IN BRIEF

Clifton Springs Environment Day
TAKE part in activities such as planting indigenous species and a guided beachcomb at Clifton Springs this weekend. Clifton Springs Environment Day is at Curlewis Foreshore (west of Jetty Road boat ramp) on Sunday August 4 between 10am and 12.30pm (followed by lunch). Information regarding the development of the Clifton Springs Curlewis Coastcare Group will be available and there will be a free BBQ. No need to register – for more information email [email protected].

Port playground now closed for renovations
WORK has progressed on building the new Portarlington & Drysdale Community Bank  Play Space at W.G. Little Reserve. The existing playground was closed to the public as of Monday. Bellarine Bayside apologises for any inconvenience this may cause. “We are excited to watch the progress and cannot wait for the playground to reopen bigger and better than ever later in the year!” a post to its Facebook page said.

Deakin team investigates impact of microplastics
NEW research from Deakin University has found plastic in waste streams is breaking down into tiny particles and causing potentially catastrophic consequences for aquatic systems and human health. Co-Led by Dr Ludovic
Dumée and a team at Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) in conjunction with Surrey University in the UK, the project investigated nano and microplastics in water and wastewater treatment processes. Dr Dumée said relatively inadequate analytical techniques made it difficult to detect their presence in treatment
systems, and advanced characterization systems were being trialled at Deakin.