Most plastic pollution comes from littering or overflowing bins, trucks and events, eventually becoming ‘accidental litter’. When it rains, litter goes down the drain, through stormwater pipes and out to sea. Over a long period of time, this plastic pollution breaks into smaller pieces (it never breaks down) and eventually becomes micro plastic, which pollutes our oceans and kills marine life.
Council is dedicated to a plastic free Northern Beaches and deliver a number of initiatives to reduce single use plastics.
Did you know?
- Australians use approximately 3.9 billion plastic bags per year
- An estimated 420 million plastic bottles enter Australia’s marine environment every year
- Australians use an estimated 1 billion disposable coffee cups each year, 90% of which end up in landfill
- Studies predict our oceans will contain more plastics than fish by 2050
- 18,000 pieces of plastic are estimated to float in every square kilometre of ocean (Tangaroa Blue)
- One million plastic bottles are sold every minute globally
Keep up to date
Keep up to date about events and activities Council is running to reduce single use plastic. Subscribe to Council’s newsletters.
Be a plastic free winner this Christmas
Avoid single use plastics such as decorations, balloons, plastic wrapping paper, plates and cutlery this Christmas and be in the running to win one of five $50 vouchers!
Get crafty and make your own sustainable decorations, wrapping or gifts that will last for years to come.
Enter via Facebook or email your best plastic free Christmas pics to plasticfree@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au by Tuesday 18 December.
Entries will be judged on their sustainability and how beautiful and festive they are. Winners will be notified and names will posted here and on Facebook.
