A cleanup effort is in full swing on Bribie Island's Woorim Beach following a significant plastic pollution incident caused by a pipe breach at a CSIRO facility. 

Around 40,000 tiny plastic pieces were inadvertently released into the ocean, with many washing up on the island's shores.

The plastic pollution originated from the CSIRO facility on Bribie Island, where a water pipe breach led to the discharge of small plastic particles, known as biomedia, into a wastewater well. 

Fortunately, this biomedia is non-toxic and is typically used in water filtration for aquaculture research.

A CSIRO spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating that a response plan was swiftly activated once 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. 

Residents have joined forces with local and state authorities to tackle the plastic pollution problem that has affected Woorim Beach on the island's southeastern coast. 

To aid in the cleanup, the Moreton Bay Council has deployed beach cleaning machinery. 

According to Councillor Brooke Savige, the public response to the crisis has been overwhelmingly positive, with hundreds of people volunteering to collect plastic fragments from the beach. 

Thousands of pieces have already been gathered, and local authorities remain confident that with continued cleanup efforts and community involvement, they will successfully rectify the issue soon.