Latest news with #AustralianMicroplasticAssessmentProject
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Dangerous discovery made 30cm under Aussie garden: 'Big issues'
When an Aussie woman dug 30cm deep into her backyard, she was surprised to find it lined with plastic shade cloth. After she shared images on social media, over 100 people responded, with some joking there could be a body underneath. Luckily, it wasn't hiding anything gruesome, but her discovery does point to a big problem buried beneath thousands of gardens. Shade cloth and black plastic have been used as weed mats for decades before we knew any better, and over time, they break down into tiny pieces called microplastics. Not only can they kill worms and be absorbed by plants, they can enter the human body when we eat food contaminated by them. Researchers have found them in brains, male genitals, and even breastmilk. Related: 🩸 'Scary' new disease linked to plastic consumption in Australia Dr Scott Wilson, the research director of the Australian Microplastic Assessment Project and honorary senior research fellow at Macquarie University, explained it's not just the plastics themselves that are a danger to plants and animals. Each could contain a deadly cocktail of chemical contaminants. 'For instance, colour dyes and plasticisers are released as the plastic breaks apart, and they can leach into the soil,' he said. 'The plastics themselves are harmful, but the chemicals are potentially more harmful. Talking generally, they can have a whole range of effects from impacting hormone systems, to reproduction, growth, and development.' Plastics vary greatly in terms of what sort of chemical cocktail they contain, making it hard to predict what their effect on the environment will be. Gardening photos highlight tiny sign trees are riddled with invasive species Warning as 212kg of plastic falls on international city Dirty secret lurking in water near popular Aussie beach If plastic is layered on the surface for a short period it's unlikely to be dangerous. And when it's layered deep in the deoxygenated zone of the soil, it poses less of a risk, because it's slow to break down. But most weed mats are placed closer to the surface where heat and microbes slowly break them up. 'The whole issue with plastics in the environment is they shed. Once they start breaking down they release microplastics. And that's the issue, they don't go away they just disintegrate,' he said. 'They just break up, not down. And they create big issues in your soil long into the future.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Devastating find on beach highlights 'massive catastrophe' happening along Aussie coastline
A distressing discovery on a quiet Australian beach has laid bare a catastrophe unfolding along Australia's coastline, impacting millions of marine animals — and humans. Following days of heavy rain and flooding along the NSW Mid North Coast last week which left hundreds without a home and five people dead, hundreds and thousands of items — including a pontoon made out of styrofoam — have washed up on the region's beaches. The items, which were picked up and carried by floodwaters along the Manning River and washed out to sea, are now making their way back to shore. The river broke a record when it rose above six metres last week, surpassing the previous high of 5.97m set in 1929. A flood of this magnitude is so rare, it has a probability of less than 0.2 per cent in any given year, making it more uncommon than a 1-in-500-year event. Concerningly, these items collected by the flooding river are now breaking up into 'a million pieces' and flooding the ecosystem with microplastics and harmful materials. Amanda Marechal, from charity Take 3 for the Sea, told Yahoo News the daunting clean-up effort ahead will take weeks, if not months. "It's going to take a massive effort to get the beaches back," she said. Along with the styrofoam pontoon, there have been "entire jetties", livestock such as cows, horses, cars as well as oyster farming equipment ripped away by floodwaters. "You name it, it's out there," Amanda said. "This is a catastrophic event." Amanda explained the problem with Styrofoam is "when it does break up, it breaks into tiny little pieces," she explained. "They look a lot like fish eggs, an edible, tasty treat for so many little creatures in our ecosystem." They are eventually ingested by sea birds, and other animals "all the way up the food chain". Amanda believes there is "no place" for Styrofoam in the marine system, and she's not the first person who has spotted the single-use plastic item on one of Australia's pristine beaches. Calls to ban the product were sparked after sightings in Bondi, the Sunshine Coast, as well as on Magnetic Island. Australian Microplastic Assessment Project program director Dr Michelle Blewitt previously described polystyrene balls as a particularly 'horrific' type of plastic. Due to the lightness of expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) the balls can travel across the globe via wind and ocean currents. 