Face masks wash up on Central Coast beaches, NSW

A cargo ship bound for Melbourne has lost 40 shipping containers while navigating rough seas on Sunday 24 May 2020.  The containers carrying surgical face masks, household appliances and building materials have been washing up on Central Coast beaches over the last 24 hours. 

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) confirmed that the cargo ship APL England lost the containers 73 kilometres south-east of Sydney. The major southerly swell that’s been lashing the NSW east coast has carried the marine debris north and littered it along the shores of NSW coastal communities. 

It appears that the affected stacks contained a wide range of goods like household appliances, building materials and medical supplies. We have also received a report of some medical supplies (for example, face masks) washing up between Magenta Beach and The Entrance,” said AMSA via Twitter.

Shipping containers washed up on Birdie Beach, Central Coast NSW. Image by Reed Plummer Images

“These types of accidents are devastating, not only for the loss of valuable safety equipment at a time when we need them most, but for the impacts that these pollutants will now have on the environment,” said Sarah Beard, Take 3 CEO.

“Take 3 understands that this incident occurred in extreme weather conditions, however marine pollution is an enormous, global problem. Eight million tonnes of rubbish are dumped into our oceans every year and the impact this has on our fragile, marine wildlife is devastating.”

“This is an opportunity for our community to come together and participate in a clean-up of their local region – but only if it is safe to do so. We ask that you #Take3fortheSea if you can today, providing you are abiding by social distancing requirements and cleaning up with the necessary personal protective equipment.”

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