Why was the research needed?
Litter, rubbish and waste generated by human consumption is as big a problem for the natural environment and human health in remote Australia as it is in the country’s major metropolitan regions. High debris or local municipal waste loads in remote areas create serious pollution impacts. There are also serious constraints on effective waste management and recycling in remote areas because of large distances and high costs.
How is the research being used?
Remote Aboriginal local governments in Queensland’s Cape York Peninsula have used the research to seek additional infrastructure funds, increased resources and capacity for recycling/waste management. The not-for-profit organisation Tangaroa Blue – which focuses on marine debris – also actively uses and promotes the research outputs.
Our community continues to actively remove marine debris and supports a culture of local recycling and waste reduction initiatives, while aiming to do more
– Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council, 2019
Leading waste and debris management practices continue, however an effective remote container deposit scheme is a real challenge to implement locally given capacity constraints
– Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council, 2019
Pormpuraaw waste separation. Photo by RAIN Pty Ltd 2016.
Research work has assisted but useful helping hands are in short supply
– Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council, 2019
Tangaroa Blue use both the Factsheet and the Final Report as supporting material directly or in citation for our marine debris funding submissions
– Tangaroa Blue, 2019
Remote research work undertaken in collaboration with Cape York Peninsula marine debris removers and municipal waste managers has led to increased shared learnings and higher awareness in remote local government about leading practice waste and debris management, which in turn has highlighted an ongoing need for strategic, coordinated investment to effectively implement and subsequently scale-up realistic or viable remote recycling options.
Baled aluminium cans, Cape York Peninsula. Photo by RAIN Pty Ltd 2016.
What are the research outcomes?
The impact of the original research, conducted in 2016 with three remote Aboriginal communities and key stakeholders on Queensland’s Cape York Peninsula, has been positive but has also varied depending on each community’s unique circumstance. Where extreme remoteness is mitigated by proximity to a town (e.g. Mapoon), local involvement in emerging recycling initiatives like the Queensland Containers for Change is easier to coordinate logistically.
In highly remote communities (e.g. Lockhart River, Pormpuraaw) these arrangements appear to be significantly more challenging to readily establish. Sustained, targeted investment into local remote capacity and infrastructure to maximise removal of marine debris and recycling of separated municipal waste remains virtually non-existent. Real on-ground investments in both remote local waste infrastructure and developing human capacity is required to maximise new recycling initiatives emerging on Cape York Peninsula and to support reuse enterprises.
Research outputs
Factsheets
Reports
Project webpage
Attributions
