In the first three months of 2026 our incredible AUSMAP Ambassadors have already completed 25 microplastic surveys across 4 states and 2 islands! Communities Leading the Way Across Australia local communities have made a big impact! Proving that meaningful environmental research doesn’t only happen in laboratories, it happens on beaches, in backyards, and through the dedication of everyday people! Victor Harbor Coastcare SA started the year off right with 2 samples, one on Esplanade Beach on the 18th January, and another at Hayborough on the 1st February.  The year began strongly with Victor Harbor Coastcare SA , who completed two early samples at Esplanade Beach and Hayborough. Their work set the tone for what would become a wave of grassroots action across the country. Soon after, Plastic Free Noosa  contributed a sample from Marcus Beach in Queensland, demonstrating how local initiatives can feed directly into broader environmental understanding. Meanwhile, our ongoing monthly sampling with the Cove Collective  has continued to grow in both energy and impact. February’s session with Reshaping Waste  was joined by special guest Amanda Cohn, while March saw an incredible turnout of 45 participants for a combined Clean Up Australia  and Ocean Lovers Festival  sampling event with Roland from Emu Parade  and Ben and Jerry’s Manly supplying coffee and ice cream. These moments show how citizen science doesn’t just collect data, it builds community, awareness, and momentum. Our Clean Up Australia Day and Ocean Lovers Festival March Manly Cove sample Over in Western Australia, our longtime friends at Bottle Top Hill  added to the effort with a repeat sample from Bicton Baths, while Ten Little Pieces  impressed us with their beautiful sample processing and pictures of buckets used at the beach to encourage rubbish collection for their 2 samples on the 6th of Feb at Sunshine and Sunrise beach in QLD.  Ten Little Pieces beautiful Sunshine Beach sample processing From Mainland to Remote Shores Citizen science knows no boundaries. Leonie and Wayne, two incredible ambassadors, have been travelling the country with a sieve and bucket in hand. Their contributions from Lord Howe Island (Neds Beach and Old Settlers Beach) not only provided valuable samples to our hotspot database , but also captured the beauty and vulnerability of these remote environments. Leonie and Wayne at Neds Beach on beautiful Lord Howe Island, 15 Feb In Sydney, the Clovelly AUSMAP Community Group, led by Ross Feller, continued their dedicated local efforts! Then we took an excursion to Karta Pintingga/ Kangaroo Island thanks to the SA Citizen Science Grants from the Department of Environment and Water . We collaborated with the incredible Friends of Parks K.I. Western Districts  organised by Bev and Collin for a sample at Vivonne Bay.  Rounding out the quarter, Hastings Environmental Rotary  in Port Macquarie contributed their third sample from the region at Oxley Beach! Community day with Friends of Parks K.I. Western Districts at Vivonne Bay, Kangaroo Island, 7 March. This project is supported by the DEW Environmental Small Citizen Science Grants 2023 Meanwhile, our Senior Science Officer Dr Natasha Franklin collected a total of 7 samples in her own time documenting the high loads of plastic brought in by weather and swell in the past few months. The bottom 1mm sieve from Dr Natasha's microplastic sample at Colins Flat beach Why Citizen Science Matters Each of these samples tells a story. On their own, they are snapshots. But together, they form a powerful dataset that helps us understand how plastic pollution moves, accumulates, and impacts our coastlines. It empowers individuals and communities to take part in real scientific action. It builds awareness and stewardship, turning concern into action. It expands our data set far beyond what our small team could achieve. And critically, it provides the data needed to drive change, from local cleanups to national policy discussions. Without the contributions of volunteers, ambassadors, and community groups, this level of insight simply wouldn’t be possible. A Collective Effort To everyone who has taken part, whether collecting samples on beaches, sorting debris in the office, or supporting these efforts behind the scenes, thank you. Your time, energy, and care are what make this work possible! Citizen science is more than participation. It is collaboration, connection, and impact! Want to get involved with AUSMAP and become a volunteer? Submit your interest here!

