Plastic on our beaches
Clean Up Australia has been going for 27 years and Cottesloe Coastcare is a regular participant. This year we focused on the southern beach starting at Vlamingh Memorial and it was good to welcome some newcomers to the team of Coastcare regulars. The good news was the total mass of rubbish collected was less that expected – possibly the end result of regular clean ups. The bad news was that plastics were the most prevalent rubbish on our beaches, in particular plastic bags breaking down into small pieces. These can eventually become microplastics and are mistaken for food by fish and other marine life. How plastic effects our oceans was the focus of a recent ABC news report and you can read more here.
We finished with a good session from Mike Gregson who shared his considerable knowledge of the flotsam we found on the beach. For some of us it was quite fascinating to find out that one of the shells we have been seeing on the beach for the last sixty odd years was an abalone shell. It is never too late to learn!
Thanks to all those who came along and Melissa, the Town of Cottesloe’s Sustainability Officer, who coordinated the Clean Up.