A multi-agency clean up is underway after about 40,000 tiny pieces of plastic were released into the ocean with some washing up onto beaches on Queensland’s Bribie Island.

The CSIRO have confirmed the plastic objects known as biomedia were flushed into the ocean from their Bribie Island facility because of a water pipe breach.

A CSIRO spokesperson said a response plan was activated on Monday when the non-toxic pollution spill was identified. 

“The breach was addressed immediately to prevent the further release of biomedia and CSIRO is working with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to manage the incident,” a spokesperson said. 

The spokesperson said the plastic was flushed into the ocean after being released into a wastewater well. 

“Biomedia is non-toxic and is used in the filtration of water for aquaculture research,” a spokesperson said. 

“We would like to thank residents and clean-up groups who have already begun collecting the biomedia from beaches.”

Thousands of pieces collected

The plastic has washed up on Woorim Beach, on the south-eastern coast of the island. 

Moreton Bay Council’s beach cleaner machinery was used to bolstered the clean-up operation on Wednesday. 

A council spokesperson said the public had already collected thousands of pieces of plastic. 

“As the beach was so heavily populated by people, there were no access opportunities for machinery yesterday so crews undertook some manual collection,” a spokesperson said. 

“Crews and equipment could safely access the beach around 5am this morning.”