Tossing burning cigarette butts into the street has cost one smoker more than $2,000, after a witness watched him doing it for the third time and decided enough was enough.
The witness reported the smoker for littering after seeing him smoke each cigarette in a quiet residential street in Preston, then drop the butt before he drove away.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) issued the man with three fines for dropping burning litter, and he opted to have the case heard in court but then failed to show up for the hearing.
The Magistrate fined the man $1,983 then ordered him to pay the cost of EPA’s prosecution, another $150.34. No conviction was recorded.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Cigarette butts are the most common form of litter, many find their way into nearby waterways and the bay, and any burning cigarette butt creates a fire hazard.
EPA issued more than 8,500 infringement notices for littering during 2020/21.
