Council mural sends a strong message about littering

Noosa Council recently commissioned a mural that now adorns the wall of the weighbridge at the Eumundi Road Resource Recovery Centre. The artwork is designed to encourage people to think more about where plastic rubbish can end up if it's not recycled or disposed of thoughtfully.

The mural, entitled “What lies Under”, is a digital artwork created by Indonesian-based artist, Ferdi Rizkiyanto. Ferdi has generously made the image available for use by not-for-profit organisations. 

The artwork depicts a small child lifting up the ocean and finding a pile of plastic rubbish underneath.

Council's Waste Coordinator, Ian Florence, said, “We live on the coast in a beautiful location with a high environmental value. We want people to think about the potential harm that can be caused by littering and dumping. 

 “About 8 million tons of plastic enters the world’s oceans each year. Rubbish accumulates in ocean garbage patches. We don’t want to contribute to that. Every time someone leaves a water bottle or plastic bag in the environment, there is a likelihood that it will find its way into our waterways.

 “Plastic does not readily break down in the environment and some types of plastic instead deteriorate into micro-particles of plastic which have been shown to bio-accumulate in the tissue of marine life. If the micro-particles end up in fish, and we eat the fish, we also have the potential to suffer ill effects.

 “We are urging residents to put recyclable plastics (recycle numbers 1-6) into their recycle bins. Residents can now drop off hard plastics, like Tupperware and plastic furniture, at the Eumundi Road Resource Recovery Centre for free. 

 “Plastic bags are not currently recycled by Council and must either be dropped back at participating supermarkets or put into the general waste bin. Please try to use re-useable carry bags for shopping.

 “We hope the mural will help encourage people to dispose of their plastic rubbish thoughtfully. It makes a great entry statement for the Eumundi Road landfill centre, reinforcing Council's messaging about waste recycling and minimisation. 

"Research has shown that there is a correlation between public art and behaviour change. We’ve had some great feedback from the community already.”

For more information about what can be recycled in Noosa, please visit Councils website :https://www.noosa.qld.gov.au/recycling-waste-services or telephone Council on 5329 6500

7 September 2016