Rethinking Rubbish: Innovation on the Frontlines of Pollution
Includes a Live Web Event on 2026/08/04 at 8:00 PM (MDT)
-
Register
- Non member - $40
- Professional member - $15
- Professional Plus member - Free!
- Professional Plus Org member - Free!
- Student member - $15
- Young Professional member - $15
- Emeritus member - $15
- Discounted Professional member - $15
- Australia Member - $15
- Australia Non-Member - $40
- Australasia Professional Plus - Free!
- Australasia Professional Plus Org - Free!
- Australian Student - $15
- New Zealand Member - $15
- New Zealand Professional Plus Org - Free!
- New Zealand Professional Plus - Free!
- New Zealand Student - $15
Rethinking Rubbish: Innovation on the Frontlines of Pollution
Heidi Tait |CEO and Founder Tangaroa Blue Foundation
Date: Wednesday 5th August 2026
Time: 12 noon Australian Eastern Standard Time
Level: Intermediate
Duration: 1 hour
Type of Course: Webinar – Live
From nurdles and swarf to security tags, plastic strapping, and faded hi-vis scraps—everyday materials are quietly escaping our worksites, supply chains, and stormwater systems. Once they leave our hands, they don’t just vanish—they travel. They move through gutters, drains, and rivers, and eventually join a much bigger story of ocean pollution.
In this webinar, Heidi Tait—CEO and founder of the Tangaroa Blue Foundation and driving force behind the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI)—reveals what two decades of national data tell us about where pollution really begins, and how smart design, site practices, and stewardship can stop it before it starts.
From turning recovered fishing line into new sunglasses to partnering with councils on stormwater trap programs, Heidi shares surprising case studies that connect land-based decisions to ocean outcomes. You’ll see how construction sites, councils, and industries are leading change by rethinking waste, closing the loop, and collaborating across boundaries.
This session will challenge you to look beyond the clean-up and ask: What’s leaking from my site, my system, or my sector—and how can we design it out for good?
HOSTED BY:
Heidi Tait
CEO and Founder
Tangaroa Blue Foundation
Heidi Tait is the Founder and CEO of Tangaroa Blue Foundation, a national not-for-profit dedicated to tackling marine debris—one of the planet’s most urgent environmental issues. Since establishing the organisation in 2004, she has led the creation and growth of the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI), a collaborative network of volunteers, communities, and partners working to remove and track debris from Australia’s coastlines.
Under Heidi’s leadership, AMDI has mobilised over 250,000 volunteers and 3,500 partner organisations to remove more than 29 million pieces of debris, using this data to drive over 380 targeted Source Reduction Plans. The initiative not only cleans up our shores but addresses the problem at its source through data-driven action, education, and collaboration with industry and government.
In recognition of her impact, Heidi was named one of the top 18 women in ocean conservation by Ocean Geographic in 2018. She continues to lead Tangaroa Blue’s strategic direction and daily operations, ensuring lasting change for Australia’s marine and coastal environments.
This event is worth one (1) Professional Development Hours.
IECA is committed to fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional growth. Through a process of peer review and content selection standards, we ensure that our content is robust, relevant, and aligned with industry standards. We respect the authority of certification organizations to evaluate and accept professional development activities according to their criteria, acceptance of professional development credits is at the discretion of your certifying organization.