AUSMAP's shoreline monitoring provides some of the first site-specific evidence of synthetic grass fibres accumulating in Metropolitan Sydney waterways.  Synthetic grass installations are now commonplace across Australia, appearing everywhere from community and elite sports fields to school playgrounds, party boats, residential yards and public landscaping . These surfaces have been associated with a range of concerns, including surface temperatures reaching up to 75 °C  on hot days, increased player injury risk, reduced biodiversity, and intensified urban heat , particularly in Sydney's Western Suburbs. This increasingly popular plastic product has the potential to release microplastics into surrounding drains, parks, and waterways, contributing to a growing and largely unmanaged source of urban plastic pollution.  Artificial greenery, including synthetic grass observed along tide line of Manly Cove, Sydney - May 2025 Shoreline surveys by AUSMAP demonstrate the presence of synthetic grass fibres in Metropolitan Sydney waterways dating back to 2019. How do synthetic fibres enter the environment? Synthetic grass microplastic fibres are released from their source, such as sporting fields, residential yards, playgrounds, and landscaped areas, through everyday wear, weathering and maintenance activities. Once mobilised, these fibres can enter the surrounding environment via the stormwater network. There, they persist in sediments and along shorelines, where they can act as sponges for other environmental pollutants and be ingested by wildlife. Importantly, this demonstrates that synthetic grass materials are not confined to their points of installation but are dispersed into the wider urban environment. How much synthetic grass has AUSMAP found? Recent AUSMAP data show that synthetic grass fragments are becoming increasingly common in Sydney’s waterways. At regularly monitored locations, such as Rose Bay in Sydney Harbour, synthetic grass debris has increased approximately tenfold between 2022 and 2025 , reaching over 20 blades per square metre. Similarly, at Manly Cove, synthetic grass fragments were first detected in 2019, and concentrations have since tripled , despite natural year-to-year fluctuations. The highest average concentration recorded to date was at Tower Beach (Gamay/Botany Bay), where up to 2,500 blades per m²  were recorded in 2024. Local stormwater inputs, rainfall patterns, and nearby synthetic grass fields in the Botany Bay region likely contribute to the high and variable amounts seen at this site. We need action to prevent further loss into our environment. Microplastic synthetic grass blades at Bondi Beach We are calling for: A 5-year moratorium on new planning and approvals for synthetic grass fields until further research and information on potential human and environmental harm from these fields is clarified. Enforcement of Australian Standards for pollution mitigation measures on synthetic grass fields and more detailed guidelines for field management to be implemented on all existing synthetic fields as soon as possible. Invest substantial effort into improving drainage and the condition of natural grass fields to avoid synthetic grass. Local governments to provide a truly balanced cost-benefit analysis at the end-of-life of synthetic fields compared to those of natural turf. Do you want to learn more about synthetic turf? You can read about the rest of our work on synthetic grass and rubber crumb here , including a deep dive into quantifying how much rubber crumb is coming off synthetic playground flooring. Hosted by AUSMAP and Seabin Foundation , our Beyond the Surface event dove into the impacts of synthetic grass on our environment - followed by an expert panel. Watch the presentation here: Join us in our call for action? Send a letter to your local MP using our easy-to-use template!

