Riverkeeper FAQ
The Riverkeeper Program FAQ
The Riverkeeper Program has developed a catchment-level approach to removing rubbish and restoring native degraded bushland on foreshores, creeks and tributaries.
The Riverkeeper program works regularly with teams from volunteer organisations such as the National Parks Association and other interested community groups and works with participants of the National Green Job Corp program to perform bush regeneration. The GRCCC also partners with Corrective Services NSW in the program and uses work teams comprised of individuals on Intensive Correction Orders.
In the 2010-2011 financial year, Riverkeeper rubbish collection teams have worked at over 80 sites and contributed 4,821 hours, collecting nearly 33,000kgs of rubbish. Bush regeneration teams contributed 4,453 hours covering almost 20,000m2. Today, the Riverkeeper Program continues to pull out an average of 7 tonnes of rubbish from the river's foreshores, creeks and tributaries.
Where does rubbish come from?
Most of the rubbish that makes its way through the conventional stormwater system into the river is caused by littering in urban areas. Illegal dumping is also a significant contributing factor. 
What kinds of rubbish is typically found and removed?
A majority of the rubbish removed is plastics, including plastic bags, drink bottles, packaging and broken debris. Other kinds of rubbish removed includes dumped building and construction materials, green waste, milk crates, rubber tyres, furniture and household items, trolleys, mattresses and auto parts. Riverkeeper teams also remove micro-rubbish. Rubbish within the stormwater system is termed ‘gross pollutants.’
What is micro-rubbish?
Micro-rubbish is the term we use to describe the smallest gross pollutants in the system. It is characterised by the smallest pieces of rubbish (< 5mm) such as polystyrene, plastic bits, bottle tops and cigarette butts & lighters. Polystyrene used in packaging represents the most commonly found micro rubbish. The polystyrene breaks down into ever smaller pieces and mixes with organic materials (leaves, seaweed), and is consequently very difficult to remove from the river system. Micro-rubbish, ingested by seabirds and aquatic species has been recorded as a significant cause of mortality.
What can be done to prevent rubbish from being dumped?
Illegal dumping is a criminal offense under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, and significant fines apply to those caught dumping. Catchment residents can anonymously report illegal dumpers by contacting council waste officers. Many local councils now offer expanded waste services to minimise illegal dumping; these include collection days for hard rubbish, chemicals and electronic waste.
Why does the program concentrate on bush regeneration?
The program aims to increase the biodiversity of remnant bushland and riparian (river bank) vegetation on foreshores, creeks and tributaries, through the targeted removal of weeds, revegetation and natural regeneration. Increasing species diversity and restoring natural levels of ground cover within riparian areas is important to maintaining a healthy waterway. Dense, healthy riparian areas prevent erosion and filter stormwater runoff and so ultimately prevent pollutants entering the waterway.
The Riverkeeper Program is featured in a newsletter article by the National Parks Association of NSW (Southern Sydney Branch). Check out the article here: http://branches.npansw.org.au/southernsydney/images/stories/newsletters/newsletter%20no%2095%2C%20aug%202011a.pdf