Funding Delivered For Litter Prevention Projects Across Our Region

Member for Kiama Gareth Ward MP has today announced that funding has been awarded to several organisations across our region to carry out litter prevention initiatives under the New South Wales Government’s Litter Prevention Grants Program.

Mr Ward said that the following five grants have been awarded across our region under the litter prevention grants program managed by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to tackle local litter hotspots, including:

• $75,000 funding for Shellharbour City Council’s ‘Luv the Lake’ project;
• $75,000 funding for Wollongong City Council’s ‘Luv the Lake’ project;
• $38,362 funding for Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation for its ‘Own It and Act Baseline Model for Local Councils’;
• $35,520 funding for TAFE MSW – Wollongong / Shellharbour for their reducing cigarette butt litter initiative; and
• $25,000 funding for Shellharbour City Council’s – Reducing cigarette butt litter campaign and program.

“I am very pleased that these grants and local projects will make a real difference in tackling litter across our region,” Mr Ward said.

“I acknowledge the NSW Government for providing more than $1.8 million State-wide to support litter initiatives across our local communities.

“I am passionate about litter prevention initiatives which also help to improve the overall quality our local lakes, waterways, infrastructure and public amenities. Projects completed through previous grants have been extraordinarily successful reducing average litter by 70 per cent at targeted hotspots.

“This year’s grants will build on recent successes with projects such as solar smart bins, butt litter bins, ‘swap and go takeaway’ container schemes and other campaigns.

“The Litter Prevention Grants Program supports litter targets in the next phase of the NSW Government’s Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041, which includes targets to reduce plastic litter by 30 per cent by 2025, and 60 per cent of all litter items by 2030.

More information about the NSW Litter Prevention Program, Litter Prevention Grants and other litter initiatives including Return and Earn and the Don’t be a Tosser! campaign is available on the EPA website at: https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/your-environment/litter-and-illegal-dumping/epa-work-prevent-litter