Litter and illegal dumping in the Byron Shire have huge financial, social and environmental costs.
Reducing litter and illegal dumping is a key priority of Council and work has started on a five-year strategy that will set the framework up to tackle these problems.
Zoe White, Resource Recovery Education and Compliance Officer, said litter and illegal dumping not only costs money to clean up, but the cost to our natural environment is enormous.
"Rubbish of any sort left in our bushland, on our streets, near our waterways, or frankly, anywhere, can have devastating impacts on our waterways, native wildlife and our marine environments," Ms White said.
Council already has a range of initiatives in place to help people do the right thing when it comes to disposing of waste, including:
- Two x $50 annual waste disposal vouchers at the Byron Resource Recovery Centre
- Free trailers available to Byron Shire residents
- Free disposal of problem household waste
"We know that generally our community has a very low tolerance for illegal dumping and littering but we would like to hear people's ideas and thoughts on these issues and how to tackle the problems," Ms White said.
People can provide their thoughts on how to tackle litter and illegal dumping by doing a survey on Council's website.
The survey closes on 21 October 2023.
A draft of the Litter and Illegal Dumping Strategic Plan will be presented to Councillors in February 2024.
…ends