“Getting to the UN treaty table takes years of research, data, and community action — and staying there takes ongoing support. We’ve made it this far, and with your help, we can turn this treaty into real change.”  — Dr Scott Wilson, AUSMAP Research Director AUSMAP at the Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations in Geneva Dr Scott on the second row behind the #BreakFreeFromPlastic banner | Photo credit: Trixie Guerrero From 05 to 14 August 2025,189 nations and more than 650 observer groups — from NGOs to scientists to industry lobbyists — gathered in Geneva for the latest round of talks on the Global Plastics Treaty 2025 . This treaty seeks to be the first legally binding global agreement to end plastic pollution. For AUSMAP, this moment is the result of years of citizen science, mapping microplastics across Australia, and pushing our government to take action. Now, we’re bringing that data to the world stage. But after days of tense talks, the negotiations ended in stalemate . The sticking point? Whether to include a binding cap on single-use plastic production  — the very source of the problem. Other issues that remain unresolved include how to address plastic pollution across its entire life cycle and whether to tackle human health impacts and harmful chemicals in plastics. Before Geneva — The Work to Get tHere Our journey started on Australia’s shorelines. Volunteers, schools, and communities have been collecting sediment samples for over eight years. That evidence built the Australian Microplastic Pollution Hotspot Map  — showing that tiny plastic fragments are everywhere, from remote beaches to urban harbours. That map has already influenced state and national policies and scientific research. Without citizen science and robust data, we wouldn’t have a voice in Geneva. At the Negotiations — AUSMAP Driving Change at the Global Plastics Treaty 2025 Inside the UN, three big questions dominated debate: Plastic production caps  — Will the world agree to reduce plastics at the source? Full life-cycle accountability  — From production and chemicals to disposal and waste. Monitoring and enforcement  — Ensuring commitments are more than words. Australia stood firm as part of the High Ambition Coalition  of 120+ nations, pushing for binding rules on plastic production and chemical additives. This group of high ambition nations support a full lifecycle approach to plastics, from production to waste, climate and health impacts.  But opposition came from oil and plastic giants — including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, China, and the United States — who resisted any cap on production, and insisted on focusing on downstream management, like recycling, which we know is not the solution. Meanwhile, industry lobbyists were everywhere. More than 230 lobbyists , mostly from oil, gas, and plastics, had direct access to negotiations — some embedded within national delegations. Their influence was clear: stall, weaken, delay. From AUSMAP’s side, Dr Scott worked with Pacific Island nations, NGOs, and scientists to ensure microplastics are recognised as a life-cycle issue , not just a waste problem. We’ve been making the case that science and monitoring must be central if the treaty is to succeed. Dr Scott outside the Plastic Treaty Negotiations in Geneva - AUSMAP driving change at the Global Plastics Treaty 2025. After the Treaty — What’s Next The reality is clear: a treaty without a production cap is a weak treaty . If necessary, high ambition nations must move ahead together, even without consensus from petrochemical states. We call on the Australian Federal Government to do so, and to do so fast. Australia’s Environment Minister Murray Watt confirmed he is disappointed no agreement was secured, but reinforcing " Australia was never going to accept a bad deal for our environment " . Australia stood strong as part of the High Ambition Coalition, pushing for binding rules to limit problematic plastics and harmful chemicals.  We still have a big job at home:  Australia continues to be the second-largest consumer of single-use plastics in the world, and we can’t recycle our way out of this crisis. We call for: Strong packaging regulations that cut single-use plastics, scales up a circular economy, not just focusing on recycling; Rules that make producers responsible for plastics across their full lifecycle; and Monitoring and enforcement systems powered by science and citizen data . The good news? More than 80% of Australians support strong packaging laws . Now it’s time to deliver. We still have a big job at home — Australia must now turn treaty promises into strong national action to reduce plastic pollution. How You Can Be Part of This Every shoreline survey, every data set, and every intervention at the Global Plastics Treaty is only possible because of people like you. You can: Donate today to ensure we can keep monitoring our shorelines for microplastic pollution and informing the state, national and international community of our results Share this message with your community Collect a microplastic sample along your local shoreline , if you have been AUSMAP trained. “Plastic pollution is everywhere, but once we make it visible, change becomes possible. The Global Plastics Treaty is a huge step forward — but only if we make sure the promises are kept. That means more science, more advocacy, and more people like you standing with us.” — Dr Scott Wilson, AUSMAP Research Director Dr Scott Wilson representing AUSMAP at the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations _________________ To learn more about AUSMAP’s work and how you can help, visit AUSMAP’s website  or follow us on social media. AUSMAP's work is entirely grant and donation funded - donate here and help us continue the longest running microplastic dataset. Our data helps put microplastics on the map, contributing to real-life science and policy change.

