Published on Wednesday, 21 July 2021 at 10:37:17 AM
The Shire of Exmouth's aim to reduce litter entering the coastal environment across the North West Cape has received a boost with a Keep Australia Beautiful Council (KABC) grant.
The 2020/21 $5,000 grant has been used to support ongoing projects like the "KEEP EXMOUTH CLEAN"-Annual Day and to implement additional projects focussing on roadside litter. Think cigarette butts, loose items from the back of the car or boat and discarded food and drink containers.
"KEEP EXMOUTH CLEAN" was realised for the first time in 2020, with all staff members out and about to pick up rubbish on the side of the road, curbs and verges - tallying up a total of 26 cubic metres or 1.040 25l bags of litter within 5 hours.
Unfortunately, the second Keep Exmouth Clean Day in 2021, where Council invited community members to participate, had to be postponed due to the torrential rain and flooding the town experienced in early June.
However, Shire employees supported the Keep Australia Beautiful Team with their litter audit at Town Beach and a day at the Exmouth District High School.
Eight staff members collected 1.75kg of litter over an approximately 1km stretch at Town Beach. Together with KABC and Shire staff, the local children collected a huge 7kg of debris from the school grounds within a 20 minute time period, which shows the increased need for education about the effects of litter in particular.
TOP FIVE ITEMS TOWN BEACH*
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| Cigarette butts: 89 |
Confetti remanent: 53 |
Metal bottle caps: 32 |
| Hard plastic bits/scraps: 22 |
Rubber/water balloons: 14 |
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*All litter was audited and added to the Australian Marine Debris Initiative Database
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Council also has been able to design, produce and implement signage to "SECURE YOUR LOAD" on roads and "KEEP EXMOUTH CLEAN" at busy beach accesses, such as the Hunter, Dunes and Wobiri Beach access, showcasing the local wildlife. Both are aimed to educate visitors and residents to rethink their litter behaviour when travelling across the North West Cape and Gascoyne / Pilbara.
This will be reinforced with free of charge recyclable car litter bags, distributed through high traffic hotspots like the Ningaloo Visitor Centre and caravan parks as soon as they arrive in September, and "Outback Packs" available at the Shire of Exmouth offices.
COMMENTS ATTRIBUTED TO THE SHIRE – SHIRE PRESIDENT MATT NIIKKULA
"The KABC Grants are a great opportunity to support community projects to reduce litter and change littering behaviour in our beautiful region, and Council is happy to collaborate with Keep Australia Beautiful successfully. The additional projects are a valuable support to ongoing projects and efforts like the Community Waste Working Group or the Containers for Change Program. All are making an important difference in our town."
MEDIA ON REQUEST
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Media contact:
Sandra Flint, Communications & Media Liaison Officer, Shire of Exmouth
M: 0459 431 439 | E: sflint@exmouth.wa.gov.au
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