Litter: Causes, Impacts, and Solutions

This essay discusses the causes and impacts of littering in Australia, focusing on its effects on human health, the environment, and marine life. It also explores various strategies and laws implemented to reduce littering.

Running Head: LITTER
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Litter
Essay
student
8/31/2019

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Environmental health concentrates on the bodily, chemical, biological and societal
aspects which influence individuals within their environments. Healthy environments should be
established and upheld by persons, societies and government and non-government organizations.
There are number of environmental health issues that affects the Australian population such as
water management and supply, access to the reasonable and healthy food an food safety, suitable
housing and upkeep and minimisation of overpopulation, rubbish collection and disposal, sewage
dumping, animal control, dirt control, pollution management, and individual hygiene
(MacDonald et al., 2015). Some of the health issues caused by these environmental health issues
are respiratory, cardiovascular and kidney disease, malignancy and skin infection. Litter has
become the major cause of water pollution in a different part of the world. The Australian
population is also combating a tide of millions of pieces of unwanted plastic debris at the beach;
during 2016 and 2017 nearly 2,651,613 pieces of rubbish were collected from the beaches. It has
been identified that around 8 million or litter items enter the marine environment every day, And
affects the health of both marine animals and human (Smith, Banister, Fraser & Edgar, 2018). In
this particular essay the impacts of this issue on population, principles and philosophies, and the
toxicological effects of this issue on the environment will be discussed.
Some of the causes of littering comprise the presence of litre in the area, building
projects, laziness and inattentiveness, the conviction that there are no significances of littering,
lack receptacles, and inappropriate environmental education. Some of the littering sources
include lack of rubbish bins, oil spills and leaks, sea dumping, residue, marine debris, no system
being in place to address the rubbish and litter, lack of community spirit, some people are not
interested (Wilson & Verlis, 2017).

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The litter contaminate the water particularly cigarette butts and photo degraded material
of plastics. These litters can discharge toxic chemicals for example lead and cadmium (from the
cigarette butts) that infects the marine creatures that human catches them to consume. Therefore,
the chemicals ultimately are transported to human body openly which can cause malignancy,
immune system complications and even birth defects (Campbell, Slavin, Grage & Kinslow,
2016). Plastic in the ocean gets photo-degraded into smaller pieces due to the exposure of the
sun, which tend to get eaten by marine creatures as they mistake them for food. These small
plastic pieces contain toxic that contaminate fish and we get affected by it as we consume
seafood for food. Ultimately, these plastic waste and their harmful effects come right back to us,
destroying our body without us realizing. Some of the pollutants associated with litter like
chemicals, pesticides, nitrates; lead, arsenic, fluorides, and petrochemicals can cause serious
harm to human health. Pesticides can damage the nervous system of the affected person and
cause cancer as it contains carbonates and organophosphates. Chloride present in the pesticides
can cause damage to the reproductive and endocrine system. Nitrates specifically can affect
children and cause the blue baby syndrome. Arsenic can damage the liver and cause skin cancer
and vascular disorders (Madhani, Dawes & Brown, 2009).
Litter can have a hazardous effect on human health and safety. Inopportunely disposed of
medical wastes in the water bodies can spread illnesses and source injury from sharp needles if it
comes into straight contact with individuals. The transmission of micro-organisms from medical
discarded material, sanitary items and unwanted diapers also places swimmers and people nearby
a beach at risk for severe bacterial contamination (Giusti, 2009). Beach hygiene and quality of
water are subjects that are rarely reported to the concerned organizations, principally because of
the possible loss of tourism. Though, unwillingness to monitor and uphold beach health will

