- Successful anti-litter program gets funding boost of $400,000
- Program has resulted in 70 per cent reduction in highway roadside litter
- Funding will enable the expansion and continuation of litter reducing program
A program that has successfully reduced roadside litter by about 70 per cent in some roadside locations has been given a $400,000 boost.
Main Roads Western Australia is contributing the funding towards extending Keep Australia Beautiful Council's 'Put your rubbish in the bin. WA naturally thanks you' campaign.
Main Roads has worked with the Keep Australia Beautiful Council in recent years to roll the program out on Forrest Highway, Great Eastern Highway and Brand Highway.
The program installs anti-litter roadside signage, bin stickers on the highways and provides 300,000 free car litter bags which are available from roadhouses along the selected routes.
This latest funding injection will enable further rollout of the anti-litter signage and bin stickers on Western Australia's freeways and highways.
Additionally, posters will be distributed to roadhouses and sustainable car litter bags will continue to be provided to encourage road users to do the right thing with their rubbish and consider the environment.
As noted by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"Main Roads spends approximately $6 million each year to remove litter from roadsides and it is far more cost effective to tackle the issue proactively.
"The National Litter Index indicates that roadsides are one of the most littered areas in WA. I am pleased that, through this campaign, we have been able to decrease the amount of litter at some locations by up to 70 per cent."
As noted by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:
"The success of KABC's campaign to date has resulted in a reduction in the funding needed for roadside clean ups. Together, Main Roads and KABC are ensuring a cleaner Western Australia.
"This is about making motorists think twice before they litter and to take some pride in WA's precious natural environment."
