4 September 2007

A war is being waged on litter with a dedicated group of staff from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) hitting the streets for a clean up of cigarette butts today.

Armed with surgical gloves and clip-seal bags staff are using their own time for the clean up, the brainchild of several staff members who are keen to prevent litter from ending up in the Marine Park.

Clean up organisers Sally Harman and Jessica Hoey are confident the clean up will help prevent litter like cigarette butts washing from gutters and drains into the Great Barrier Reef.

“Through our work at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority we’re passionate about the marine environment and aware of the damage litter can have on plants and animals,” Ms Harman said.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to put our passion into action and make a difference to the environment that’s literally on our doorstep.

“The clean-up is particularly timely as it is coincides with Threatened Species Week and the anniversary of the passing of one of Australia’s top environmental ambassadors, Steve Irwin.”

Litter can wash from gutters and drains into waterways that connect the land to the Great Barrier Reef.

Cigarette butts can be confused with food and swallowed by marine wildlife, causing internal blockages that often result in starvation and other complications.

Townsville City Council Deputy Mayor Councillor Jenny Hill said the clean up was an excellent step in the right direction.

“It's great to see people giving up their own time to help make Townsville and our waterways a cleaner place and we hope it will inspire others to do the same,” she said.

“To help spread this message we have supplied cigarette butt disposal containers to the group to hand out on the day and pass on to others to encourage proper disposal of cigarette butts.

“But picking up rubbish is only one half of the solution - people need to be mindful of ensuring they appropriately dispose of their litter, even if it means hanging on to the litter until a proper waste disposal mechanism is available.”