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upsurge health risks to beachgoers and people living nearby the beaches. Unwanted broken glass
or other different sharp substances found on the beach may cut individuals walking nearby ocean
and other water bodies. Marine debris might also wrap everywhere and entangle swimmers and
people who dive because of immersed or floating debris for example nets used for fishing and
lines. Unwanted litter can similarly deliver a reservoir for still water establishing a breeding
ground for the disease-causing mosquitoes and flies cause diseases like Malaria, Dengue Fever,
and Chikungunya to the human being. Plastics engulfed by sea fish and other types of seafood
can leak toxins, for example, mercury and other alleged hazards which can bioaccumulate in the
animal tissue and can be reached to the human food (Ahmed, Goonetilleke & Gardner, 2010).
Littering is not only affecting human life but also causing harm to the environment.
According to the report published by the ABC news nearly 180 tonnes of litter has been collected
from the Yarra River, Victoria over the 5 years. Due to The litter, pollution and invasive species,
Yarra River's environment is being put at risk (Madhani, Dawes & Brown, 2009). Whip rest of
the world searching solution for the freshwater crisis, Australia is fighting for reducing the
pollution in the ocean. An algal bloom is quick outpouring with a large number of algae in the
marine environment. Algal bloom takes place when the organic litter is thrown and transferred to
the water bodies. The organic litter is then decomposed and discharges nutrients that are used by
algae results in the outbursts in their amount. The chemical contamination due to litter in the
aquatic environment is the worse condition because of its sensitive nature. Pollutants of litter like
simple organic trash can disturb the pH level of the water; the nutrient compounds and even the
temperature bring about the large ripple impacts on the ecosystem of plant and animal beneath.
Overtime the litter such as plastic break down into the smaller pieces, called microplastics, which

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can be accumulated and disperse other different pollutants, for example, heavy metal (Eldridge et
al., 2009).
One the main factor of increase in water littering is lack of awareness, education and
training. Behavioural change among the Australian community member must be provided with
better knowledge about the issue, expected behaviours, the advantages of the expected behaviour
and the penalties for not following the pollution prevention laws. Education, knowledge and
training are proactive measures needed to stop the creation of litter and to acquire long term
favourable behavioural change. Increased training and information on those involved in the
enforcement can help discourage littering behaviour (Penman, Bradstock & Price, 2013).
Community programs and teams must be created with the common goal of running the
anti-littering campaign to raise the awareness among the beachgoers, community and visitors
about litter and its impacts on the human health, environment and marine life. Campaigns teach a
lot and deliver the relevant knowledge about the cost of littering on the environment, and
eventually dealing with some of the issues (Madhani, Dawes & Brown, 2009).
Putting up the stop littering sign is an effective way to stop littering nearby coastal areas.
The sings must be places in the high littered areas or beaches where the high number of people
visits daily. This will enhance awareness among the visitors to stop littering in the water bodies
(Ajaegbo, Dashit & Akume, 2012).
Proper measures should be applied by the local authorities to make sure that more bins
are placed in different areas for effective garbage disposal. Installing sufficient garbage bins
nearby coastal areas, beaches etc. offer convenience in the proper disposal and collection of the
litter. It also helps in easy recycling and re-application initiatives as the relevant local

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governments and garbage collectors are provided an easy time to sort the waste (Yarra & Bay,
2019).
As part of their duties, councils and national government organizations undertake clean-
up actions. Different non-government organizations also commence community-based actions to
decrease or clean up litter regularly by involving local community member and leaders
(Queensland Government, 2019).
To ensure that there is no litter is discarded, thrown, or plunged nearby water bodies, the
associated government organisation must put in place strict laws and high penalties. These laws
work in the direction of stopping the illegal dumping of litter in the ocean. The litter law should
also clearly stipulate that the dumping of litter is the serious crime, punishable by imprisonment
term and fines. Different local authorities globally have significantly dealt with littering issue by
putting legislation punishing the perpetrators with fines, jail, and social service. Although the
Australian government already develop some policies and instituted laws associated with
littering (The government of Western Australia (2013).
This particular law was amended to permit for the strict but additional flexible and
enforceable antilitter provisions. The littering offences comprise depositing unwanted litter on
ground and water in the pubic area or the open private is, aggravated littering which is the
reasonably probable to cause or subsidise to appreciable risk or harm to individuals, or animals,
and depositing or causing other to deposit, advertising material in the public area or open private
area other than the mail case or underneath the door or on the vehicle. The low put maximum
penalties for littering ranged from $2200 to $5500 (EPA NSW, 2019).

