The fine for throwing a lit cigarette from a car window has been doubled to $564 under the Victorian Coalition Government’s new anti-litter campaign, Member for Gembrook Brad Battin said today.

“A lit cigarette thrown from a window could easily start a bushfire – people who do this, especially while driving through high risk areas, should be held to account,” Mr Battin said.

“Even if the cigarette doesn’t start a bushfire, it is ugly litter that will either sit on the roadside for some time or be washed into the stormwater system and out in to the Yarra River or Port Phillip Bay.

“Every Victorian has a responsibility to care for our environment and I encourage locals to report litterers by visiting the EPA website or by phoning the hotline.”

Mr Battin said the State Government was cracking down on litter through education, investment in infrastructure and enforcement.

Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith recently launched the ‘A cleaner Victoria in your hands’ campaign, which aims to educate Victorians about the environmental impacts of litter.

Each year about 14,560 tonnes of litter is generated across the state, leaving the community with an annual clean-up bill of around $78 million.

The anti-litter campaign is part of a sweep of actions the Victorian Coalition Government is taking to combat litter on all fronts – through education, investment in infrastructure and enforcement.

Stop litter where it starts by reporting litterers this summer – visit www.epa.vic.gov.au/reportlitter or call 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842).