Sydney’s archaic sewerage system a ‘significant’ source of microplastic pollution into the sea

<p>Malabar wastewater plant discharges 5.4bn to 120bn microplastic particles each day, CSIRO report says, prompting calls for more advanced treatment processes</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/feb/16/australia-news-live-tropical-cyclone-zelia-foreign-investors-housing-anthony-albanese-peter-dutton-federal-election-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></li><li>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></li></ul><p>It is not just human waste that is being pumped into the ocean off Sydney’s popular beaches due to the city’s unusual and archaic sewerage system – government scientists have confirmed billions of microplastics are also polluting the water.</p><p>A CSIRO report, released in 2020 but not reported on until now, found the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at Malabar discharged an estimated 5.4bn to 120bn microplastic particles into the ocean each day.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=copyembed">Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email</a></strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/16/sydney-sewerage-system-a-significant-source-of-microplastic-pollution-csiro-finds">Continue reading...</a>