Shipping container debris washes ashore

South east swells have brought more than crashing waves to Eurobodalla’s coastline, as takeway containers and facemasks wash onto the shire’s beaches.

Eurobodalla Council’s manager of environmental services Deb Lenson said these were the first deposits to reach Eurobodalla following a shipping container spill in May.

“The APL England lost 50 shipping containers into the sea while on route to Melbourne,” Ms Lenson said.

The Tangaroa Blue Foundation has been tracking the spill debris since the containers were lost. Council’s environmental education officer Bernadette Davis said items like plastic takeaway containers and unused facemasks had begun washing ashore yesterday.

“It is important to remove these items, but it is equally important to record what we find,” Ms Davis said.

“The best way to help at your local beach is to track and record where and how many items are washing up. Simply enter those details into the Australian Marine Debris database, an easy to use phone app.”

For more information on the Australian Marine Debris initiative and to download the app, visit our marine debris webpage.