A "huge blitz" on pollution in the Yarra River is the Victorian opposition's latest promise in the lead up to the November state election.
The Liberal-National coalition on Saturday announced, if elected, it would, over a five-year period, remove 50 per cent of rubbish dumped in the Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers using boat-based suction equipment.
It is unclear how many tonnes of rubbish this would be, however the opposition's campaign promise announced on Saturday claimed "828 million pieces of litter" flow into Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay from the two rivers each year.
"We don't get second chances when it comes to protecting the environment and that's why a blitz to clean the Yarra River is one of the first things we will do," shadow environment minister Nick Wakeling said.
Parks Victoria currently operates a number of litter traps along the river but they are not enough to capture rubbish accumulated along the rivers' banks, the opposition said.
