Fighting the tide of litter

When waste is dropped in urban areas, it often ends up in the stormwater system, flowing through stormwater network until it reaches rivers and creeks. Once there, it harms biodiversity, degrades water quality, tarnishes the beauty and reduces the amenity of our waterways. Plastic waste is particularly damaging, lingering in the environment for years and causing long-lasting harm to both wildlife and the ecosystem.

Cleaning up litter before it enters waterways and where it collects on the banks is one way we can reduce the negative effects of litter. For nearly 20 years, Georges Riverkeeper has partnered with NSW Corrective Services to help tackle this challenge in the Georges River Catchment. Offenders completing community service hours have played a crucial role, helping to remove litter from 242 sites across seven local government areas. These cleanup efforts focus on areas such as parks, industrial zones, creek lines, bushland, beaches, and the edges of mangroves and salt marshes—places where litter often collects in large quantities.

This partnership is a true team effort. Our Member Councils generously support these initiatives by assisting with the disposal of the collected waste. In 2023-2024 alone, an astounding 93 tonnes of litter was removed—equivalent to more than 6,000 large garbage bags! The majority of this litter was collected from the middle reaches of the Georges River, particularly the Cabramatta and Prospect Creek catchments, where industrial areas are more prevalent, and litter tends to accumulate. These areas also offer numerous parks and open spaces near creeklines which are suitable sites for the program.