This source reduction plan was designed by participants in Port Hedland during a workshop funded through Keep Australia Beautiful Council WA Litter Prevention Grants. The goal of the source reduction plan is to address plastic bait bags which have been identified as a reoccurring problem in the area. They are thought to derive from land based campers and council park users as well as water based fishermen. They are discarded on the beach, in the water and at the foreshore parks. It is important to reduce the number of plastic bait bags in the area because they are unsightly and they impact on all wildlife. A sea turtle that comes across a plastic bait bag in the ocean will be attracted to it due to its fishy aroma and its appearance as a jelly fish; one of their food sources. Ingestion of plastic has a range of issues such as starvation, intestinal blockages and toxic effects.
The suggested source reduction plan introduces shark shaped bins for plastic bait bags. It is envisaged that these could be designed by the local education facilities and steel suppliers. Accompanying the bins will be an awareness raising campaign. This will include the media, schools, caravan parks, the visitors centre and the fishing club. Signage will be created to raise awareness and reiterate the littering laws. The source reduction plan also aims to put stickers on the bait bags in the area which identifies where they are purchased as a way to monitor the issue locally. The success of this source reduction plan will also be measured during the 2015 WA Beach Clean-up event.
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