Plastic Pollution Declines Along Australian Coastlines, Study Finds

Recent research by Australia's national science agency indicates a significant decrease in plastic pollution along the country's metropolitan coastlines. Over the past decade, coastal plastic waste in major cities has fallen by 39 percent. Furthermore, there has been a 16 percent increase in the number of surveyed sites where no debris was found.

The study's findings are based on nearly two thousand surveys conducted across six metropolitan regions. These surveys encompassed inland, riverine, and coastal areas within a 100km radius of each location. The research revealed that plastic constitutes a significant portion of the rubbish found on beaches, with flexible plastics, such as food packaging, posing the greatest threat to wildlife.

The most commonly encountered items were polystyrene fragments and cigarette butts. Other frequently observed waste items included food wrappers, bottle lids and caps, and hard plastic fragments. While some cities showed improvements, others experienced an increase in coastal debris.

The study also highlighted the influence of socio-economic factors and land use patterns on waste accumulation. Regions with intensive land use and greater disadvantage tended to have higher levels of debris. Australia has implemented various measures to combat plastic pollution, including container deposit schemes and bans on single-use plastics. The research suggests that these policies, along with local clean-up campaigns and public education, are contributing to the reduction of plastic waste entering the environment.

This new study builds upon previous research, which showed a 29 percent reduction in plastic waste across Australia between 2013 and 2020. Australia has set ambitious goals to phase out problematic plastics by 2025 and recycle or reuse all plastic waste by 2040.

Globally, plastic production has reached over 430 million tonnes annually, with a very small percentage being recycled. The amount of plastic waste entering aquatic ecosystems is projected to increase dramatically in the coming years. International efforts to address this issue include negotiations for a legally binding global plastics treaty, which are ongoing.