'Not only that, but when they get out there they break up into smaller pieces,' she told Yahoo News Australia. Ms Johnston explained that in 1960 less than five per cent of all seabirds had plastic in their systems, by 1980 the numbers rose to about 80%, and now the latest estimates suggest that by 2050, the figure will be 99 per cent. Debris will be "washing further down the coast' as well," Amanda warned. Amanda praised the amazing effort by locals who have come out in droves to help clean up the beaches. "The minute the waters receded and tide dropped, there was so many people on the beach doing what they can," she said. However, microplastics washed into the water will "be a problem for a long time", she said. "The biggest pieces are going to stay in the environment and break up," she said. Whatever doesn't wash up will get picked up by currents and moved further out to sea. Amanda has urged anyone who spots debris on the beach to contact the SES, or local council. "We need to get everything we can out of the ocean, it's a massive job," she said. Almost 800 properties have been deemed unfit for living, with the number expected to rise Five people have died: one at Rosewood near Port Macquarie, one in Dorrigo west of Coffs Harbour, one at Nana Glen north of Coffs Harbour, one at Moto north of Taree, and one in Cooplacurripa near Taree Insurers have received some 4,930 claims from the floods, an increase of about 800 since Monday. Flood-affected communities across 19 local government areas can apply for grants, loans or payments through myGov A one-time payment of $1000 per adult and $400 per child was made available on Tuesday for those suffering major damage to their home, or serious injury, or loss of a loved one due to the floods The Australian Tax Office might defer tax lodgements or debt payments to people affected by floods The big four banks are providing disaster assistance for flood-affected individuals. with AAP Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Government report reveals troubling findings tied to wastewater facilities: 'They're bound to have effects over time'
A report by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has revealed a concerning problem for Sydney's waterways. It's not just human poo being dumped into the oceans from Australia's coastal wastewater treatment plants — an alarming amount of microplastics are also being flushed directly into the environment. According to the CSIRO report, which the Guardian said was quietly released in 2020, wastewater treatment plants in Sydney are discharging microplastics (tiny pieces of plastic shorter than one-fifth of an inch) directly into the ocean. In fact, one plant — Malabar — discharged between 5.4 billion to 120 billion microplastic particles daily. Compare that to another plant — Cronulla — which released 86 million to 350 million particles daily. The massive difference comes from Cronulla's more advanced and thorough treatment process. While Sydney Water plans to improve the sewer system, the Malabar, Bondi, and North Head treatment plants won't be included. Instead, the idea is to divert some of the waste inland so the ineffective plants won't process as much. Microplastics may be small, but they're a huge problem — not only are they harmful to marine life, but they ultimately end up in our bodies. A Cornell University study found people are ingesting six times more microplastics today than in 1990. These particles contaminate food, air, water, and soil — all of which humans rely on for life. Microplastics accumulate toxins, which then transfer through the food chain to people. Dumping microplastics into the ocean could also slow our efforts to improve water quality and conserve marine life. "If you're pumping billions of little particles into the environment, they're bound to have effects over time, at least, if not straight away," said Dr. Scott Wilson, the research director at the Australian Microplastic Assessment Project. Experts urged Sydney Water to consider better treatments that can reduce these numbers. While one company representative said the study indicated the risk to marine life was "relatively low," they confirmed Sydney Water was "looking at potential treatment options … to determine the best way forward." In the meantime, the company is building new facilities inland to reduce the flow through these ineffective coastal plants. Studies are helping people better understand how to address microplastics. For example, similar reports led to the government's ban on single-use plastics, which reduced plastic litter by 54% since 2018. Believe it or not, laundry is a big source of microplastics due to artificial textiles like nylon and polyester. For individuals, small actions, like using microplastic-catching laundry bags and choosing natural fiber clothing, can make a big difference in reducing the flow of microplastics into our oceans. You could also consider upgrading your dryer sheets to dryer balls, which can protect you from microplastics while saving money. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Warning after deadly discovery at remote Aussie beach: 'Holy smokes'
Australians are being encouraged to be mindful of their surroundings this long weekend, and in particular to clean up after themselves (and others) along the country's beaches, after "millions" of tiny microplastics were spotted lining a popular east coast shoreline. Researchers with conservation organisation Adrift Lab shared photos taken from earlier in January at Bettys Beach, 50km east of Albany, in Western Australia. The group said "despite the remoteness" of the location, the spot "was covered" in millions of microplastics, nurdles, rope and "so many bottle caps". "Holy smokes," the group wrote on social media. "[It's going to] take us a while to count, weigh, sort and upload the data," the researchers, who study "all things adrift in the ocean", said. One of the country's leading specialists when it comes to microplastics, Dr Michelle Brewitt, said this Australia Day long weekend, it's more important than ever to monitor our plastic consumption. