One of NSW's most recognisable anti-litter campaigns is getting a fresh face this summer, with the iconic Eastern Blue Groper urging people to bin their rubbish and help keep our oceans litter-free.
The NSW Government’s Nature Hates a Tosser campaign gives Australian animals a voice to call out the littering behaviour that damages their homes and habitats.
This summer, the cranky Eastern Blue Groper joins the campaign's growing cast of Australian wildlife after previous successful behaviour change campaigns featuring a fierce magpie and grumpy green sea turtle.
EPA CEO Nancy Chang said the campaign is launching in cinemas, TVs, stadiums and on billboards as litter continues to threaten wildlife and pollute waterways across NSW.
“Pollution often starts with litter dropped on streets, parks and beaches, before being washed through drains, rivers and waterways into the ocean,” Ms Chang said.
“Once there, it can entangle wildlife, be mistaken for food, or break into harmful microplastics that spread throughout the food chain.
“That's why the NSW Government is bringing back its award-winning ‘Tosser’ campaign for another summer – the season when littering is at its highest.
“The campaign encourages people to take simple actions like binning their rubbish or bringing it with them, to help protect iconic species like our NSW state fish.”
The quirky advertisements starring the Eastern Blue Groper will run until Australia Day across NSW with more than 800,000 moviegoers expected to see the message before viewing blockbuster films like Dune: Part Three and Avengers: Doomsday.
NSW has already achieved a 45% reduction in plastic litter since 2018-19, but the state government is pursuing an ambitious target to bring down all litter by 60% by 2030.
The Tosser campaign is built on in-depth behaviour change research and is predicted to help reduce littering in NSW by another 10 per cent by 2030.