TESTIMONIALs "AUSMAP adapts citizen science to provide a simple and effective methodology for sampling and investigating microplastics and their sources. The intention to engage school students, among other volunteer participants, directly relates to curriculum and is bolstered by an accreditation process for (a) train the trainer – providing teachers and other volunteer leaders with the necessary skills and insights to ensure the sampling protocols are followed and the data is reliable, and (b) working efficiently with laboratories that can investigate selected samples and identify sources, once the first round of investigation has been done by volunteers/students. This helps ensure the data has utility and the overall exercise is meaningful for the participants, particularly where it leads to the effective management of the sources of plastic pollution. My own recent experience of this innovation in practice has been through AUSMAP’s partnership with Macquarie University and Surfrider Foundation in their successful application for funding under Round 5 of the Community Litter Grant Program managed by the NSW Environment Protection Authority. The grant proposal built on earlier work that had been conducted in the Dee Why Lagoon catchment on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Dee Why Lagoon is a critical habitat that is impacted by plastic pollution. The proposed project integrates findings developed using the AUSMAP methodology with EPA approved approaches to investigating and acting on plastic litter using the Local Litter Check online tool. The AUSMAP data was highly effective in considering sources of plastic pollution from a number of land uses in the catchment, which were readily identified, and which pointed to ways to reduce the pollution at sources – through a combination of targeted behaviour change initiatives (supported by the Local Litter Check data) and use of pit baskets (‘drain buddies’) in stormwater drains. The Technical Review Committee that approved the funding strongly endorsed the strategic and innovative approach represented in the grant application. It is hoped that this project provides a model for catchment-based approaches to plastic pollution prevention in similar settings elsewhere." John Lavarack Senior Project Officer Litter Prevention Unit - NSW Environment Protection Authority "As a sport that is powered by nature, SailGP works with local partners in every city we visit on projects to engage our staff, teams and stakeholders and raise awareness of the sustainability issues our planet is facing. SailGP was delighted to partner with AUSMAP ahead of the Sydney SailGP 2020 and join them to collect data alongside their scientists and experts. We thoroughly enjoyed the unique experience of contributing to a piece of research that will help find solutions to the global issue of plastic pollution. It was much more than just your standard beach clean." Alexandra Rickham Sustainability Program Manager - SailGP "The Cooks River Alliance was extremely excited to work alongside AUSMAP. The training program proved a highly valuable and engaging experience, with AUSMAP’s collaborative and hands-on approach empowering organisations and individuals to better understand and take meaningful action against the pervasive threat of microplastics to waterways such as the Cooks River.” Tom Sinclair Senior Catchment Officer - Cooks River Alliance "I very much enjoyed working with AUSMAP to provide an engaging and educational experience for corporate volunteers. AUSMAP is doing brilliant work and their team is so passionate and knowledgeable. I would recommend getting involved in this project as a really tangible contribution towards tackling microplastics and plastic pollution!" Ariahne Thompson Workplace Giving & Corporate Engagement Manager - WWF Australia " Living Ocean is a community ocean conservation group based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, focusing on citizen science programs. In our collaboration with AUSMAP, we are engaging the local community in an exciting program that raises awareness of one of the greatest environmental threats of our time, which also is one of the least known. At the same time, through AUSMAP, we are supporting a worldwide cohort of scientists studying the microplastics issue. AUSMAP’s ground-breaking research provides data without which the world’s leaders cannot know what remedial action will be most effective to counter what is in fact a terrifying threat to marine and human life. A defining virtue of AUSMAP’s approach, one that makes it unique in the domain of microplastics research worldwide, is its total focus on quality assurance and the reliability of data gathered – going to the validity of the science. Its community training programs and ongoing oversight are remarkable. Its layered strategies, devolving through several levels down to the grassroots, are clearly defined and highly effective. To us, AUSMAP serves as an exemplar