Littering
Litter can harm and kill wildlife, spread pests and weeds and pollute waterways. Littering is a serious
problem in Queensland. The National litter index annual report 2013-2014, identified Queensland as
the most littered state in Australia.
What is litter?
A person litters if they abandon or discard rubbish
outside a waste container. Common types of litter
are:
 cigarette butts
 drink bottles
 fast food wrappers
 material from a trailer that is poorly
secured
 grass clippings swept into the gutter
 fishing tackle.
Litter problems
Litter builds up next to roads, can block gutters
and finds its way into creeks, rivers and onto
beaches. Every year large amounts of money,
volunteer hours and energy is spent on cleaning
up litter.
The fine amounts are:
 Littering (including from a vehicle):
o 2 penalty units - individual.
o 10 penalty units - for a corporation.
 Dangerous littering (including from a
vehicle):
o 4 penalty units - individual.
o 16 penalty units - for a corporation.
Dangerous littering includes throwing a glass
object or a lit cigarette from a vehicle.
See the penalty unit fact sheet for further
information on the current value of a penalty unit.
What you must do
Dispose of waste in the bin and make sure it is
secure, or take the waste with you and dispose of
it when you find a bin.
What you can do
Litter can harm or kill wildlife. Plastic can choke
and suffocate birds and marine life. Cigarette
butts contain toxic chemicals which are a threat to
the aquatic environment and marine life.
Organic waste, such as food scraps, contributes
to algae blooms in waterways. Soil and garden
waste can spread pests and weeds, including fire
ants. Cigarette butts thrown from motor vehicles
can start grassfires or a bushfire.
How are littering offences enforced?
Under the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act
2011, Council officers may issue on-the-spot
fines.
Help Queensland become the cleanest state in
Australia:
 Pick up any litter you see.
 Use reusable containers and water bottles.
 Carry a litter bag in your car or on your
bicycle.
 Carry your cigarette butts and chewing
gum with you or use a pocket ashtray until
you find a bin.
 Pick up after your dog.
 When cleaning your footpath, pick up
rubbish instead of sweeping or hosing it
into gutters leading to our stormwater
drains.
 Report littering to your local Council.
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