Enjoying a picnic at the Riverpark. Photo – Zoe Beeson/DBCA

The Plastic Free Riverpark program works with riverfront food and beverage businesses, sporting groups, charter operators and local governments to reduce single-use plastic packaging in and around the Swan and Canning rivers.

Plastic pollution has the potential to pose a major risk to the Swan Canning Riverpark. Wildlife can ingest floating plastic debris or become entangled. Plastics washing up on foreshores can affect root growth of flora and visitor amenity. Remaining debris can impact tourism, block drainage infrastructure and break up into harmful microplastics.

Working together to slow the flow of plastic pollution

The Plastic Free Riverpark program thus far has engaged more than 100 Riverpark stakeholders, including cafes, restaurants, yacht clubs, and event organisers. In its first two years, the program has distributed over $90,000 in grant funding to reduce single-use plastics in and around the Swan Canning Riverpark.

This work supports part of Western Australia’s Plan for Plastics legislation, which has introduced a ban on the sale and supply of selected single-use plastic items.

A healthy Riverpark for all

The Swan Canning Riverpark is socially, culturally and economically significant to the people of Perth.

The Riverpark is also home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including more than 80 bird species, 200 recorded species of fish, around 20 – 25 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, as well as seahorses, anemones, crabs and more inhabiting the water and surrounding foreshores.

Change takes time but small actions from Perth’s businesses, local governments, consumers, and recreational user groups can make big inroads towards a zero-waste economy and a healthier Riverpark for all.

Reducing single-use plastic products in riverfront businesses

Plastic Free Riverpark program grant awardee, The Rowing Pavilion. Photo – Zoe Beeson/DBCA — Plastic Free Riverpark program grant awardee, The Rowing Pavillion. Photo-Zoe Beeson/DBCA

Riverfront food and beverage businesses, sporting organisations and charter operators are eligible for support from the Plastic Free Riverpark program. Venues including cafes, restaurants, pubs, mobile food and beverage operators, yacht clubs and social cruise vessels operating within 500m of the Riverpark can access specialist advice and small grants of $500 to transition away from single-use plastic packaging in venues and organisations.

The grants assist businesses to adopt reusable alternatives to single-use plastic packaging and can support ideas such as purchasing reusable serve-ware, supporting the installation of a water refill station, or running a behaviour change initiative.

The second round of grant funding closed on Friday 28 April 2023. A further third round of funding is anticipated to open in August 2023. Available funding is finite.

For further information or to express interest in applying for a grant, contact plasticfreeriverpark@dbca.wa.gov.au.

Supporting plastic free community events

City of Canning community members choose to reuse at Shelley Foreshore Family Fun Day

The Plastic Free Riverpark program supports riverfront local governments and event organisers to eliminate single-use plastic products at major foreshore community events. Working with vendors to source reusable alternatives to packaging, implementing free water refill stations and clearly marking waste stations can help significantly to reduce plastic pollution from these important cultural and sporting gatherings.

The second round of grant funding closed on Friday 28 April 2023. A further third round of funding is anticipated to open in August 2023. Available funding is finite.

For further information, contact plasticfreeriverpark@dbca.wa.gov.au.

Measuring plastics in the Riverpark

Plastic pollution at Jenalup Beach. Photo by Zoe Beeson/DBCA

In 2021, a baseline assessment of 38 shoreline sites across the Swan Canning Riverpark was carried out to identify types and prevalence of plastics. Led by the DBCA Rivers and Estuaries Science Program, in partnership with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER), the results to date have revealed plastic pollution is prevalent in our Riverpark.

Additionally, the Plastic Free Riverpark program has supported Curtin University to measure single-use plastic debris entering the Riverpark via priority drain locations.

Further monitoring will be conducted by DBCA to fill gaps in knowledge from the baseline survey and identify priority locations where plastic intervention technologies can be installed in partnership with relevant land managers, including local governments.

These technologies could include rubbish sorting racks, gross pollutant traps and customised bins which assist local riverfront governments to collect and dispose of plastic debris, while allowing for future measurement to be conducted.

Get involved

Plastic Free Riverpark vendor with reusable cup — Mobile vendor serves juice in a reusable cup. Photo by Zoe Beeson/DBCA

Choose to reuse for the Riverpark. If you’re planning a trip down to the foreshore, pack a reusable coffee cup, refillable water bottle, bag and container, or take some time to dine in at a venue rather than takeaway. Choosing reusable alternatives helps to reduce waste as well as encourage others to follow your lead. Avoiding disposable options can help to lower the risk of packaging pollution entering the Swan and Canning Riverpark.

If you do see litter and it’s safe to pick it up, dispose of it in a bin with a lid or take it home to your household bin.

Are you a riverfront food and beverage business wanting to make a difference?

Contact plasticfreeriverpark@dbca.wa.gov.au for more information.