Out and About
Reducing waste through good event waste management and preventing litter and waste dumping are important for protecting Tasmania’s environment
With easy access to incredible wilderness, beautiful beaches and so many ways of enjoying the great outdoors, Tasmania’s unspoiled beauty needs to be protected.
What can we do to help preserve our natural environment?
Rethinking what we do with our waste when we’re out and about is one way to help minimise our footprint on the great outdoors.
Events
If you’re an event manager, or involved in administering events and public places, well-managed waste and recycling will enhance the profile of your event and help support your environmental goals.
Litter
Let’s work together to Keep Tasmania Beautiful. Find clean up events and resources and be inspired by Tasmanians who are stepping up to clean up.
Illegal Dumping
Local councils and the Tasmanian Government are taking action to stop illegal dumping, with more affordable, safe and easy waste disposal options than ever before.
Events
If you’re an event manager, or involved in administering events and public places, well-managed waste and recycling will enhance the profile of your event and help support your environmental goals. Even better… see if you can achieve a zero waste event.
Here’s what you can do:
- Nominate a waste/recycling manager
- Write an Event Waste Management Plan and ensure everyone is familiar with the plan.
- Establish a collection system at your event or in your public space that will adequately provide for the amount of waste you are expecting
- Ensure all bin locations use the same bin system – rubbish, recycling and organics waste next to each other and appropriately and clearly signed
- Consider providing a cardboard skip and cooking oil drum in food service areas
- Engage volunteers or staff to oversee placement, use and collection of bins and waste removal during the etire event
- Ensure all bins are clearly marked with their appropriate colour codes. Your regional waste management group may have colour coded bin caps available for loan for 240L wheelie bins.
Download the free Guide to Preparing an Event Waste Management Plan.
EPA Tasmania has also established a short checklist of ideas for event organisers to assist with planning and holding sustainable events in Tasmania. View the Sustainable Event Guidelines
Did You Know?
There’s an Australian Standard for bin lid colours matched to different types of waste.
- Garbage = red lid
- Mixed recyclables = yellow lid
- Paper and cardboard = blue lid
- Green waste, food waste and organics = lime green lid.
This makes it easier for people to know what waste goes in what bin, no matter where they are in Australia.
Litter
EPA Tasmania has many educational and practical resources available to assist Tasmanians to reduce and manage litter.
A significant program to help reduce litter in Tasmania is the State’s Container Refund Scheme, which is due to commence in 2025.
Other useful sites:
Clean Up Australia Day is the nation’s largest community-based environmental event, running since 1989. Help out on Clean Up Australia Day and join a local event.
Take 3 for the Sea encourages everyone to pick up and safely dispose of at least three items of litter when out and about.
Keep Australia Beautiful provides businesses, schools and every day Australians the opportunity to make a difference in reducing litter in your community.
Tidy Towns is a national award program is designed to celebrate sustainability achievements in rural and regional communities.
Did You Know?
The Car Litter Tidy Bag project in the Huon Valley is inspiring Tasmanians to reduce litter when out and about.
Read about these Tassie Good Sorts here
Illegal Dumping
Local councils and the Tasmanian Government are taking action to stop illegal dumping, with more affordable, safe and easy disposal options than ever before to rid of bulky, unwanted items such as fridges, cars, loads of rubbish or tyres.
Large loads of rubbish and other bulky items can be safely disposed or recycled – and for less than you might think.
Waste Services for Bulky Items in Northern Tasmania
Waste Services for Bulky Items in Southern Tasmania
Waste Services for Bulky Items in the Cradle Coast
Illegal dumping threatens the health of the environment and wildlife and can lead to long-term contamination of land, waterways and groundwater. Dumping of waste and garbage is an offence under the Litter Act 2007 and can attract court penalties.
If you find dumped waste in a public place, be a good sort and report it to the landowner – that may be your local council, Parks and Wildlife Service or other State Government department.
You can also report illegal dumping to EPA Tasmania.
With more people keeping watch and reporting what they find, anyone illegally dumping waste is more likely to get caught.