Microplastics a ‘Mega Problem’ for Waterways

Media release – Conservation Volunteers Australia, 8 June 2024

Microplastics mega problem this World Ocean Day

Microplastics are the ‘new face’ of Australia’s marine plastics crisis, making up a quarter of all items littering the nation’s urban habitats – more-than 10 times ‘traditional offenders’ like plastic bags and bottles – the past three years.

This is adding pressure to an already increasing number of threatened marine species, which rose about 20% at the same time.

That’s according to new research marking World Ocean Day from Conservation Volunteers Australia as part of its Australia en Danger insights series with public affairs analysts Provocate. CVA is the official partner of World Ocean Day down under.

The findings will be presented to Federal and State Environment Ministers before their upcoming COAG meeting discussing key plastic, packaging and species reforms, particularly given CVA’s #SeaToSource program plays a critical formal role in counting and collecting data towards Federal targets of an 80% reduction in plastic entering the environment by 2030.

CVA CEO Phil Harrison revealed the worst offender for marine microplastics was Sydney (35%), followed by Adelaide (27%) and Tasmania’s Hobart/Launceston (26%), compared to 25% across the nation’s state capitals between 2020 and 2023.

Items like plastic beverage bottles and plastic bags only made up a fraction of that at around 2% each, he said.

Mr Harrison said there were a range of actions Australians could take action right now, including downloading the CVA community app to find local events; signing up to the #SeaToSource waste challenge; or donating at www.conservationvolunteers.com.au.

“Despite plastic bottles and bags being the face of Australia’s marine plastic crisis, our capital city catchments now have more microplastics floating around in their marine habitats than any other type of litter,” Mr Harrison said.

“This coincides with 20% increase in threatened marine species in recent years, particularly birds, which can ingest these microplastics and die a very slow and painful death. It only takes one piece – a warning for our own food chain as well.

“While our research found the numbers of fish and reptiles, including turtles, reaching critically-endangered status – the last step before extinction – have also doubled and tripled overall the last few years.

“We’re rapidly facing having more plastic in our oceans than fish.

“Community action at scale is still critical to ensure these threatened species don’t slip out of our hands altogether.”

Watch SeaToSource Waste Challenge Video here: