Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) congratulates Zoos Victoria and Phillip Island Nature Parks – winner of the Environmental Protection category in the 2018 Premier's Sustainability Awards announced last night (11 Oct).
EPA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Cathy Wilkinson, congratulated the winning team who were recognised for their behavioural change campaign, ‘When Balloons Fly, Seabirds Die’.
‘Many marine species are known to come into contact with plastic debris. Seabirds are particularly vulnerable to balloons and their attachments, which can entangle them and cause ingestion risks if eaten,’ Dr Wilkinson said.
‘When Balloons Fly, Seabirds Die’ seeks to replace balloons with bubbles at outdoor events, reducing plastic pollution and the risks posed to seabirds and other marine life.
‘Micro plastics in the environment are a major concern and reducing the damage they cause by replacing balloons with bubbles is a great initiative that loses none of the fun from events like children’s parties,’ said Dr Wilkinson.
Dr Wilkinson also congratulated the other finalists in the Environmental Protection Award category - Extreme Dents, and Yume Foods which won the Premier’s Recognition Award for connecting suppliers with buyers to help mitigate the 9.5 million tonnes of food that annually goes to landfill in Australia.
For more information on this year’s finalists and winners, visit www.sustainabilityawards.vic.gov.au