The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is calling for community input about two draft strategies to achieve a 60 per cent reduction in litter by 2030.
Executive Director of Engagement, Education and Programs at EPA, Liesbet Spanjaard said the draft NSW Illegal Dumping Prevention Strategy 2022–2027 and draft NSW Litter Prevention Strategy 2022–2030 were designed to improve source control, education, infrastructure, grow targeted programs, reduce costs and drive more circularity throughout waste systems.
Ms Spanjaard said both Strategies introduced new programs and approaches for tackling waste and illegal dumping.
“We know the community wants a clean State now and, in the future, and these strategies are focused on achieving this outcome for our environment and the community,” Ms Spanjaard said.
“Everyone has a part to play, and these strategies outline the significant steps that we need to take to together to change our behaviour and reduce litter for the long term,” she said.
“They will also help to inform broader circular economy policy to ensure that leakage of materials from the economy in the forms of litter and illegal dumping can be accounted for and better managed.”
Ms Spanjaard said the EPA’s programs had already achieved great results, reducing litter by 43 per cent over the past decade.
She said new programs, like Streets to Sea in the draft Litter Prevention Strategy, would integrate litter prevention into stormwater management to tackle the whole litter journey.
“We will also work to rollout the global initiative, Operation Clean Sweep which helps plastics manufacturers collect and dispose of small plastic pellets (nurdles) in the environment, as well as integrate single-use plastic bans and phase-out programs,” the Executive Director said.
“The Waste Crime Taskforce will continue to deter and disrupt waste crime, alongside the successful co-funded Regional Illegal Dumping Squads,” she said.
Ms Spanjaard said the draft Illegal Dumping Strategy outlined how the EPA would work with State Government Agencies and councils to address the difficult challenges of illegal dumping.
EPA’s 20-page draft Illegal Dumping Prevention Strategy can be accessed at this PS News link and its 29-page draft Litter Prevention Strategy at this link.
