Devastating effect: 43 per cent of seabirds have ingested plastic.

Illegal dumping is a primary source of rubbish on Australian beaches, according to the world's largest survey of coastal rubbish.

The survey, carried out over three years by the CSIRO, Earthwatch Australia, TeachWild and petroleum giant Shell, dispels the idea that the rubbish on Australian beaches is due to ocean currents bringing the world's rubbish to our shores.

"The majority of coastal debris in Australia is from Australian sources, not the high seas," the report says.

Illustration: Matt Golding.

"Consumer behaviour and illegal dumping are primary causes of marine debris in Australia."

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The survey was conducted at sites approximately every 100 kilometres along the Australian coastline. Students, teachers, scientists and Shell employees were enlisted to conduct the surveys.

The surveys found that about three quarters of the rubbish along the cost is plastic, and that local measures such as the South Australian bottle refund program can be effective to stop plastic pollution reaching the water.

"When we compared the ratio of beverage containers to beverage container lids across states in the clean-up data, South Australia came out with a much higher ratio of lids to containers in the clean-up data than any other state," the report says.

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We're trashing our beaches: CSIRO