Last week, the YM Efficiency, a 4250 TEU container ship bound from Taiwan to Sydney, Australia lost 83 containers in heavy seas while 30km off the coast of Port Stephens. In addition to the containers lost overboard, 30 other containers were damaged. Now waves of rubbish are washing ashore on the pristine beaches of New South Wales. 

“There has been mountains and mountains of rubbish and debris washing in,” one volunteer involved in the clean-up, Julie Simms, told Nine News. “It is plastic, car parts, lolly wrappers, drink bottles – just plastic and more plastic.”

CSIRO physical oceanographer David Griffin told The New Daily that he expected debris and containers to wash up in Port Macquarie or as far north as Coffs Harbour over coming days. …

Debris will then begin drifting back south after a northerly change, Dr. Griffin said. He said he would not be surprised if debris washed up in Queensland or Tasmania in six months’ time.

There are fears that whales, turtles, sharks, dolphins, seabirds and other marine life could be hurt by the rubbish.

Fears for marine life after shipping containers topple into sea

Thanks to Phil Leon for contributing to this post.