Canning Council will review all its waste bins along the Canning River to ensure they are properly managed and not allowing rubbish to enter the river.
At the recent Canning River Residents Environmental Protection Association (CRREPA) annual general meeting, Dr Peter Novak and Zoe Beeson of the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions presented to members on a recent study on the amount of plastic that is currently in the Swan and Canning estuaries.
The results were not good.
The study found the river systems have significant amounts of plastic within them, from microplastics to large bits of rubbish.
The investigation found that a significant amount of the plastic and waste appears to have come from sources close to the river, such as from people visiting adjacent parks or nearby businesses.
The investigations into the drainage networks didn’t capture significant amounts of plastic waste, specifically the quantity that would be expected to produce the volume seen in the river systems.
The council said it was on all councils along the river system to ensure that the infrastructure is in place to enable people to appropriately dispose of their rubbish and to ensure that the waste bins are serviced regularly and don’t overflow.
Deputy mayor Ben Kunze said a review would be appropriate to investigate: where bins are located; whether there are any dilapidated bins that need upgrading; when the waste bins are emptied; whether there is sufficient signage to alert people how to report full bins; and whether there are further opportunities to educate people about the need to take their rubbish home with them or dispose of it appropriately.
