gov.au

Regional waste management groups

Regional waste management groups (RWMGs) are Victorian Government statutory authorities that work in partnership with regional member councils to plan for waste management and resource recovery facilities and services in their regions.

RWMGs work with DSE, EPA Victoria, SV, local government, private sector and the community to achieve sustained reductions in waste. There are currently 12 RWMGs in Victoria and the Association of Victorian Regional Waste Management Groups (AVRWMG) is the groups’ peak body.

www.avrwmg.org.au

Local government

Local government has the primary role of providing waste and recycling services to households, and waste management and recycling education to the community. Some councils also provide public place or business recycling services.

Local government also have a regulatory role in enforcing requirements for waste management activities in their areas, and in litter prevention and enforcement. Many councils have a municipal litter strategy or are part of a regional strategy under the guidance of the RWMG within their region.

www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/localgovernment

Community

The community is made up of a variety of stakeholders including individuals, groups, businesses, traders, food and product producers, land managers, residents, visitors and organisations. They have a mutual responsibility to contribute to preventing and managing litter to live, work and operate in a safe environment.

The community mainly seeks direction on litter from local and state government and expects them to provide a framework conducive to waste reduction and resource recovery.

Sustainability Victoria Level 28, Urban Workshop 50 Lonsdale Street Melbourne 3000 T 1300 363 744 E [email protected] www.sustainability.vic.gov.au

Victorian Litter Strategy 2012–14 © Sustainability Victoria 2013

While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct, Sustainability Victoria gives no warranty regarding its accuracy, completeness, currency or suitability for any particular purpose and to the extent permitted by law, does not accept any liability for loss or damages incurred as a result of reliance placed upon the content of this publication. This publication is provided on the basis that all persons accessing it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content.

Sustainability Victoria’s Victorian Litter Strategy 2012–14 should be attributed to Sustainability Victoria.

Sustainability Victoria’s Victorian Litter Strategy 2012–14, excluding all photographs published in the Strategy, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence. In essence, you are free to copy, distribute and adapt the work, as long as you attribute the work and abide by the other licence terms. To view a copy of this licence, visit: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/

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