Residents and visitors are encouraged to keep the Maranoa a beautiful place, with the launch of the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection’s (EHP) campaign to stop littering on South West highways.
The roadside litter project, unveiled last week, is a partnership of local councils, the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee and the EHP, to help people to do the right thing when travelling along Queensland highways.
Mayor Robert Loughnan said it is important to ensure rubbish is disposed of when travelling.
“There is never an excuse to litter. That is why we have come together to raise awareness of the problem and encourage people to use roadside bins, or keep it in their car until they can throw it away responsibly.”
Jon Black, EHP’s Director-General said the ‘Love Queensland. Let’s keep it clean’ project is the first targeted regional approach to tackle roadside litter in Queensland.
“Results of recent roadside audits coordinated by EHP showed the Warrego, Moonie and Cunningham highways were the most littered and the most commonly thrown away items are drink containers, food packaging and cigarette butts.”
Mr Black said the ‘Love Queensland. Let’s keep it clean’ campaign has two main messages for road users: keep litter inside your vehicle until you can dispose of it appropriately, and, report littering from vehicles or vessels to the department via the website www.ehp.qld.gov.au.
Signage and billboards are being installed across the South West reinforcing these messages across the six major highways in the partnering council areas of Balonne Shire Council and Goondiwindi, Maranoa, Southern Downs, Toowoomba and Western Downs Regional Councils.
Mr Black said the Queensland Government’s Our State of Waste and Recycling in Queensland 2014 report identified that approximately $17 million was spent by Queensland councils on the cleanup of litter.
The Queensland Government has secured further funding support from the Australian Packaging Covenant (APC) to deliver the campaign across the region, including advertising and engagement of the community and local businesses.
Queensland Murray-Darling Committee CEO Geoff Penton said that littering was an ongoing problem in the region that affects the whole community and the environment.
“The litter audits revealed that 68 percent of the total waste audited was dumped at roadside pull overs, which meant offenders were not just littering but cleaning out their vehicles when stopping.
“It doesn’t make sense to pollute and degrade our own back yard. Litter finds it ways into waterways, affecting native fish, plants and animals. Farmland and livestock can also be affected by litter so we all bear the cost.”
Littering from vehicles and vessels can be reported via www.ehp.qld.gov.au.
