Tackling plastic pollution in Port

I met Ross and Ramona Headifen through 3207 Beach Patrol. They’ve been part of the group since it started in 2009, missing only the very first clean.

There are now more than 47 Beach Patrol groups covering over 150 km of Port Phillip Bay beaches and streets, with over 6,000 volunteers working to keep beaches clean.

Beach Patrol, with its commitment to disciplined data collection, was an important part of the collective push for Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme introduced in November 2023.

I interviewed Ross and Ramona back in 2016 – Litter Fishers – about how they had come to care so deeply about plastic pollution. And then again in 2017 after their year long litter survey on a Port Melbourne Beach – A Story of Dedication.

Ross brings his scientific training to data collection and analysis while Ramona brings her open arms and heart to every interaction. Her compassion for all living beings is palpable.

Their care and concern for the environment through Beach Patrol and their care for the Bay are deeply entwined. They have been part of the Port Melbourne Icebergs, swimming weekly off Port Melbourne Beach at 8 am, since the group was formed in 2016.

Ross and Ramona are the heart, soul and connective tissue of our Port community.

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Ross and Ramona are also founders, with John Mancarella, of Biogone. Biogone produces landfill-biodegradable and home compostable everyday plastic products.

Biogone plastic products biodegrade in landfill. Ross says: ‘We believe if single-use plastics must be used then they should be made to be recyclable and biodegrade where they will be disposed of – in a landfill, commercial or home compost facility.’

Their plastics are both biodegradable and recyclable. Their home compostable plastics are biodegradable and compostable. Some of Biogone’s products are made with 50% or even 100% recycled plastic, and others with plant-based materials.

Biogone’s landfill-biodegradable technology is made by combining traditional plastic with an organic additive. An inert organic food supplement is added at a small ratio into the conventional plastic at the time a product is made. The plastic looks and behaves just like a normal plastic, but when it is discarded to a landfill, the microbes see the food and are drawn to its surface.

Once disposed to landfill, biodegradation is accelerated approximately 90+% faster than conventional plastics; biodegrading into an organic matter, producing a natural fertiliser and no microplastics. These additives result in biodegradation times of decades rather than centuries.¹

This video explains the process

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Carolyn Cardinet describes herself as an ARTivist. She engages with society’s waste and hyper-consumerism. With a background in the French fashion industry, Carolyn develops striking works of sculpture and wearable art. Her art practice is forever evolving.

Carolyn has a studio in St Kilda and has exhibited extensively in Port Phillip and overseas.

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This week, I heard hope described as an orientation, and also as a practice.

Hope as orientation and practice is expressed and embodied in the lives and work of Ross and Ramona Headifen, and Carolyn Cardinet.

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Carolyn Cardinet

¹ Find out more about Biogone and explore the extensive range of products. If there’s a plastic product you need, why not explore the Biogone range? I recommend the washing up gloves. They last for ages, don’t get smelly, and are landfill biodegradable in the end.

3207 Beach Patrol meet at Lagoon Pier 9 am on Saturday 7 June for their monthly clean