Due to the breach of a water pipe at CSIRO’s Bribie Island aquaculture operation identified on Monday 18 September at 2pm, approximately 40 litres of small plastic objects known as biomedia were released into a wastewater well and flushed into the sea which have washed up on the beach.
Biomedia is non-toxic and is used in the filtration of water for aquaculture research.
The breach was addressed immediately to prevent the further release of biomedia and CSIRO staff have been involved in clean-up efforts on the beach.
CSIRO is working with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Moreton Bay Regional Council to manage the incident. The council organised machinery which has been clearing the biomedia from Woorim beach, and CSIRO has committed to covering this cost.
CSIRO has operated aquaculture research at the site for 12 years without incident and has well established protocols in place around the environmental management of its facilities. A response plan has been activated to manage the incident.
We would like to thank the residents and local groups who have helped to collect the biomedia from beaches.
We will continue ongoing monitoring of nearby areas for biomedia, and people can contact us on 1300 363 400 for more information.