citizen science project that we encourage others to follow. I would not like to finish without mentioning the amazing dedication, enthusiasm and helpfulness of the AUSMAP leadership team, which inspires us to greater efforts and without which our microplastics effort could never be successful. Robbi Luscombe-Newman President and Co-Founder - Living Ocean Incorporated "By participating with AUSMAP I have the opportunity for so many conversations with folks that may have no idea that this problem exists. As a person who researches microplastic pollution, it is so important to feel effective and take opportunities to make meaningful change. The greatest change needed is in general social behaviour. I can spend my lifetime cleaning beaches and picking up trash, making changes in my personal behaviours to use less plastic. However, this will not make a big difference. By volunteering with AUSMAP I have a tremendous opportunity to amplify my actions, by sharing my passion for a beautiful, pristine ocean and sustainable choices in lifestyle. Participating in a program that shares so readily with children provides so much opportunity for a groundswell of change. I am very grateful to the AUSMAP team for their work creating this program and look forward to the body of data being created. So that when we do enact change in order to reduce microplastic pollution, we can confirm the merit of our actions." Claire O’Loughlin Owner Ocean Remedy & Volunteer AUSMAP "Within my role within Sydney’s Northern Beaches Council, Coastal Environment Centre (CEC), the AUSMAP program has clearly enabled more students and teachers to participate in STEM programs. Just in 2019, over 350 students from public, catholic and independent high schools, scientifically surveyed ten beaches, they identified and removed over 1170 microplastic particles and over 2000 macro litter items. Each student becomes aware of the presence and impact of plastic pollution on their beach. I’ve observed how this personal knowledge changes attitudes and behaviour. In addition, the teachers overwhelmingly love and appreciate the opportunity for their students to be involved in the AUSMAP program. Two local high schools have even adopted the AUSMAP program and are using it as a springboard into a STEM unit for their whole Year 7 or Year 9 cohort. This has the added benefit of increased, across faculty training within high schools, as Mathematics teachers participate in the scientific field surveys and Geography and Science teachers assist their students in the data graphing and analysis after the field trip. By involving students in this outstanding AUSMAP program, students are then motivated to choose Science and Mathematics electives in Year 11 and pursue a STEM career. The AUSMAP program clearly has had a significant impact this far and is contributing to empowering change in the community. As a specific example, I have assisted an Environment Club from a local high school to adopt and survey a lagoon shoreline over the past three years. As a result of their initial scientific surveys, their site has been identified by AUSMAP as a “microplastic hot spot” and this result has contributed to a grant so that AUSMAP, Council and other stakeholders including the Environment club students, can target and reduce plastic pollution in the catchment of this coastal lagoon." Toni Wilson Senior Educator Coastal Environment Centre - Northern Beaches Council

Find the Australian Microplastic Assessment Project (AUSMAP) in the national and international press! PAST MEDIA COVERAGE We lovE the opportunity to raise awareness about microplastics in the environment & THE aUSMAP program. View the AUSMAP features in the press from 2018 - 2021 below! Would you like to feature AUSMAP? CONTACT US HERE! 2021 Date Media Article 15/11/2021 Ocean Protect Podcast The Australian Microplastic Assessment Project with Dr Michelle Blewitt & Dr Scott Wilson (Part 2 of 2) 08/11/2021 Ocean Protect Podcast The Australian Microplastic Assessment Project with Dr Michelle Blewitt & Dr Scott Wilson (Part 1 of 2) 31/10/2021 Daily Telegraph Microplastics warning: Health impacts of inhaling and ingesting particles 23/10/2021 The Weekender Australian Plastic Planet 22/10/2021 The Australian Are microplastics making us sick? 08/10/2021 Eco Voice AUSMAP, a national citizen science microplastic project, wins 2021 Eureka Prize! 