Maroondah residents are being encouraged to make an effort during Keep
Australia Beautiful Week (24 to 30 August) by taking simple steps to ensure
our local environment and roads remain clear of rubbish.

Councillor Alex Makin said everyone could make a difference to the look, feel and health of the municipality by disposing of their waste appropriately.

“Litter is not only ugly, it iss damaging to our environment. Litter around the road is particularly detrimental as it can build up, blocking gutters and finding its way into our creeks, rivers and other waterways,” Cr Makin said.

“What’s more, litter can easily break up or spill across a road or carriageway, posing a potential hazard to road users,” Cr Makin said.

“People caught littering face on-the-spot fines of $105 for a small piece of litter such as chewing gum, an extinguished cigarette butt or small piece of paper, to $210 for a lit cigarette and other items,” Cr Makin said.

Some handy tips to reduce the amount of litter on our roads:

• Carry a bag in your car for collecting rubbish.
• Keep rubbish in your car until you arrive home.
• Never throw food scraps out of the car. This can attract animals to the road where they may be injured or killed.
• Secure and cover your load when transporting any materials to ensure they don’t break free. It is an offence to drive with an unsecured or uncovered load.
• Make sure cigarette butts go in the ashtray or bin.

“By applying these tips, we can ensure our roads, waterways and public open spaces remain clean and safe for everyone. They’ll also help to minimise our impact on the environment,” Cr Makin said.

For more information on Keep Australia Beautiful Week, visit www.kab.org.au

If you’d like to learn more about what Council is doing to protect our environment and how you can help, visit www.maroondah.vic.gov.au/EnvironmentWaste.aspx