Queenslanders still trashing our coast
QUEENSLAND is the dirtiest state in Australia, with a survey finding we are going backwards in the fight against litter.
Figures show Queensland is also losing the fight against marine debris - litter that ends up in our oceans, killing marine and bird life.
Cigarette butts are the worst item, with a daily load of about 8 million items entering the nation's waterways.
The 2011 National Litter Index, compiled by Keep Australia Beautiful, shows that across 983 sites nationally, Queensland is the most littered mainland state - again.
"It's a disgrace that Queensland is the only state not improving in litter behaviour," Keep Australian Beautiful Queensland chief executive Rick Burnett.
"Nationally, the total amount of litter, counted by item and volume, recorded a drop overall but in Queensland both volume and number of items were up on last year.
"We are up 3 per cent in item numbers and 5 per cent in volume."
"By comparison, Victoria was down 20 per cent in items and volume and NT was the outstanding improver in 2011, down 50 per cent in items and 40 per cent in volume."
KAB chairman Tor Hundloe said he was investigating why there was such a disparity between the states and what had prompted such improvements in Victoria and the NT.
Mr Burnett said the NT planned to introduce beverage container deposit legislation, which appeared to have heightened interest in litter. Victoria had ample funding to keep litter messages flowing.
Queensland refuses to introduce container deposit legislation nor ban helium-filled balloons that kill wildlife.
Environment Minister Vicky Darling said under proposed legislation to reform the state's waste management, the Government would introduce a scheme used in other states under which people could report illegal dumping and littering from vehicles.
"Introducing a public reporting scheme . . . will help change environmentally irresponsible behaviour," Ms Darling said.
"The Bill includes stronger statutory regulation and compliance, and includes a levy on landfill disposal of industrial, commercial, construction and demolition wastes."
Professor Hundloe said the Government had been slow to act on a public litter campaign as the backward trend in Queensland had been reported two years running.
Mr Burnett said the Government had promised awareness campaigns.
"A generation has missed out on 'doing the right thing'," Mr Burnett said.
Source: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queenslanders-still-trashing-our-coast/story-e6freon6-1226119955822
