Over 25,000 tonnes of litter is tossed each year in NSW. The EPA's 'Don’t be a Tosser!' and 'Report A Tosser!' campaigns play an important role in reducing litter and working to provide a clean and safe environment, now and in the future.
The 'Report A Tosser!' program allows and empowers the community to report people who are littering from a vehicle.
To report a tosser littering from a vehicle you need to:
- have seen the litter being thrown, or blown, from the vehicle
- provide the vehicle registration details and the location where the littering took place
- report the incident within 14 days
- submit your report online through Report to EPA
How to Report a Tosser!
The first time you make a report you will be asked to register and to create an account. You must provide a mobile phone number so you can be verified and receive an SMS text code number to complete the registration process. If you do not have a mobile phone, you must provide a certified copy of your photo identification such as a driver’s licence or passport. Registration is required to ensure your contact details are correct. A fine may be issued based on your report, however, if the offender chooses to have the matter dealt with in court, you may be contacted and required to attend court as a witness.
Once a report is made there are several steps taken to verify the report before any fine is issued. The vehicle information provided in the report is authenticated against Transport for NSW records and the EPA reviews at least 18 other mandatory categories of information in the report. If all the mandatory information requirements are complete, consistent and plausible, then a fine will be issued to the owner of the vehicle.
Never use your mobile phone while driving, pull over or ask a passenger to record the details of the littering event. If recording the details affects your concentration or driving, wait until next time to report littering from a vehicle. If the occupants of a vehicle are littering, it is only a matter of time before they are observed again and reported.
If it is safe to do so, take a photo of the car, location and litter item. Never use your mobile phone while you are in control of a vehicle, this includes while you are stationary at traffic lights or in a car park.
Make as many notes as possible about your observation, even if you don’t include them in your report.
- The time you observed the littering
- Where you were going at the time
- Where you were in relation to the offender’s vehicle, for example, in your car behind the vehicle
- Who was with you and if they also saw the littering
- The weather conditions at the time
- How you recorded the littering, for example in a notebook, voice recording etc.
Keep your notes, photographs, videos and any other evidence for one year in case the penalty notice is disputed, and you are required to attend court as a witness.
Submit your report to the EPA as soon as possible, and within 14 days of your observation.
