Marine Litter Campaign hits the road

Did you know over 80% of marine litter comes from land-based sources?

We have all seen the images of what litter can do once it is in our marine environment, as wildlife is harmed or even killed due to eating or becoming entangled in litter. However, it is easy to forget the impact of litter on marine wildlife, as these impacts can be “out of mind and out of sight.”

The NSW EPA’s recent Marine Litter Campaign Roadshow used evocative public sculptures across the Sydney region to demonstrate the impacts of marine litter as part of the Don’t be a Tosser! campaign.

Sculptures of the most damaging litter items found in the marine environment and animals being impacted by litter were on display to educate the community about the consequences of litter in the marine environment and how litter on land ends up in our waterways.

The Roadshows were held at iconic locations throughout NSW including the Sydney Royal Easter Show, the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay, the Hawkesbury Show and Manly Beach.

They reached over 30,000 people in NSW, with people spending on average six minutes engaging with the sculptures. Feedback from the community was that the sculptures were engaging, confronting, and delivered a powerful message.

To learn more about how litter impacts the environment, our progress in reducing litter and how you can help check out dontbeatosser.epa.nsw.gov.au.

The Don’t be a Tosser! campaign is an NSW EPA initiative partially funded by the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy.