Did you know that, according to Recycle Track Systems (2025), there are an estimated 75 to 199 million tonnes of plastic waste currently in our oceans?
Millions and millions of tonnes of plastic enter the ocean each year. From construction debris to plastic bottles, once there it kills many thousands of birds and sea life and it also puts human health at risk.
You might wonder how skip bins can be used to protect our oceans, especially if you live in a remote area far away from the sea. But the fact of the matter is, it doesn’t matter where in Australia you live—your rubbish can still end up in our oceans and on our beaches.
This article looks at how skip bins play a crucial role in keeping our country clean and preventing plastic pollution, in particular, from entering marine environments.
What is Marine Waste Pollution?
Marine waste pollution, also known as marine debris, is the presence of solid, non-biodegradable, man-made materials in marine and coastal environments. Marine litter that is disposed of or discarded in our oceans such as plastic debris—ranging from micro-plastics to larger items like plastic bags and plastic bottles—harms marine life and ecosystems.
This plastic pollution comes from both land and sea-based sources. However, plastic waste isn’t the only type of marine litter. Industrial discharge, medical waste, cosmetic products, cigarette butts, fishing gear, metal, glass and textiles, among other materials, also contribute to the problem.
Why Should You Care About Ocean Pollution?
Not only do marine debris and plastic pollution threaten sea life but they’re also a threat to human health. That’s before we consider negative economic impacts on industries that rely on healthy marine ecosystems, not just locally, but also at an international level. Remember, just because you don’t live near the sea, doesn’t mean your rubbish doesn’t end up there.
Here are some facts you might not know about ocean pollution that show why we need to protect our marine environments for future generations.
- Australians consume around 3.5 million tonnes of plastic each year, with single-use plastics making up around 30% of that.
- It’s estimated that more than 100 million animals die each year from ocean plastic pollution.
- Around 70% of debris sinks, 15% floats and 15% end up on beaches.
- The largest ocean pollution site on the planet is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which has a surface area of 1.6 million square kilometres.
How Do Skip Bins Help Prevent Ocean Pollution?
Skip bins are an effective method to capture marine litter before it becomes a problem. Along with other community initiatives like beach cleanups, supporting sustainable alternatives and education, skip bins encourage correct waste disposal, preventing litter from ending up in the ocean and on our beaches.
Skip bins encourage the responsible management of waste so that it can be sorted, and, where possible, recycled. When waste isn’t disposed of correctly, it ends up in storm drains and waterways, where it makes its way to the ocean. In this way, skip bins minimise the chance of plastic items and other waste entering marine environments. Correctly disposing of plastic waste before it has a chance to break down into micro-plastic waste reduces the likelihood of causing more harm due to illegal dumping.
Other Benefits of Using Skip Bins for Waste Management
Having a designated spot like a skip bin to dispose of rubbish not only makes cleaning up easier, but it also reduces the chances of illegal dumping and debris ending up in our waterways.
There are different types of skip bins for different types of rubbish. When used and collected correctly, much of these waste materials can be recycled by your skip bin company, such as green waste, hard plastics, paper and cardboard, metals, bricks and concrete. Recycling materials reduces the amount that goes into landfills, leaving room for other materials that can’t be recycled like food packaging, plastic bags, utensils and straws.
Skip bins are a safe and efficient way to dispose of rubbish. Because they are convenient and affordable, they discourage illegal dumping which contributes to marine waste. And because they offer a centralised and secure spot for waste, it’s less likely to blow away and be carried into storm drains and rivers.
Hazardous waste skip bins also help to protect water quality. When things like chemicals and construction debris aren’t disposed of correctly, it can lead to the contamination of waterways.
What is Australia Doing to Halt Ocean Pollution?
Australian governments are addressing the problem of marine litter in several ways. Many state governments have already banned the use of single-use plastics such as plastic bags and straws to reduce plastic pollution.
The Australian Government has also implemented a Threat Abatement Plan for the impacts of marine debris on marine life and undertaken other initiatives including the Pacific Ocean Litter Project and greater funding to protect vulnerable ecosystems.
Waste management policies that mandate how rubbish is dealt with are also an important step in halting the impact of ocean pollution and its impact on sea life and Australia has readily adopted these.
How To Do Your Bit to Protect Our Oceans When Using Skip Bins
There are a few ways you can help to prevent marine life and reduce the chances of sea pollution when using skip bins to dispose of waste. The first is to choose the right size skip bins for your needs. This guarantees that all your rubbish can be collected.
The second way to use skip bins effectively is to ensure you are putting the right sort of rubbish in the right sort of bin. For example, at Best Price Skip Bins, we have different types of bins for different kinds of waste. By sorting waste correctly, it has a better chance of being recycled.
The third thing you can do to protect our oceans and marine life when using a skip bin is to partner with an eco-friendly provider like Best Price Skip Bins. We take our waste management responsibilities very seriously and always endeavour to do the right thing for the environment.
Contact us today to have a skip bin delivered to you tomorrow.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can we prevent marine dumping?
There are many ways to prevent marine dumping including making it easier to manage waste correctly, enforcing stricter laws on illegal dumping, reducing sources of plastic pollution, increasing public awareness of the problem and encouraging recycling efforts among households and businesses.
What are the benefits of skip bins?
Skip bins are an affordable and convenient way to get rid of rubbish, they secure rubbish and stop it from blowing away or being washed into stormwater drains, they support recycling and safeguard water quality.
How does reducing waste help the ocean?
In short, the less waste we produce, particularly single-use plastics, the less likely it is to end up where it shouldn’t—in our rivers and oceans.