Actors lead anti-litter campaign by Mosman Council and NSW Environment Protection Authority

MOSMAN Council aims to stamp out littering in the suburb with a campaign led by actors from Wollongong.

Luke Foster and Will Madden, actors from the Eaton Gorge Theatre Company, encourage people at Allan Border Oval in Mosman to sign the anti-litter pledge. Picture: Phillip Rogers

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A TROUPE of actors from Wollongong has been hired to help convince Mosmanites to stop littering.

Almost 100 people have so far pledged to “play clean and keep fields clean” during a six-week anti-litter campaign in the suburb.

The actors, from the Eaton Gorge Theatre Company, are encouraging Saturday sports competitors, volunteers and spectators to sign the pledge.

The Playing Clean campaign ends with the actors’ last appearance this Saturday, May 6 at Georges Heights, Balmoral, Middle Head and Allan Border Oval.

Mosman Council and the NSW Environment Protection Authority are behind the initiative, which aims to reduce litter at and near sportsgrounds.

Actors from the Eaton Gorge Theatre Company encourage people not to litter in Mosman. Picture: Phillip Rogers

The campaign is reminding people to choose reusable items as often as possible, such as reusable water bottles, reusable shin guard stays and reusable food packaging and to dispose of waste responsibly if reuse options are not possible.

The actors talk to people at Mosman sports matches about reducing waste and use comedy to help get their message about rubbish across.

The council’s spokeswoman said Playing Clean was an innovative campaign based on audits in the past two years which found that sportsgrounds were litter hot spots.

“Two Hands conducted several litter audits in the past two years targeting Mosman beaches and community green spaces,” she said.

“They reported that the most visual find was a large amount of tape used in all parks.

The actors ask people to sign the anti-litter pledge at Allan Border Oval. Picture: Phillip Rogers

“Plastic tape, lolly wrappers, chip packets and single use plastic water bottles were a major problem and a large amount was found on our playing fields.

“Balmoral Oval had the highest litter footprint and a high number of single-use food packaging and sports-related items such as electrical tape, used to strap shoelaces and socks.

“So the council installed bottle refill stations at sporting fields and initiated the anti-litter campaign on sporting fields.”

The council has new bin signs to identify different types of waste and plans to monitor the effectiveness of the campaign to inform future strategies.

The anti-litter campaign started on April 1.

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