Bayside Council's endorsement of the Cooks River Litter Strategy 2021 at last night Council Meeting is an important step in securing the next round of EPA Litter Protection Grants available in October 2021.
The strategy, developed for the River Canoe Club of NSW in collaboration with the Cooks River Alliance (CRA), provides a collaborative approach to littler prevention.
The strategy introduces integrated data measurement, collection, and reporting, and establishes litter reduction targets.
Bayside Council is actively working to improve the health of the Cooks River through a variety of environmental initiatives including its membership of the CRA.
The CRA has been working with the River Canoe Club of NSW, partners, government agencies and community groups to develop the Cooks River Litter Strategy.
The Strategy utilises the NSW EPA litter framework to develop actions aimed at identifying and changing littering behaviour.
It will establish a new baseline measure of litter in 2021 and will utilise the EPA's Litter Data Framework to monitor litter in the Cooks River catchment and estuary.
Endorsement of the Strategy places CRA members in a good position to apply for the next round of EPA litter prevention grants.
These grants have previously funded projects for local litter prevention initiatives.
The cost of the implementing this strategy will be funded though CRA grant applications. Should additional Council funding be required a further report will be brought back to Council.
