Volunteers say they’re facing huge challenges keeping Perth’s beaches clean, despite a recent CSIRO study reporting a 39 per cent drop in plastic waste along Australian coastlines.

The study found cigarette butts are the most common item found along’s Perth’s coast, while plastic makes up three quarters of waste.

One piece of rubbish is found every five steps.

Non-profit organisation Eco Surf Australia is tackling plastic pollution through education and action, with founder Sonja Belle saying even small actions count.

“People find this topic overwhelming and think, ‘this is too big, what difference can I make?,” she says.

“The message from us is always, everyone doing something small is better than everyone doing everything correctly.”

Hear more from Eco Surf founder Sonja Belle. Audio: Regan Spear.

Community group Swanbourne Coastal Alliance relies on volunteers to help with regular beach clean-ups.

Member John Gilmore says most of them are older people who have the time and desire to commit.

“There’s a lot of volunteers that I meet with and we all seem to have that fire in our belly and that desire not to wait for someone else to do it, but to do it ourselves,” he says.

“The problem that we are finding as volunteers, is we are not getting enough of the newer generation of volunteers coming through.

“Whilst we continue to pick up plastics, we spend a lot of time trying to find a way to get young people to take over.”

Curtin University sustainability professor Dora Marinova says clean-ups are about more than picking up rubbish.

“Community clean-up events are so valuable, not just for the immediate impact, but because they help shift behaviour,” she says.

“Initiatives like plastic bag bans and containers for change have helped, but bigger systemic changes are still needed.”

Curtin University sustainability expert Dr Roberto Minunno says Perth residents are becoming more aware of plastic pollution, but waste management systems aren’t keeping up.

“Even if people are taught how to separate waste properly, they can’t implement it without adequate infrastructure,” he says.

“Without proper education, they won’t follow the system so both education and systemic support must go hand-in-hand.”

Despite the challenges, Dr Minunno says community efforts are an essential part of the fight against plastic pollution, helping to shift public attitudes and foster a culture of responsibility.

“The real strength of community initiatives lie in education and awareness,” he says.

“They might not remove vast amounts of plastic, but they influence people who participate or observe, creating a great effect.”