07/10/2021 Sydney Morning Herald Childhood vaccine, microplastics hotspot hunt take top science gongs 08/07/2021 Press Reader The Future: How to not repeat plastic mistakes of the past 05/07/2021 Northern Beaches Advocate Lagoon choking in plastic 01/07/2021 Angela Fedele Protect Podcast: Microplastics and Ocean Pollution with Dr Michelle Blewitt 22/04/2021 Tuoitre News Vietnam Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 22/04/2021 VNExplorer Vietnam Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 22/04/2021 DevDiscourse Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 Yahoo News UK Aussie 'citizen scientists' hunt for microplastics 21/04/2021 Portfolio Profiting Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 Investing.com Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 Reuters Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 Head Topics US Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 Sinful Trades Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 Grenfell Online News Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 Yahoo News USA Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 Today Headline Australia enlists amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 ABC Spain Un estudio australiano calcula que unos 12 millones de toneladas microplásticos se filtran cada año en los oceános 21/04/2021 247 News Around The World Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 Nasdaq Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 Finance Expert Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 Tienphong News Vietnam Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 News Block Australian academics recruit amateur scientists to study microplastics 21/04/2021 New York Post Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 20/04/2021 World Fish News Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 20/04/2021 Wimz Australian academics enlist amateur scientists to study microplastics 15/04/2021 Australian Leisure Magazine NSW Planning Minister to investigate alternatives to synthetic grass 11/04/2021 Climate Action Moreland Synthetic Turf and the Tragedy of the Commons in Moreland 31/03/2021 Sound Telegraph, WA Nurdles a concern in Safety Bay 29/03/2021 Cottesloe, WA Citizen science plastic drive coming to Cott 25/03/2021 Yahoo News AU Disturbing discovery inside popular supermarket product 24/03/2021 Yahoo News AU 'Wheels, tyres and a tank': Tourist beach littered with flood debris 22/03/2021 Eco Voice Local heroes work with the ‘Australian Microplastic Assessment Project’ to save Australian shorelines 16/03/2021 The Bugle Kiama to help research on plastic pollution 14/03/2021 Sun Herald Fake grass not green: impact study ordered 08/03/2021 ABC News Sydney beaches and rivers contain high levels of microplastics, scientists find 06/03/2021 Waverley Council Waverley Council joins fight against microplastics 2020 Date Media Article 04/12/2020 Coca Cola Australia How AUSMAP and Coca Cola Australia Foundation are tackling microplastic pollution 06/10/2020 ABC Radio 14 million tonnes of microplastics believed to be at bottom of ocean 24/06/2020 Northern Beaches Council National citizen science project to reduce plastic pollution in Dee Why 21/01/2020 ABC Radio AM with David Sparkes Big plastics, little plastics and the microfibres you've been pumping into the ocean 21/01/2020 ABC Radio RN Breakfast Invisible to the naked eye, microfibres are damaging the environment 18/11/2020 Australian Leisure Magazine Sydney’s Northern Beaches has won the prestigious Keep Australia Beautiful NSW 2020 Sustainable Cities Award 2019 Date Media Article 07/11/2019 ABC Radio Far North Queensland Wet Tropics Forum 07/11/2019 Wet Tropics Healthy Waterways Entsch opens inaugural forum on emerging waterway issues 16/10/2019 4CA 846AM Radio Cairns Breakfast with Murray Jones 23/09/2019 Yahoo News The 'pretty scary' truth about a common household chore 08/07/2019 ABC Radio Perth Breakfast with Russell Woolf 01/06/2019 AAEE Newsletter Learning by doing: Citizen science helping microplastic pollution 12/04/2019 The Standard Workshop to train nurdle and microplastic hunters in Warrnambool 01/02/2019 The Daily Telegraph Plastics poisoning Sydney’s beaches and waterways 11/02/2019 ABC Education Top 10 things you can do to help conserve Australia’s biodiversity 04/01/2019 The Leader Sharks need a cleaner ocean environment 09/08/2019 Yahoo News Strangled turtle caught up in 1.2 tonnes of plastic found on Queensland beach 25/07/2019 Yahoo News Push for ban after beaches covered in 'potentially deadly' plastic balls 2018 Date Media Article 22/11/2018 Conservation Volunteers Australia National Recycling Week with a Corporate Clean Up Day at Rose Bay 01/06/2018 EastSide FM Radio Scott Wilson talked to Ruth Hessey on Monday Drive 01/06/2018 EastSide FM Radio Fiona McCrossin talked to Ruth Hessey on Monday Drive Follow AUSMAP on Instagram

HOW TO USE THE MAP Click on a survey point to view microplastic results for that location. Where multiple surveys exist, historical data can be accessed via the dropdown arrow beside the survey date. Results include the average microplastic concentration (particles/m²) and a breakdown by colour, shape, size and type. The colour of each map marker represents the microplastic load recorded during the most recent survey at that location according to the colour scale on our map Data is added regularly, so if your survey is not yet visible, it will be uploaded soon. Please acknowledged both AUSMAP and the data contributor when using this data public