A new pollution solution being implemented by a Western Australian local council has prompted a Bathurst councillor to call for more research into effective waste management.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The City of Kwinana, a local government area in southern Perth, installed two drainage nets last year to remove waste items from a key water reserve.
A photo of one of the drainage nets has gone viral on social media, with an estimated 25 million interactions on Facebook worldwide.
Councillor John Fry said the initiative is something Bathurst Regional Council could consider in order to tackle the issue of waste pollution in the city's waterways.
"Bathurst's population is growing rapidly and more people are disposing their waste incorrectly," Cr Fry said.
"Items such as drink bottles and shopping bags are accumulating at the bottom of Jordan Creek [the CBD's main waterway] and we need to look at ways to intercept waste before it reaches the river."
Cr Fry said plastic waste items are of particular concern to waterways as they pose a threat to marine animals.
"As it breaks down into smaller pieces, animals confuse plastic for a food source," he said.
"There's already evidence of plastic ingestion killing animals in costal areas and it's only a matter of time before the issue starts to affect our local species."
