Almost 30 bags of rubbish – totally 168 kg – were removed from Plane Spotting Beach in Mascot this week in support of Clean Up Australia Day.
Most of the items collected were bottle caps, plastic bottles, straws, ear cleaners, lollipop sticks, and polystyrene.
NSW Ports joined forces with Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA), with which we have an ongoing sponsorship agreement, for the 2022 clean-up effort.
While masses of waste were collected from the beachfront, data from the initiative was also recorded and will be sent to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) to help stem the flow of rubbish in future.
The data collection is part of CVA’s Sea to Source project that aims to reduce the amount of plastic litter entering our creeks, rivers and oceans, by tracing waste back to its source to ultimately eliminate the need for ocean clean ups in future.
NSW Ports is committed to operating in a responsible and sustainable way to minimise adverse impacts on our environment.
Other initiatives that support this goal include:
- Implementing an environmental shipping incentive scheme, which rewards vessels docking at our ports that demonstrate reduced emissions.
- Sponsoring CVA events throughout the year, including bush regeneration efforts in Sir Joseph Banks Park near Port Botany.
- Maintaining breeding ponds and associated habitat areas for the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog (Litoria aurea) at Port Kembla and Enfield.
- Working with logistics operators to increase transportation of containers by rail – resulting in operational efficiencies, reduced road congestion and lower emissions.