MEDIA RELEASE
Strict Embargo: 1am Monday 20 August 2012
Campaign to reduce roadside ground litter comes to the
Top End as Keep Australia Beautiful Week kicks off
Keep Australia Beautiful Week kicks off today with Keep Australia Beautiful Council NT targeting
motorists and calling on people to stop rubbishing highways and roads.
Releasing the results of its annual National Litter Index (NLI) today, Keep Australia Beautiful says
that the overall report card on Territory ground litter shows that there are still many people who
aren’t doing the right thing with their rubbish.
The results show that litter has increased across the 76 sites surveyed by both item and volume
over the last 12 months, with litter items increasing by 45%* and by volume around 22%*.
The largest litter increase was recorded for cigarette butts, which increased significantly by
count on last year’s figures.
Highways, Retail Sites, Shopping Centers and Car Parks will be the main areas of concern for
KABC NT’s focus over the next 12 months.
Keep Australia Beautiful Council NT CEO, Heimo Schober said “I’d ask all Territorians to
take ownership and responsibility for their rubbish and to dispose of it properly and
responsibly.
“We need each and every one of us to take more ownership and responsibility for
binning waste or we’ll create potential environmental problems with risk to ourselves
and wildlife that will eventually reduce the quality of life in the Top End.
“I’m asking all Territorians to use the bin and to use the right bin. Please do your bit to
stop ground litter and recycle all your recyclables”, Schober added.
On Wednesday 22nd August, Commonwealth Games sprinter and NT Sportsperson of the
Year (1998/99/2007), Crystal Attenborough, will join NT school students in the ‘Re-Thinking
Waste’ challenge at the Big Waste Day Out extravaganza.
For further information about the campaign, how to reduce litter plus recycling tips, visit
www.kab.org.au.
Media Contacts:
 Heimo Schober, KABC (NT) CEO on 0407 186 461 or ceo@kabcnt.org.au
 Lara Shannon, KAB National Publicist on 0415 076 015 or laras@kab.org.au
Editor’s Notes:
* Whilst there was an increase of 45% in the number of litter items and around 22% by volume
per 1,000m2 in NT against the 2010/11 figures, it does need to be taken into consideration that
the 2010/11 low litter results were attributed to the exceptional wet conditions experienced by
the Territory washing the ground litter into nearby storm water drains.