Littering of any kind is illegal under the Litter Act 2004.
Compliance officers from Transport Canberra and City Services deal with the following littering offences:
- depositing litter in or on a public place or an open private place
- transporting refuse or waste and failing to arrange, contain, fasten or cover it to prevent any part of the load from falling or being blown from the vehicle
- depositing commercial and garden waste in or on a public place or an open private place
- occupier of commercial premises failing to take reasonable steps to prevent litter from the premises being deposited in or on a public place
- failing to prevent construction material from escaping an open private place.
- depositing or abandoning a dangerous container in a public place or public tip.
- placing advertising leaflets in or on a motor vehicle in a public place.
The ACT Government undertakes litter picking on public urban open spaces as part of the cleaning program. Litter found during the daily cleaning regime is picked up and disposed of responsibly by the cleaning crews. This includes sharps.
Public open spaces within the vicinity of shopping centres are cleaned daily.
The team also undertakes maintenance of 160+ lakes, ponds and drainage lines (where required). The routine inspection and cleaning includes removing litter and items such as trolleys, needles, scooters, bikes and organic material.
Related links
Fines for littering and illegal dumping
The ACT Government has stepped up enforcement, which may lead to the following penalties. Some penalties are up to $1,000 for individuals and $5,000 for businesses.
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|
| Unlawfully disposing of smaller item e.g. ticket, voucher, receipt or confectionary wrapper | $150 |
| Unlawfully disposing of a larger item e.g. food packaging, cans and containers | $300 |
| Unlawfully discarding cigarette butts, matches or syringes | $500 |
| Illegal dumping | On the spot fines range from $500 to $1,500 for an individual and $2,500 to $7,500 for a corporation. Court issued fines range from $16,000 for an individual up to $81,000 for a corporation. |
| Failing to secure a load so that it, or any part of it, can escape | $1,500 |
| Failing to secure construction material to prevent it from escaping an open private place | $500 for an individual or $2,500 for a corporation. |
