Communities team up to clean up the Derwent

LOCAL businesses and community groups have again joined forces with the Derwent Estuary Program to crack down on litter in and around the Derwent for Clean-Up Australia Day 2023.

More than 70 volunteers rolled up their sleeves to tidy Cleburne Point and Shag Bay on the Eastern Shore and the Prince of Wales Bay foreshore in Glenorchy, where employees from nearby businesses including the DEP, Nyrstar, TasWater, Glenorchy City Council, Hydro Tasmania, EPA, CSIRO, Spotty Dog Brewery, Prince of Wales Marina and Incat joined local residents to remove a huge amount of rubbish from the environment.

From the three sites, volunteers took away approximately 7500 pieces of soft plastic; 600 plastic bottles; 600 cans; 70 plastic straws; 50 surgical masks; and countless pieces of polystyrene and other items like fishing line, packing straps, building materials, tyres, take-away food containers and cigarette butts.

Derwent Estuary Program (DEP) CEO Ursula Taylor said the best way help the River Derwent is to prevent litter reaching it in the first place. “Thousands of items of litter accumulate along the high tide line at a number of locations, with beverage containers and plastic accounting for the majority of litter,” Ms Taylor said. “We hope our efforts this week inspire others to reduce our use of single-use plastic, as well as become involved in future clean-up events.

See someone littering? Report them via the EPA’s online Litter Hotline or phone 1300 135 513.