Tangaroa Blue beach clean-up rates concern at microplastics on Augusta beaches

Volunteers and the Tangaroa Blue Foundation have raised concerns about the amount of microplastics recently recovered from beaches around Augusta. While taking care to protect vulnerable nesting bird species, volunteers took part in WA’s 18th annual Beach Clean-Up along the region’s coastline on October 17. Tangaroa Blue spokesperson Casey Woodward said the amount of plastic resin pellets found particularly around Augusta was alarming. “It was really concerning to see the increase in plastic resin pellets on our beautiful beaches,” Ms Woodward said. “These tiny, persistent building blocks of all plastic items are entering our oceans and cause horrific damage to wildlife when ingested. “The cruel thing is, to a seabird, fish or turtle, PRPs look just like fish eggs. When ingested, an animal cannot pass them and they accumulate in the gut or digestive tract and cause the animal to slowly starve to death.” Ms Woodward said monitoring sites as part of the annual program was crucial. All waste recovered during the event was recorded into the Australian Marine Debris Initiative, which was the biggest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. “This is why regular monitoring of coastal sites is so important, we can identify these issues when they arise and measure them over time,” she said. Dozens of volunteers took part in clean-ups co-ordinated with Nature Conservation Margaret River Region which included Gas Bay and Grunters. “We are so blessed in this region to see really strong environmental stewardship from the community,” Ms Woodward said. “The WA Beach Clean-Up allows us to develop a marine debris map of the State, identify hotspots and key litter items, and work with the community and local government to develop source-reduction plans to reduce marine debris impact.” Nature Conservation general manager Drew Mckenzie lauded the local turnout.