1.) Litter in the streets and parks can travel through storm drains to bays and oceans, where it harms wildlife.
2.) Litter cost money. Removing litter cost everyone who pays taxes.
3.) Threat to Public Health. Attracts rats and other rodents and is a breeding ground for bacteria.
4.) Litter can be a fire hazard.
5.) Looks bad, and can effect the value of your home and business.
6.) Can affect local economy, especially in tourist locations.
7.) Litter breeds other litter. Sends out message that people don’t care.
8.) Harm or kill wildlife.
9.) Harms Waterways. Even animal leavings, leaves and grass affect wildlife.
10.) It demoralizing and disgusting.

Object - Decomposition Time
Styrofoam container -Over 1 Million Years
Plastic jug -1 Million Years

Aluminum can -200~500 Years
Disposable diaper -550 Years
Tinned can -90 Years
Leather shoe -45 Years
Wool sock - 1 Year
Paper bag -1 Month
Banana peel -3-4 Weeks

Littering Infringement Fees 2009/10

Minor Littering
Infringement fee $100
Minor littering is defined as depositing in or on a public place or in or on private land without the consent of the occupier:
Cigarette butts; Wrappers/paper; Chewing gum; Small food waste; Take-away food/drink containers; Fish & chip papers; Plastic drink bottle(s); and Aluminium can(s).
NB: For cigarette butt littering, this is a two step enforcement process.
First step: Educate/warning – offender advised this is not acceptable.Second step: If a person is found depositing cigarette butt litter having already been warned, an infringement fee of $100 will be issued.

Medium Littering
Infringement fee $200
Medium littering is defined as depositing in or on a public place or in or on private land without the consent of the occupier:
Single used disposable nappy or nappies; Small dumping (e.g. shopping bags) - domestic/commercial waste in, or by, public litter bins; Small dumping in or by commercial waste bins/clothing bins/recycling stations; Persistent use of unofficial (non-council) refuse bags; and Small insecure load from truck or trailer.
NB: Small dumping defined as up to four shopping bags or two refuse bags or single items. Small insecure load is defined as paper, single item, grass clippings, dust that has come off a truck or trailer.

Major Littering
Infringement fee $400
Major littering is defined as depositing in or on a public place or in or on private land without the consent of the occupier:
Household waste; Commercial waste; Green waste; Car parts; or any other litter as defined in the Litter Act 1997 not defined as a minor or medium littering above.
NB: The Litter Act 1979 defines the depositing of glass or glass bottles (or broken glass or bottles) as a dangerous form of litter and thus considered by Council as a major littering offence. The decision whether to issue an infringement notice for major littering or to refer the matter to the District Court will be determined on a case by case basis, based on the severity and malicious intent of the alleged offence.

Environmental Impacts of Litter
Litter is a problem throughout NSW, particularly in urban areas and in the more populated areas of Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Litter is an environmental priority because it:

• Reduces the aesthetic appeal of public places including streets, parks and waterways.
  can kill aquatic life directly (eg. through choking) and indirectly through its impacts on water quality.
• Can cause blockages of the drainage system and flooding (costing councils millions of dollars to repair).
• Can be dangerous to people particularly when it involves items such as broken glass, needles and syringes.
• May be a fire hazard (lit cigarettes being thrown from vehicles).
  costs the community huge sums of money to clean up every year.
  can decrease oxygen levels when it decays in water.