Camden Council is activating the second phase of its cleaner car parks at sporting grounds initiative as part of its anti-litter campaign.
Funding of $33,100 will be provided by the NSW Environment Protection Authority’s council litter prevention grants to deliver the program to three reserves in the Camden Council area.
“We are working with the state government to encourage the community to protect our natural environment and dispose of waste appropriately,” says Camden mayor Lara Symkowiak.
“While the fines and penalties for illegal dumping and littering continues to rise, the awareness campaigns and the capacity for reporting increase,” Cr Symkowiak said.
“Residents have no tolerance for littering and are willing and able to report people who are seen dumping waste, from flicking a cigarette out of the car window to leaving a bag of rubbish in a car park,” she said.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Council’s campaign to target litter hot spots with preventative and practical solutions has had a positive impact so far,” she said.[/social_quote]
In 2016, Camden Council implemented the campaign targeting five reserves and sports grounds across the area and collaborated with local sports clubs and takeaway shops to promote the “Don’t be a Tosser!’’ message.
The result has been a 31.5 per cent to 60 per cent reduction in litter at these parks.
The program will now be rolled out at Cowpasture Reserve in Camden, Elizabeth Reserve in Narellan Vale and Wandarrah Reserve in Mount Annan and include: • “Hey Tosser’’ signage at car parks;
- Education and promotional material and partnerships with local sporting clubs;
- Investigation of more bins supplied in car park and areas outside organised sporting use;
- Investigation of re-positioning existing bins;
- Installing gates for site restriction and opening and closing gates to reduce the incidence of littering at night.
Council says these initiatives will begin this month and will be finished in March next year.
