Call for urgent overhaul of Australia’s monitoring of ‘astronomical’ plastic pollution problem

Australian Academy of Science points to over-reliance on volunteers and says more regular surveys needed

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The Australian Academy of Science has called for an overhaul of the nation’s approach to studying plastic pollution, warning there is an over-reliance on volunteers and a lack of consistent data to document the “astronomical” problem.

About three-quarters of rubbish along Australia’s coast is plastic, posing a threat to more than 690 marine animals including turtles and seabirds. CSIRO researchers believe 43% of short-tailed shearwater birds in eastern Australia have plastic in their gut.

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