Biological

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The biological pathway involves waste material being transported by animals, either by physically moving items, or by ingesting waste material and then releasing it in different areas (by defecation, regurgitation or decomposition after death). It includes people walking and dropping litter, as well as animals knocking over bins or scavenging and distributing rubbish.

Birds are intelligent and can easily get into bins, stored food and industrial skips, moving waste through the environment. Easy to install solutions can deter crows, ibis and other birds from moving waste.

Feral pigs are one of both Queensland’s and Australia’s most significant pest animals[4]. They have been reported to ingest edible (i.e. organic food waste) and non-edible (i.e. paper, plastic bags, nappies) waste from bins and landfills[2].

Studies show that over 1,400 species of marine animals, including marine mammals, sea turtles and sea birds, move waste through the environment by ingesting it. This occurs due to the animals confusing waste with food, or by accidental ingestion while feeding, resulting in death from gastrointestinal blockages, perforation and malnutrition[3].

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References

1. ^ Birds Queensland (2020), Plastics and seabirds. [online] Available at: https://birdsqueensland.org.au/plastics_seabirds.php [Accessed 25 September 2020].
2. ^ Mayer, JJ, Edwards, TB, Garabedian, JE & Kilgo, JC (July 2021), 'Sanitary Waste Landfill Effects on an Invasive Wild Pig Population', The Journal of Wildlife Management. [online], vol. 85, no. 5, pp. 868-879. Available at: https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.22042 [Accessed 23 April 2025].
3. ^ Roman, L, Schuyler, Q, Wilcox, C & Hardesty, BD (March 2021), 'Plastic pollution is killing marine megafauna, but how do we prioritize policies to reduce mortality?', Conservation Letters. [online], vol. 14, no. 2, p. e12781. Available at: https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/conl.12781 [Accessed 23 April 2025].
4. ^ Wilson, C & Gentle, M (2022), Feral pig population control techniques: a review and discussion of efficacy and efficiency for application in Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland, Australia.

Last updated: 23 April 2025