Takeaway containers and food wrappings are the most common rubbish picked up during Clean Up Australia Day blitzes.
But Bruce Boddington, of Point Cook Open Spaces, said litter from new housing estates comes a close second.
One of the biggest issues is “waffle pod” – polystyrene foam slabs the size of two men that is used to shape the foundations of new homes.
“They only weigh about five or six kilograms, so the wind can pick them up quite easily,” Mr Boddington said. “Then, of course, they shatter and break down, and fish and birds eat them thinking it’s food, then they can’t digest it, and die.”
The aim of this year’s Clean Up Australia Day event is to remove all the rubbish from the wetlands around Point Cook, with more than 100 people signing on.
Mr Boddington said more volunteers are needed to pitch in for the March 5 clean-up blitz.
Participants are asked to meet at Featherbrook Community Centre at 10am. After the clean-up, there will be a free lunch put on for all volunteers.
