An environment group and Indigenous rangers who have been removing tonnes of rubbish from remote northern Australian beaches are calling on the federal government to do more to stop plastic being produced.
Gumurr Marthakal executive officer and ranger Marcus Mungal Lacey has been appalled watching the winds blow rubbish onto the beaches of his remote Elcho Island home off Arnhem Land.
“Plastic, rubber, foam, big buoys, fenders, tyres, we even found a plastic limb leg, that was a bit frightening,” he said.
“Turtles we’ve found dead on the beach, you can see the plastic inside the intestine, it’s the same with fish, and birds have swallowed lighters, strings and especially drink bottle lids.”
He is particularly worried about fish consuming increasing amounts of microplastics.
“Any human being who relies on a source of natural tucker from the coastline is going to be affected by this,” Mr Lacey said.
He wants more effort from the Commonwealth to prevent plastic pollution.
“The sad thing is, it’s just going to keep coming,” he said.
“All governmental departments should turn and look at what’s happening on our shores.”
The rangers have been heartened to receive help from environment group Sea Shepherd, with volunteers collecting seven tonnes of plastic over a week.
“A big thanks to the Sea Shepherd crew who came along to help us, because it is a big job for our nine rangers, and it’s a long beach,” ranger coordinator William Campbell said.
Sea Shepherd debris campaigner Grahame Lloyd organises several of these clean ups with NT and Queensland ranger groups every year.
“The beaches are totally littered in plastic and it averages one to two tonnes per kilometre,” he said.
“About 25 per cent is fishing gear, 25 per cent is water bottles and the rest is consumer plastic.”
Much of the waste is washed from Asia.
“But it’s a global problem, it’s made by western companies,” Mr Lloyd said.
“We export our rubbish to lots of these countries, it just washes back.”
The United Nations estimates the 11 million tonnes of plastic going into the sea each year will triple in within two decades.
Sea Shepherd wants the federal government to consider new taxes aimed at reducing the amount of plastic produced.
“If we had a tax on virgin plastic, making recycled plastics cheaper than virgin plastics, we’d see plastic producers globally make more re-usable options,” Mr Lloyd said.
He doesn’t think such a tax would make Australian produced goods uncompetitive.
“We could make it that all products coming into this country need to be of a certain quality, so there aren’t cheaper products which aren’t environmentally friendly on offer,” he said.
European Union countries are already taxing virgin plastic.
Spain levies a 45 per cent tax on every kilo of non-reusable plastic produced.
Australia Institute think tank researcher Rod Campbell recommended Australia follow the UK’s example of taxing all produced or imported plastic which didn’t contain at least 30 per cent recycled material.
“They’re imposing a direct tax on the manufacture and import of plastic at a rate of about $400 Australian per tonne, and its first year that tax raised around $500 million Australian dollars, which is a lot of money that could be directed to plastic waste problems,” he said.
Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek provided a statement which said she had been working with state governments on new rules “to ensure that all packaging in Australia is designed to be reused or recycled” which “will include…mandatory targets…for recycled content.”
The Australian Food and Grocery Council declined to comment.
The Plastics Industry Manufacturers of Australia, Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation and Plastics and Chemicals Industries Association didn’t respond to interview requests.
Mr Lacey said he hoped his group’s work inspired other people to care.
“We’ve got one ocean, and one land, and we have to keep inspiring the next generation to make sure that our world stays intact and that we look after it properly,” he said.
“And it starts with you, a single person.”