Microplastics monitoring

The NSW Government is undertaking a Broadscale Microplastic Assessment (BMA) of 120 estuaries to provide a baseline dataset for surface water microplastic contamination.

The Nadgee River bank with rocks, beach in the distance and blue skies

The aim of this study is to:

  • Highlight estuaries with the highest microplastic contamination levels
  • Determine what items are contributing the most to microplastic contamination for NSW.

The NSW Marine Debris Threat and Risk Assessment identified microplastics as a high-priority threat item. Identifying microplastic items such as plastic resin pellets and polystyrene provides critical information to support evidence-based litter prevention programs and the NSW Plastics Action Plan. This gives us a better understanding of the source of microplastics to then prioritise management interventions and reduce the impacts. This data will identify estuaries and catchments to prioritise management efforts and will be used in the future for assessing management effectiveness.

How the research supports programs

Small microplastics found in the Parramatta River

The BMA project identifies catchments where plastic feedstock (also known as nurdles) are present and guides other programs such as Operation Clean Sweep NSW (OCS). Data from OCS is used to help identify plastic feedstock sources further upstream to implement interventions for where plastic resin is leaking into the environment.

About the project

The study is undertaken by the Coastal and Marine Science team in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW). To fill knowledge gaps around microplastics in NSW, the rapid microplastic assessment method was developed as part of the Marine Estate Management Strategy (MEMS). This method has been adopted for the BMA project, which is funded by the EPA.

This project has three major outputs:
  • A state-wide baseline microplastic data set – which measures the microplastic density in 120 estuaries.
  • Microplastic Pollution Grades – which are developed by comparatively assessing the microplastic density across NSW estuaries and rating them high, medium or low based on the number of microplastics.
  • Microplastic identification – using the state-wide data set we are identifying each microplastic polymer type. This will enable government to prioritise those estuaries and microplastic types to be targeted for management and intervention.

Estuaries we are monitoring

Avoca Lake
Middle Harbour
Batemans Bay
Middle lagoon
Bega River
Minnamurra River
Bellinger River
Moona Moona Creek
Belongil Creek
Moonee Creek
Bermagui River
Moruya River
Berowra Creek
Muddy Creek
Botany Bay
Myall Broadwater
Brisbane Water
Myall Lake
Broken Bay
Myall River
Brunswick River
Nadgee Lake
Burrill Lake
Nadgee River
Camden Haven River
Nambucca River
Cararma Creek
Narrabeen Lagoon
Cathie Creek
North Creek
Clarence River
Nullica River
Clyde River
Oyster Channel
Cockrone Lake
Pambula River
Coffs Creek
Parramatta River
Coila Lake
Pipers Creek (Wallis Lake)
Congo Creek
Pittwater
Conjola Lake
Port Hacking
Cooks River
Port Jackson
Coolongolook River
Port Stephens
Corindi River
Richmond River
Corunna Lake
Saltwater Creek (Frederickton)
Cowan Creek
Sandon River
Crooked River
Shoalhaven River
Cudgen Creek
Smiths Lake
Currambene Creek
South West Rocks Creek
Darkum Creek
St Georges Basin
Dee Why Lagoon
Station Creek
Duck River
Swan Lake
Durras Lake
Tallow Creek
Evans River
Terranora Creek
Fairy Creek
Terrigal Lagoon
Flat Top Point Creek
Throsby Creek
Georges River
Tilba Tilba Lake
Glenrock Lagoon
Tilligery
Haslams Creek
Tomaga River
Hastings River
Toongabbie Creek
Hawkesbury River Lower
Towamba River
Hawkesbury River Upper
Towradgi Creek
Hearns Lake
Tuggerah Lake
Hunter River
Tuggerah Lakes/Budgewoi Lake
Jervis Bay
Tuggerah Lakes/Lake Munmorah
Karuah River
Tuross River
Khappinghat Creek
Tweed River
Lake Ainsworth
Twofold Bay
Lake Arragagn
Ulladulla
Lake Illawarra
Wagonga Inlet
Lake Macquarie (North)
Wallaga Lake
Lake Macquarie (South)
Wallagoot Lake
Lake Mummuga
Wallamba Cove
Lane Cove River
Wallamba River
Macleay River
Wallis Lake
Manly Lagoon
Wamberal Lagoon
Manning River Lower
Wapengo Lagoon
Manning River Upper
Wattamolla Creek
Maria River
Werri Lagoon
Merimbula Lake
Wonboyn River
Meringo Creek
Woolgoola Lake
Merrica River
Wooli River