Rowntree leads campaign against dumping

TELEVISION personality and local resident Catriona Rowntree is heading up a new campaign to tackle dumped rubbish across Geelong.

The Getway presenter will feature in a series of short videos, billboards and advertising.

The first video was released on the City of Greater Geelong’s Facebook page last week.

The campaign’s main message is that there is no excuse for dumping rubbish, especially when many items such as TVs, whitegoods, scrap metal, electrical items and excess household recycling can be dropped off for free at the city’s Geelong and Drysdale Resource Recovery Centres.

“The local community has had enough of picking up the litter of a lazy few,” Rowntree said.

“It’s just not fair, especially when our council offers so many ways to help you get rid of rubbish.

“If you love where you live, you not only have to care for it, but you have to stand up to lazy litterbugs. I grew up with the ‘Do The Right Thing’ campaign, so I cannot understand people who think nothing of dumping their leftovers for others to pick up after them. It’s not only illegal to litter, it’s unfair.

“I love where I live and I know we all want to live in a beautiful, safe, clean community. So it ticks me off when I see a lazy few dumping rubbish for others to clean up for them. It has to stop. It’s time to, once again, do the right thing and keep Geelong gorgeous.”

She will promote the city’s $20 old lounge suite pick up service as well as the November mattress recycling offer, where people can drop off their old mattress at the centres for $10, or have it picked up for $15.

All of these items are then recycled, so as little as possible ends up as landfill.

Rowntree will also urge people to report anyone seen dumping rubbish to the EPA’s 24-hour hotline (1300 372 842), along with details such as a licence plate. The dumping of rubbish illegally is a criminal offence and significant fines apply.

The city will be patrolling dumped rubbish hotspots over the next few months, with CCTV cameras being set up at a number of locations.