Bicton Environmental Group Wins Litter Prevention Award

The award was presented at a ceremonial breakfast and accepted by City of Melville Environmental Coordinator Ben Kelly and BEAG representative Keith Collins. The City of Melville assisted BEAG in its grant application to the Keep Australia Beautiful Council.

The City nominated Blackwall Reach and Point Walter as outstanding examples of what has been achieved by BEAG in conjunction with local primary schools and other community members.

The award recognises outstanding accomplishment in litter prevention, management and education including: sound and proactive litter prevention, management and education activities.

Mayor Russell Aubrey said the two main projects that have contributed to the litter prevention work are the Bush Buddies children’s storybook and CD developed by Attadale Primary School teacher Renie Allen and the litter audit and reduction program conducted by Bicton Primary School.

“The Bush Buddies book and CD contain a waste prevention message and incorporate Indigenous stories, as well as local flora and fauna. The production of the book was a true community effort and 500 copies of Bush Buddies were distributed to local schools to spread the message about litter prevention along local river beaches and specifically around Bicton, Blackwall Reach and Point Walter,” he said.

“The second project was coordinated through Bicton Primary School which undertook a litter audit and reduction campaign in 2010. The school undertook the following activities: a litter audit of Point Walter foreshore to determine the major litter sources and areas of concern; running an in-school competition to design anti-litter graphic material for Point Walter Foreshore; selection of the winning entries and production of stickers which were then placed on the litter receptacles at Point Walter and purchase and installation of cigarette butt bins to be locate in the areas determined in the audit to have the majority of this type of litter.

“I commend all participants involved in these worthwhile programs to keep our shorelines clean from litter. I know the City and BEAG are very proud to have won the Litter Prevention Award category in the 2011 Keep Australia Beautiful WA Clean Beaches awards.”

For further information contact 1300 635 845 or visit www.melvillecity.com.au