Wollongong City Council is supporting a national campaign to reduce roadside rubbish and to keep local streets and waterways litter-free.

The Keep Australia Beautiful campaign coincides with Keep Australia Beautiful Week which runs from Monday August 20 to Sunday August 26.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said Council wants to protect the city’s natural assets

“We dedicate a lot of resources and money to keeping our streets clean but, unfortunately, a select few people still think it’s acceptable to drop rubbish.’’

According to Keep Australia Beautiful’s National Litter Index our roads and highways are some of the worst areas in the country for the volume of dumped rubbish.

Takeaway wrappers, cups, cigarette butts, drink containers and bottle tops are some of the most common things to be discarded. These aren’t just an eyesore – food scraps, cigarette butts and broken bottles can injury people and animals, as well as increasing the risk of a fire.

“We’ve put together a couple of really easy things everyone can do to keep our city rubbish free. They’re no-brainers really, and if everyone followed these five tips, it would really make a difference to our environment,’’ Cr Bradbery said.

Anti-litter tips:
• Keep a rubbish bag in your car for your litter. If you go for a walk by the sea or a waterway, take the bag with you to put up any litter you might find.
• Always recycle rubbish whenever possible. Don’t throw litter into the gutter as stormwater drains flow into our waterways.
• Secure your garbage bin lid so litter doesn’t blow free when emptied or if overfilled.
• Cigarette butts are the biggest litter item and are harmful to wildlife. Always stub out your butts and put them in a bin, or carry a butt bin with you.
• Pack a waste-free lunch avoiding individual packets, plastic bags or cling wrap. Pack in reusable containers or wraps.