The terrible scourge of plastic debris is a worldwide problem, and during the winter months the Sapphire Coast Marine Discovery Centre (SCMDC) engaged in an Australia-wide initiative that revealed our so-called ‘Wilderness Coast’ is not immune.

“We received an IMB grant last year, to provide an educational program whereby local students can learn about marine debris, collect it, and enter the findings into an international database,” SCMDC Marine Education Officer, Jillian Riethmuller, said. “The database is called the Australian Marine Debris Initiative, run by the Tangaroa Blue Foundation in Queensland.” 

The grant enabled the SCMDC to work with five schools or community groups in the region, which were Tathra Public School, Pambula Public School, Eden Sea Scouts, Merimbula Scouts and Narooma Primary School.

“Each group learnt methodology, and choose a section of beach to work with,” Ms Riethmuller explained. “We provided five education sessions to each group; an introduction into what marine debris is: a cleanup: a tally of rubbish: data entry online: and coming up with a preventative strategy for the future. After that, the groups continued independently.”

The Eden Sea Scouts chose Aslings Beach as their focus. Donning yellow gloves and dragging collection bags were nine ‘cubs’ - aged between eight and eleven years old - and seven ‘joeys’ - aged six and seven years old - with an equal mix of boys and girls. Leading the pack was Eden Sea Scout’s cub leader, Nev Cowgill.

“We collected anything that was man-made, basically everything that didn’t belong in the natural environment,” Mr Cowgill said. “We weighed and catalogued it, then put our results into the database.”

Their valuable information joined over 2 million pieces of data submitted to the site since the initiative first began in 2004, creating a comprehensive overview of what amounts and what types of marine debris impact our seas. And the statistics are terrifying. Over seven million tonnes of plastic litter enters the ocean every year. That’s eight million pieces per day, which is three times as much rubbish as the annual weight of fish caught. In some parts of the world this debris collects offshore in huge garbage vortexes, with the one off Hawaii larger than the state of NSW. 

Much of this debris is plastic. Obvious items include packaging and household items. But even shower gels and exfoliant creams contain plastic. And plastic never biodegrades. Instead, it just disintegrates into smaller and smaller pieces, forever remaining in the environment.  Just a single one-litre drink bottle can break down into enough fragments to put one fragment on every kilometre of beach in the entire world. 

The net result is devastating for our wildlife.

“The effect on seabirds is the worst,” Ms Riethmuller. “On Montague Island, we’ve examined dead shearwaters, and found all of them contain plastic in their stomachs. It’s a major cause of death.” 

Our local casualities contribute to a terrible worldwide tally of between 700,000 to 1 million seabirds killed from entanglement or ingestion of garbage each year. For the Eden Sea Scouts, statistics like this made a huge impact, inspiring lifestyle changes both big and small.

“One of our cubs, Eden Hayes-Elliott, went straight home to her parents and swore she’d never use a plastic drinking straw again,” Mr Cowgill laughed warmly. 

“I learnt it takes 150 years for a plastic straw to break down,” Miss Hayes-Elliott confirmed. “So I thought what’s the use?”

Eleven year old Miss Hayes-Elliott attends Eden Primary school, and shared what she learnt with many friends.

“One friend was interested, but others weren’t,” she said matter-of-factly. But as the saying goes, it only takes one person to change the world, and Miss Hayes-Elliott is even clearer about her future now.

“I really want to be a marine biologist when I grow up,” she said. “And help stop marine debris.” 

Although Eden is bordered by national park and wilderness, the cubs found Aslings Beach had a cross-section of garbage not dislike any other beach on our planet; plastics of all description, shards of ceramic and glass, eating utensils, bits of clothing, rope, netting and fishing gear. But the biggest haul was cigarette butts. If left, they take a decade to break down.

“Collecting debris as part of this program has been very important, as there isn’t much local data,” Ms Riethmuller concluded. “It enables us to work out what kind of garbage is prevalent, and where it’s coming from.” 

The SCMDC intends pursuing further funding to continue the initiative with other groups, and encourages individuals to get involved.

“Anyone who collects garbage on the beach can contribute to the database,” Ms Riethmuller encouraged. 

For more information, or to contribute, see the Australian Marine Debris Initiative database: http://www.tangaroablue.org/database.html

Home checklist:

How long household items take to break down in the environment:

Paper Towel – 3 weeks

Newspaper – 6 weeks

Cardboard Box - 2 months

Apple Core – 2 months

Milk Carton – 3 months

Cigarette Butts - 10 years

Plastic Bags - 20 years

Foam Cup - 50 years

Fishing Floats - 130 years

Plastic Straws - 150 years

Plastic Cutlery - 160 years

Aluminium Can - 200 years

Plastic Bottle Lids - 250 years

Disposable Nappies - 450 years

Plastic Bottles - 500 years

Microfilament fishing line - 600 years