A Tarneit man has been fined a total of $833 after he tossed a burning cigarette from a car in a rural area at Barnawartha North, in north-east Victoria.
The man failed to appear at Wodonga Magistrates’ Court on a charge of unlawfully depositing dangerous litter on Tuesday, November 19.
The magistrate found the charge proven, imposed a conviction, fined the man $740 and ordered him to pay Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) $93 in costs.
The EPA said that a witness reported seeing the man toss a lit cigarette butt from his Toyota Camry while travelling towards Melbourne, just before 6pm on June 7, 2023.
The EPA said that the burning cigarette bounced off the bonnet of the witness’ vehicle.
EPA Victoria says cigarette butts are the most common litter, and even if they don’t start a fire, they often find their way through drains into local waterways.
While the offence took place in June, the EPA said that the hotter months of the year are riskier and the fine should serve as a warning.
Members of the public can report littering from vehicles on the EPA Victoria website epa.vic.gov.au/report-pollution/report-litter-from-vehicles
