Similar to the floods of 2021, debris and mixed bulk rubbish is being washed ashore on the beaches closest to the Hawkesbury River – including Umina, Ocean Beach, Patonga and Killcare.

Now there are suitable conditions, Council crews are starting the clean-up of the debris that has washed up on beaches and asks that any collected by the community is placed away from the water’s edge.

Ongoing, Council does a lot to manage the quality of the waterways, providing bins in public spaces, and the installation of gross pollutant traps at a number of key locations across the coast to stop dirt and rubbish entering the water.

Council Administrator, Rik Hart said these past few weeks have shown us what ends up in the gutter, ends up in our waterways.

“When people litter on the roadside, it ends up in the drainage system which leads to the major waterways and can create all sorts of environmental problems for the flora and fauna that call the Coast’s local waterways home,” Mr Hart said.

“While Council actively stops some rubbish entering the waterways, we need the communities help to stop rubbish flowing into our drainage systems in the first place.”

Roadside litter is one of the most unnecessary and preventable environmental problems.

Littering is not only damaging to our environment, but it is also a fineable offence, and everyone can play a role in reducing the impact of litter on local beaches and waterways.

The NSW EPA can issue fines from $250 for an individual and $500 for a corporation for littering from a vehicle, based on reports from members of the public.

Find out how you can report a tosser littering from their vehicle by visiting the NSW EPA website www.epa.nsw.gov.au.

ENDS