Broadscale Microplastic Assessment Across 120 NSW Estuaries

The Broadscale Microplastic Assessment is the first statewide evaluation of microplastic contamination across 120 estuaries in New South Wales. It was undertaken by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to establish a baseline for contamination. The dataset supports evidence-based decision-making for councils, government agencies, and community stakeholders.

Use Cases

• Identify contamination hotspots based on statewide survey data
• Compare microplastic levels between different estuaries
• Examine potential sources and drivers of contamination mentioned in the description
• Prioritize areas for management action and future monitoring

Strengths

• First statewide baseline assessment across 120 estuaries
• Methodology framework designed for comparable data at local, regional, and statewide scales
• Commissioned by the NSW Environment Protection Authority under a government strategy

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment

Provenance

Source

NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Collection Method

Assessment undertaken by the Water, Wetlands & Coastal Science team

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-17 18:08:48.521638; freshness should be verified

Geography

Estuaries in New South Wales, Australia