Patterson River clogged with waste after Cup Day downpour

Boaties who helped clean up Patterson River said they were “shocked and disgusted” by the amount of rubbish washed into the waterway after heavy rain.

Rebecca David

less than 2 min read

November 14, 2018 - 2:30PM

Mordialloc Chelsea Leader

Martin Haggarty from the Patterson Lakes Marina cleans up the rubbish that poured down the Patterson River and into the Marina after heavy rain. PICTURE: PENNY STEPHENS

Inner South

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Chairs, tyres and a battery of bottles marred Patterson River after washing up in the waterway during last week’s wild weather.

Patterson Lakes Marina worker Mark Haggarty said it would take at least two weeks to clean up the deluge of detritus.

SMALL SHARK’S GILLS CLOGGED WITH PLASTIC AT RICKETTS POINT

PLASTIC POLLUTION IN MORDIALLOC CREEK

“I was shocked and disgusted by it — it was like a third world country,” Mr Haggarty said.

“I’ve already seen birds eating plastic.”

Bottles were the most common litter found during the clean-up.

”We’ve got the best water in the world — I don’t know why anyone needs to buy bottles of it,” he said.

Mr Haggarty said he believed the rubbish had washed down from Dandenong Creek during the heavy Melbourne Cup Day storms.

EPA Southern Metro Manager Stephen Lansdell said the authority was concerned by the Patterson River litter.

“Stormwater drains carry excess rain into our rivers and oceans and unfortunately when there’s heavy rain … they also carry rubbish left by thoughtless litterers,” Mr Lansdell said.

He said the rubbish was not just unsightly but also harmful to the river’s ecosystem.

“Some plastics break down into microplastics, which can be ingested by birds, fish and marine mammals and build up in their digestive systems causing serious health problems, while other items, such as plastic bags can kill immediately and impact marine flora,” Mr Lansdell said.