Monitoring and Evaluating Litter

One of the benefits of monitoring litter in river systems is the relatively intact structure of litter items, making them identifiable. This is in contrast with marine litter, which is often degraded, making it nearly impossible to track the sources of the litter.

The Yarra Riverkeeper’s have highlighted the main litter types found along and within the Yarra River by using the following auditing methods:

a) Bandalong litter trap audits;

b) Microplastic trawls;

c) Community clean-ups, and;

d) Vacuuming reedbeds and riverbanks along the Yarra.