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Brewitt, of the Australian Microplastic Assessment Project (AUSMAP), warned that with high winds sweeping across the continent, huge volumes of plastics are being swept from overflowing bins into the ocean — where it'll likely remain for decades to come. Brewitt warned that unless people collectively start taking drastic action, there's little hope of improving the situation. "There are an estimated 174 trillion pieces of micro plastics currently in the ocean and what is out there will continually break up into smaller and smaller pieces due to sunlight and wave action," she told Yahoo. "So, unfortunately this problem is highly likely to get worse rather than better. "Humans of course can help ... to ensure that we aren't leaving our rubbish on the beaches and in our waterways." Brewitt said the warning is particularly pertinent on busy holidays like this weekend. "I, for example, live close to the beach and all the rubbish bins today are overflowing," she said. "The wind is blowing and all of the debris just lands on our sand dunes and on our beaches where it will continually break up and into smaller and smaller pieces and be left there to be ingested by our aquatic life — and therefore us." Blewitt says there are thousands of different ways in which micro and nanoplastics can end up in our waterways, including every time Aussies wash their clothes, when millions of tiny microfibres are shed and released. When these plastics make their way into our oceans, they're often eaten by fish and aquatic life and when humans eat those species, they too ingest the plastic. "Anything less than five millilitres in size is considered microplastic, and if it gets smaller than one millilitre, it becomes nanoplastics, and then picoplastics, until we're breathing it in," she explained. 'Life-threatening' danger hidden on pristine beach Disturbing find exposes problem taking over Aussie waterways Multiple 'distressing' discoveries at popular beaches spark concern The plastics researcher said that much of this waste is similar in appearance to our native animals' natural diet, and over time, some of it even contract a "smell" that can make them even more enticing to wildlife. "Industrial pellets are what we call primary microplastics and that gets made from virgin plastic into these round objects that look very much like fish eggs," she said. "They're then being consumed by birds, by fish and by invertebrates that are living in the sediment. "When microplastics get out in the ocean, it gets coated in fishy, stinky, bloody smells from the sea, and so it becomes very attractive to birds, and to other species that then consume it and then often feed it to their own young as well." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Warning after deadly discovery at popular Aussie beach: 'Holy smokes'
Australians are being encouraged to be mindful of their surroundings this long weekend, and in particular to clean up after themselves (and others) along the country's beaches, after "millions" of tiny microplastics were spotted lining a popular east coast shoreline. Researchers with conservation organisation Adrift Lab shared photos taken from earlier in January at Bettys Beach, 50km east of Albany, in Western Australia. The group said "despite the remoteness" of the location, the spot "was covered" in millions of microplastics, nurdles, rope and "so many bottle caps". "Holy smokes," the group wrote on social media. "[It's going to] take us a while to count, weigh, sort and upload the data," the researchers, who study "all things adrift in the ocean", said. One of the country's leading specialists when it comes to microplastics, Dr Michelle Brewitt, said this Australia Day long weekend, it's more important than ever to monitor our plastic consumption. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Brewitt, of the Australian Microplastic Assessment Project (AUSMAP), warned that with high winds sweeping across the continent, huge volumes of plastics are being swept from overflowing bins into the ocean — where it'll likely remain for decades to come. Brewitt warned that unless people collectively start taking drastic action, there's little hope of improving the situation. "There are an estimated 174 trillion pieces of micro plastics currently in the ocean and what is out there will continually break up into smaller and smaller pieces due to sunlight and wave action," she told Yahoo. "So, unfortunately this problem is highly likely to get worse rather than better. "Humans of course can help ... to ensure that we aren't leaving our rubbish on the beaches and in our waterways." Brewitt said the warning is particularly pertinent on busy holidays like this weekend. "I, for example, live close to the beach and all the rubbish bins today are overflowing," she said. "The wind is blowing and all of the debris just lands on our sand dunes and on our beaches where it will continually break up and into smaller and smaller pieces and be left there to be ingested by our aquatic life — and therefore us." Blewitt says there are thousands of different ways in which micro and nanoplastics can end up in our waterways, including every time Aussies wash their clothes, when millions of tiny microfibres are shed and released. When these plastics make their way into our oceans, they're often eaten by fish and aquatic life and when humans eat those species, they too ingest the plastic. "Anything less than five millilitres in size is considered microplastic, and if it gets smaller than one millilitre, it becomes nanoplastics, and then picoplastics, until we're breathing it in," she explained. 'Life-threatening' danger hidden on pristine beach Disturbing find exposes problem taking over Aussie waterways Multiple 'distressing' discoveries at popular beaches spark concern The plastics researcher said that much of this waste is similar in appearance to our native animals' natural diet, and over time, some of it even contract a "smell" that can make them even more enticing to wildlife. "Industrial pellets are what we call primary microplastics and that gets made from virgin plastic into these round objects that look very much like fish eggs," she said. "They're then being consumed by birds, by fish and by invertebrates that are living in the sediment. "When microplastics get out in the ocean, it gets coated in fishy, stinky, bloody smells from the sea, and so it becomes very attractive to birds, and to other species that then consume it and then often feed it to their own young as well." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
