What are the laws regarding roadside litter?
The Litter Provisions in the Environment Protection Act 1970 include provisions for litter thrown from vehicles. Section 45G deals with this issue specifically indicating that a registered owner of a vehicle is deemed to be guilty of an offence if he or she deposits litter in an incorrect manner, such as throwing it out of their window for example. There are exceptions to this which include public transport vehicles. The Environment Protection Authority Victoria hosts a community Litter Report Line whereby individuals who witness littering from vehicles are able to report offences using a statutory declaration. The process is similar to that of a speeding fine where the registration plate of a vehicle is used to determine ownership. EPA then issues a fine for the littering offence to the registered owner of the vehicle. Community support for this program continues to increase with over 28,000 reports being made in 2006-07. Local governments are able to develop their own processes or sy
