Local environmental heroes shortlisted for award

Published on 23 August 2024

3198 Seaford BeachPatrol has been shortlisted as a finalist in the prestigious Keep Australia Beautiful Tidy Towns Awards for their Plastic Pellet Project – Nurdle Anymore.

This initiative has tackled the pervasive issue of nurdle (plastic pellet) pollution on Seaford Beach, raising awareness and gathering crucial data to advocate for policy change. Through  community engagement and scientific data collection, Seaford BeachPatrol has not only raised awareness about the dangers of nurdles but also galvanised action to mitigate their impact.

Their innovative campaigns, such as the ‘Nurdle Turtle’ artwork and ‘Nurdling Neighbours’ events, have educated the public and fostered a sense of collective responsibility for advocating for the health of Frankston's pristine coastline. In 2023 alone, volunteers collected 20,045 nurdles, one by one, off Seaford beach, during nurdle hunts, audits and beach cleans.

The group's commitment to investigating the source of plastic pellet pollution is evident in their meticulous beach audits. After conducting audits at the established Keast Park site for the Port Phillip EcoCentre's Clean Bay Blueprint, Seaford BeachPatrol identified an additional hotspot for nurdle pollution at another location on the Nepean Hwy. The group took the initiative to develop this location into a second audit site and submitted their findings to the EcoCentre and now the data collected contributes to the Plastic Free Bay initiative.

Seaford BeachPatrol leader Jaqui O'Leary said: “The nurdle pollution on Seaford Beach is a microcosm of a global crisis. While we acknowledge the widespread nature of this issue, we believe that taking action at the local level is important.

“Mandatory participation in Tangaroa Blue’s Operation Clean Sweep by all industries handling plastic pellets is a necessary step towards mitigating nurdle pollution on our beaches and protecting our precious marine ecosystems,” she said.

The Tidy Towns Awards celebrate community-led initiatives that champion environmental sustainability and community wellbeing.