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The Victorian litter reduction strategy has given the direction for the litter management
since 1995s. In 2002 the litter law of victoria was strengthened by comprising the enforcement
provision for the litter in Environment protection act 1970. The law included provision for
prohibiting and regulating the deposit of litter in the environment, removal of the harmful objects
etc. the fines set for litter according to the law ranged from $4357 to $6805 for aggravating
littering (Department of Health, 2019).
Offences under the environmental protection act 1994 include littering from the vehicles
(such as boats), disposing of waste in the areas without a waste facility, and illegal dumping.
Fines of littering under this law are: littering from vehicle-$225, dangerous littering-$300, and
littering more than 200 litres can pose $1237 fine. According to this law, the government
officials can issue the infringement notice against the registered vendor of the vehicle and issue a
clean-up guidelines notice for the illegal dumping of litter (Department of Health, 2019).
The keep Australia beautiful council of WA initiated the development of the litter
prevention plan for WA. It sets out the framework against litter and illegal dumping prohibiting
and management. The litter offences include careless cigarette butt disposal on ground and
water, discarding the general litter, dangerous litter, illegal dumping etc. fine set for avoiding the
law ranges from $75 to $200 (Department of Health, 2019).
Litter includes any type of solid or liquid waste, debris, or rubbish dumped in the ground
or/and water bodies like ocean, rivers, and ponds. Litter has become one of the most serious
issues in Australia as people are careless and unaware of the impacts of water pollution caused
by litter. The litter decomposes over time and consumed by marine animals, later if these animal-
like fishes eaten by humans, can cause health issues like cancer, fever, damage to the nervous,

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reproductive, and endocrine system. Littering can also impact the environment as litter can
release pollutant like lead, arsenic, fluorides etc. In Australia, the government and non-
government organisation initiated different management strategies like providing education,
awareness, and training, antilittering campaign, installing stop littering sign, putting up litter
bins, clean-up activities, and applying litter laws. Policies and laws implemented by Australian
government reduce the litter in water bodies are; protection of the environment operation act
1997, legislature and administrative framework, environment protection act 1994, litter act 1979
etc. these policies and laws imposing fines for littering on the ground and water bodies.

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References
Ahmed, W., Goonetilleke, A., & Gardner, T. (2010). Human and bovine adenoviruses for the
detection of source-specific fecal pollution in coastal waters in Australia. water
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Ajaegbo, E., Dashit, S. I., & Akume, A. T. (2012). The determinants of littering attitude in urban
neighbourhoods of Jos. Journal of Research in National Development, 10(3), 81-94.
Campbell, M. L., Slavin, C., Grage, A., & Kinslow, A. (2016). Human health impacts from litter
on beaches and associated perceptions: a case study of ‘clean’Tasmanian beaches. Ocean
& coastal management, 126, 22-30.
Department of Health (2019). Litter. Retrieved from:
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/illicit-pubs-
needle-audit-review-toc~illicit-pubs-needle-audit-review-leg~illicit-pubs-needle-audit-
review-leg-lit
Eldridge, S. M., Chan, K. Y., Barchia, I., Pengelly, P. K., Katupitiya, S., & Davis, J. M. (2009).
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EPA NSW (2019). Litter Laws. Retrieved from:
https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/your-environment/litter-and-illegal-dumping/litter-laws
Giusti, L. (2009). A review of waste management practices and their impact on human
health. Waste management, 29(8), 2227-2239.

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https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/pollution/management/waste/litter-illegal-dumping/
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%20Strategy%202015%20web.pdf

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