A carelessly discarded cigarette butt has cost a Camberwell woman $500 in costs and a 12-month good behaviour bond, in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
The woman was issued with a fine after a member of the public reported the incident to Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA).
The woman elected to have the matter heard in court, then pleaded guilty to a charge of depositing litter contrary to Section 45 of the Environment Protection Act 1970.
She gave an undertaking to be of good behaviour for a period of 12 months and the Magistrate ordered her to pay EPA’s costs of $500.
The witness had reported to EPA that on Thursday, 5 October 2017, on Macaulay Road, North Melbourne, they saw a lit cigarette butt being dropped onto the road by the driver of a black four wheel drive. The report included the time of day and the model and registration of the vehicle.
EPA Executive Director Tim Eaton said the community member who witnessed the littering was willing to give evidence in court, but did not have to appear since the accused pleaded guilty and the court ruled in EPA’s favour.
“We would like to thank that person for making a report to us. This case clearly demonstrates the importance of community reporting in holding litterers to account,” he said.
“Everyone issued with a litter fine has the right to request that EPA review the matter or to have it determined in court, and on this occasion the infringement was upheld.
“Littering pollutes our roadsides, chokes our waterways and can threaten our wildlife. And throwing lit cigarettes out your car window is a serious fire hazard, particularly in summer.”
Last financial year, EPA handed out over 12,000 fines to Victorians for discarding cigarette butts.
EPA litter fines range from $322 for a small piece of rubbish or unlit cigarette up to $645 for a lit cigarette.
People can report littering via EPA’s website www.epa.vic.gov.au or by calling 1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC).
To ensure EPA has the details it needs, anyone reporting littering should provide the following information:
- Who? Car details, registration number, colour, whether it was the driver or passenger, gender of litterer.
- What? Lit or unlit cigarette or a description of the litter item.
- When? Exact time and date of offence.
- Where? Where was the car, what road was it travelling on, in which suburb? What intersection was closest?
- How? How was the litter deposited – was it thrown from vehicle, dropped before exiting vehicle or dropped before getting into a car?