A new report prepared by environmental not-for-profit organisation TierraMar and the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) at UNSW Sydney has outlined sustainable methods to detect, collect, transport and responsibly dispose of discarded fishing nets, marine debris and other plastic waste in northern Australia.

Commissioned by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE), the report will directly inform the investment in new infrastructure and coordinated services under the Australian Government’s Ghost Nets Initiative, which will be implemented until June 2024.

“Ghost nets are fishing nets that have been lost at sea, abandoned or discarded when they have become damaged,” UNSW SMaRT Centre founding director Professor Veena Sahajwalla explained. “Discarded fishing equipment can cause pollution such as microplastics and entangle marine wildlife and damage reefs, silently killing.”

The currents and conditions in the Arafura and Timor Seas and the Torres Strait mean that marine debris accumulates in the Gulf of Carpentaria off northern Australia, making it a global marine debris ‘hot spot’.

“It is imperative that we address the issue of marine waste in this region. Four of the six marine turtle species found in Australian waters are listed as threatened under Australian environmental legislation and they are regularly found entangled in derelict fishing nets,” Prof Sahajwalla said.

The report is based on a combination of desktop research, materials analysis, and stakeholder consultation with government, community, industry, and non-government organisation stakeholders.

“There is an opportunity to develop a range of high-quality homeware and building products made directly from ghost nets and marine debris coming out of northern Australia. The products, such as ceramic tiles, could creatively reflect the unique cultures, artistic values and connections to country by local communities,” Prof Sahajwalla added.

Key findings of the report

Self-sustaining solutions are necessary for dealing with discarded ghost nets and marine debris.
Reducing reliance on government support to clean up and dispose of the debris is dependent upon being able to produce high quality products from waste.
Consolidation of different waste streams within regions for more efficient transportation and processing will be important to achieve economies of scale.
Re-manufacturing and to a lesser extent, extrusion and injection moulding are considered the most feasible options for using the waste as a resource.
A pilot program is required to establish a recycling pathway for the Gulf of Carpentaria including setting up regional hubs for sorting and aggregation of marine debris and ghost nets, and trialling cost effective logistical transportation and re-processing solutions.

Image: Ghost nets can entangle marine wildlife, such as marine turtles. Photo: Shutterstock.

Architecture News & Editorial Desk

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