Most countries, including Australia, have recognised the threats posed by marine plastic litter. Estimates show that at current rates of littering there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by by weight. Plastic packaging is routinely in the top 5 littered items in both the National Litter Index and Clean Up Australia reports. If left uncollected that plastic will break up into microplastics, threaten wildlife that consume it and potentially enter the human food chain. There are alternatives to single use plastic takeaway products. The primary option being to avoid single use items in favour of reusable food ware. Fully compostable packaging is not derived from fossil fuels unlike other plastics. Many food outlets, markets and public events right around Australia have already changed their practices and reduced their plastic footprint, through these practices. As the largest component of litter, removing many single-use plastics will cut litter collection costs to Commonwealth, State and local Governments.
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Our plan to stop 70% of Australia’s Plastic from entering the ocean by 2020
The Boomerang Alliance www. We are a community-based organisation advocating for waste reduction and resource recovery. Our network includes many of the key environment, conservation and litter clean-up organisations in Australia, with campaign work covering issues such as beverage and plastic bag litter, toxic tyres, electronic waste, plastic packaging, recycling and circular economics. Our network includes 51 national and state environment groups and many community organisations. A key current focus is on litter, particularly plastic pollution. Previously our aim has been the introduction of a container deposit scheme for beverage containers in each state, and the phase-out of single use plastic bags. With the announcement and implementation of these now in almost all Australian states and territories, Boomerang Alliance is addressing other single-use, fossil-fuel based plastics, commonly found in the waste and litter stream.
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Boomerang Alliance is targeting the priority solutions that will make deep cuts in the amount of Australian plastic entering our marine environment. The sources of these plastics can be found in the graph below. While most plastic does not end up in the marine environment and most people don't litter - the impact of what is polluting our environment is so severe that we must take strong action for all our benefit. Enforcing and strengthening existing environmental and planning regulations. In fact, these types of activity make up as much as a third of all marine plastic pollution. For example, in Australia we consume around 1. Nurdles are found on virtually every Australian beach.
