Take 3 for the Sea after stormy August

27 August 2020

If you’re keen to get exploring again after a wild and stormy start to August, you may find some unwelcome additions to the beaches you know and love.

Large swells and high wind have deposited quantities of rubbish onto our usually pristine beaches, and Council is working with the community and a well-known anti-waste movement to find the pollution solution.

Partnering with award-winning organisation, Take 3 for the Sea, Council is joining the call for community involvement and many hands making lighter work.

Council’s Environmental Education Officer, Natalie Ryan, said the unusual amount of plastic waste washed up on our beaches recently presents us with an opportunity.

“Seeing our favourite beaches sprinkled with rubbish can be upsetting, but an organised project like Take 3 for the Sea can help us make big improvements.

“It’s a simple concept that has had profoundly positive outcomes in coastal environments around the world.

“And all it involves is picking up three pieces of rubbish every time you go to the beach.

"The thing to remember is that much of the rubbish we see on our beaches has either been washed out from storm drains and rivers, or it has been floating for years out at sea.

“When waste washes ashore, it makes it easier to collect, so when you pick up your three pieces of rubbish, you’re cleaning the beach and preventing the re-pollution of our oceans and waterways.

“Plastic pollution is having a devastating impact on our ocean environments, with an estimated eight million tonnes of plastic finding its way into our oceans every year.

“This may seem an insurmountable problem, but with a global community effort, real change can be made.

“Plastic removed from our beaches can often be recycled in your yellow bin, taking it out of the natural environment for good,” Ms Ryan said.

For more information on Take 3 for the Sea, visit their website.