Littering strategy launched

Environmental group Care For Hedland will be one of 19 recipients of a new Statewide series of grants to tackle littering.

The funding is part of a larger strategy rollout announced by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson at Hedland’s Cemetery Beach last Friday.

As part of the plan, which aims to reduce the State’s litter by 30 per cent, the minister announced 19 Keep Australia Beautiful grants for organisations across the State to combat waste.

Also last Friday, it was announced that Care For Hedland was one of the first recipients.

The announcement followed a week of programs across town, facilitated by Australian anti-litter advocates KAB.

A 2015-2020 State strategy outlined WA had the highest rate of litter in the country.

Mr Dawson said although the State’s litter rate had improved since the last initiative, he hoped to see organisations like Care For Hedland work to improve the problem of litter and single-use plastics.

“You only have to go for a walk in South Hedland on the weekend and you’ll see cans and bottles,” he said.

“It always frustrates me driving for hours on these roads up here to see the amount of litter on the side of the road.

“So many still fling things out the window which is scandalous.”

Meanwhile, Care For Hedland worked with Australia’s litter prevention leaders Keep Australia Beautiful last week to educate adults and children on the impact of litter and raising awareness of mitigation strategies.

The week included a microplastics workshop for adults at the town’s WebHub centre as well as a litter-sampling session at Cemetery Beach for budding student scientists to learn about the impact of litter on our coast with the Australian Microplastics Assessment Project team.

KAB council chairman Michael Aspinall, who flew in to see the students take part in the session, said projects like this helped to encourage young people in the community.

“Hopefully it inspires them to go out and make change,” Mr Aspinall said.