Monday, 11 December 2017 

8 million tonnes of plastic is being dumped in the ocean. Photo: Sea Shepherd.

Dear Ocean Defender,

Every year, an estimated 8 to 12 million tonnes of toxic plastic is being dumped in the ocean - that’s 1 garbage truck every minute of every year making plastic pollution a major threat to the marine environment.

In the last ten years fatal entanglement and ingestion of marine debris by animals has increased by 40 per cent, impacting hundreds of different species and resulting in the death of thousands of animals and millions of sea birds.

A new study has found that crustaceans dwelling at the bottom of a 10,970 meter trench have micro plastics in their guts. In fact, across six deep-ocean trenches in the Pacific, not one was free of plastic contamination (Live Science, November 2017).

On October 18, 2017, the Andrews Labor Government announced that they will ban single-use, lightweight plastic shopping bags in Victoria, leaving only NSW behind with no ban announced.

This is a small step in the right direction, but we need to go further to address the increasing problem.

Following the announcement, the Victorian Government released a discussion paper with the aim to consult the community on how best to implement this new policy.

WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD AND STAND UP FOR THE OCEANS!

The discussion paper is not only covering lightweight plastic bags, but all types of plastic pollution such as cigarette butts, plastic straws, balloons and many other threats to marine life. 

Now is the time to provide feedback to the Victorian Government by answering a few questions using the link below:

https://engage.vic.gov.au/waste/plastic-pollution

Failing to provide strong feedback to the Victorian Government would have a dramatic impact on future policies, giving the Government the green light for inaction. 

We can’t let that happen, we need everyone to take action and make their voices heard and complete the survey for the oceans.

Consultation ends on January 25, 2018 and is NOT limited to Victorians. 

We are asking all Australians to have their say and to share the survey with their family and friends to help tackle this vitally important issues of plastic pollution in Victoria.

Together we can be the change and #StemtheTide of plastic pollution in the oceans. By thinking globally and acting locally we can together make a difference. 

Thank you.

For the oceans,

Liza Dicks
Sea Shepherd Marine Debris Coordinator