Shocking levels of microplastic pollution have been found in wetlands on the edge of an industrial area in Adelaide, with the source being plastic production factories and catchment runoff. The results are AUSMAPs, a project of Total Environment Centre, largest found so far since starting to sample in the wetlands since 2019. AUSMAP Director, Dr Michelle Blewitt shares, "The pollution has been going on for years, with little action from environment protection authorities and factory owners.  Over 796,000 pieces per square metre, which are long-lasting and accumulating every year." These levels of microplastics pollution are a continuous danger to fish and birdlife in the Barker Wetlands (and adjoining waterways) and contribute to the microplastic load that is being absorbed by the human population.

Today’s announcement by the NSW government of its response to rampant land clearing and dodgy offsets has some welcome elements. However, there is a grave risk that developers and rural landowners will accelerate plans to clear native vegetation before the new laws come into effect.

WA’s much needed ban on e-waste to landfill commenced from Monday this week, but unfortunately, vapes were excluded from that ban.

We are urgently calling on the community to support our campaign to protect the critical habitat and koala corridor at Mallaty Creek. The government plans to fence off Mallaty Creek as part of urban development plans in the Cumberland Plain that we have been fighting for years. This decision threatens the survival of the healthiest koala colony in NSW.  

Today’s meeting of the nation’s Environment Ministers has signalled urgent action will need to be taken by individual states in order to resolve regulation of packaging, especially soft plastics, battery waste and expanding container refund schemes.

Battery fires are an existential threat to our waste and recycling management system. Fire and Rescue Services attended more than 1,000 battery fires across Australia last year, but we understand many more occurred in the waste and recycling sector that Fire and Rescue Services didn’t attend.

With the imminent meeting of Environment Ministers considering how to handle the growing and dangerous problem of battery waste, Total Environment Centre has called for an effective and urgent response that does not embrace failed voluntary approaches.

TEC welcomes the Albanese government’s announcement of a national battery strategy but it must be accompanied by a comprehensive collection and recycling scheme for end of life batteries. "If this strategy rolls out without an effective stewardship scheme in place, we risk serious environmental harm and excessive end of life costs for taxpayers and consumers alike", said Mark Zihrul, TEC Campaigner.    

A development application by Lendlease before Campbelltown Council intends to reverse hard won and widely endorsed conservation measures for koalas in South West Sydney by converting the land to residential development.

With 50% of species in NSW not expected to survive in the next 100 years; land clearing increasing since 2017; and only 29% of habitat remaining - the NSW Government should be taking urgent action. The release of the government’s 2024 NSW Biodiversity Outlook Report is one big alarm bell, both environmentally and politically. "The last thing the Minns government should find itself with at the next election is a record of more clearing of native vegetation and more species sliding to extinction.  This is a fundamental challenge they must not avoid,” said Jeff Angel, Director of the TEC.

Victoria’s 10cent container refund scheme has been operating for 6 months and the first review of its operations has been released today. "Our review acknowledges there are inevitably teething problems in the early stages, but we are very concerned about a systemic issue that has arisen which could harm consumer convenience to refund points and thus the success of the scheme.  This involves reliance on over-the-counter (OTC) return points, especially in the Northern Zone, operated by Visy.  They have a multitude of problems and consumers will be the losers,’’ said Jeff Angel, Executive Director of the Total Environment Centre, which undertook the review.

The announcement by Officeworks that it has ceased collecting used batteries on behalf of B-cycle casts serious doubt on the effectiveness of the voluntary industry program.