On Wednesday the 5th of August, Low Isles Preservation Society (LIPS) joined with Tangaroa Blue Foundation and Parley for the Oceans to address the heavy pollution levels at Yule Point, a stunning mangrove lined beach just south of Port Douglas.
As an organisation that is focused on preserving the small island paradise that is the Low Isles, LIPS members were concerned that due to the severe littering problem at Yule Point, a king tide or large rain event would deliver that debris to the waters surrounding the Low Isles.
Low Isles has a large population of Green sea turtles, a species of animal that is currently threatened by the impact of marine debris. Ocean rubbish, particularly plastics, can lead to turtles becoming entangled resulting in drowning, and can also lead to ingestion resulting in floaters syndrome.
The team of 10 volunteers spent the morning clambering through the mangroves and digging through the sand, removing 178kg from just 800m of beach, including 52 plastic bags, 194 plastic drink bottles, 203 glass drink bottles & 271 aluminium cans! Can you imagine what a positive impact a Container Deposit Scheme and a plastic bag ban will have on sites like this!
Overall, a fantastic and inspiring effort by the local volunteers, and let’s hope that after seeing Yule Point’s healthy new look, others are also inspired to make better decisions about how they dispose of their rubbish.
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