Community
13 September, 2024
Storms uncover plastic pollution
BIG sea storms that recently battered the coastline have not only caused significant erosion, they have also exposed plastic pollution, believed to have been buried beneath the sand for years.
In response, Beach Patrol volunteers have undertaken 17 clean-ups on Shelly Beach, with 60 volunteers dedicating 104 hours to remove 17,847 pieces of plastic.
This haul includes 2,271 cotton buds and 5,008 Nurdles, highlighting the continuing threat of microplastic pollution on local beaches.
Warrnambool East Primary School has also stepped up and is currently sorting through seven bags of plastic detritus collected last Thursday on Shelly Beach.
While the results of that data are still pending, volunteers are anticipating a significant addition to the Nurdle count.
“This latest effort is part of a long-standing battle against plastic pollution,” group member Colleen Hughson said.
“If we go back to September 2017, Beach Patrol began sounding the alarm about sewage-related plastics, particularly plastic-stemmed cotton buds, after noticing them washing up on beaches near Warrnambool’s Thunder Point Sewage Treatment Plant.”
Since then, volunteers have removed over 32,000 cotton buds from the local coastline, marking the start of a broader fight against plastic pollution.
Soon after, the focus shifted to Nurdles (tiny plastic pellets used in manufacturing) following the major spill of November 2017.
Beach Patrol volunteers have collected an astonishing 650,000 Nurdles from beaches, and the problem shows no sign of slowing down.
“Despite our efforts, these microplastics remain embedded in the sand, and recent storms have brought them back to the surface,” Ms Hughson said.
Since 2017, Beach Patrol has grown steadily in both numbers and impact.
They’ve recorded over 2,900 clean-ups and removed more than one million pieces of rubbish from the local coastline.
However, the challenge persists.
“This past week’s sea storms have unearthed more plastic than we’ve seen in a while, with Nurdles and cotton buds once again taking centre stage.
“This week alone, our volunteers have collected thousands of plastic items, including over 2,000 cotton buds and over 5,000 Nurdles.
“Despite our best efforts, the beaches remain covered in debris, and if we don’t act quickly, much of it will be re-buried by the tides.”
Ms Hughson said the group now needs more help to clear beaches from debris.
“We need more volunteers and more assistance from local authorities to keep up the momentum and address this relentless environmental crisis,” she said.
Beach Patrol is urging local authorities and the community to intensify their efforts, particularly in areas like Shelly Beach where sewage-related plastic continues to pollute the beach.
For more information or to join the group’s clean-ups, contact Colleen Hughson on 0400 484 471.
