The Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership are leading the Whitsunday Gross Pollutant Trap (GPT) Project to stop litter at its source.
In collaboration with the local community and council, including the Whitsunday Regional Council, Tangaroa Blue Foundation, Cleanwater Group, and Reef Catchments Ltd; the project will see fifteen gross-pollutant traps (GPTs) installed into stormwater drains throughout the Whitsunday region. This project aims to reduce the amount of litter entering the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park by providing a physical barrier to litter passing into waterways in the Whitsundays and using the litter caught in the traps to identify the primary sources of litter in this region. The data will be used to create source reduction plans to help local communities and businesses reduce the amount of rubbish that they are creating and/or dispose of litter more appropriately.
This project puts the community at the forefront, collaborating and consulting with the Whitsunday locals at every step. This includes helping to identify suitable GPTs sites throughout the region, volunteering at auditing events (sign up for our September 3rd event here), and being involved in the eventual development and delivery of the source reduction plans.
The two-year Whitsunday GPT Project is possible thanks to $50,000 of funding support from the Queensland Government’s Community Sustainability Action grant program and a $15,000 contribution from the Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership.
Quick Facts
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Fifteen ‘drain buddies’ (litter traps) installed around the Whitsunday region.
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Two-year project to collect data on the sources of litter.
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Community consultation and participation to identify ideal locations for litter traps, and to sort and count litter.
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Source reduction plans to stop litter before it can reach our waterways.
