Car tyres, plastic bottles and old furniture are some of the items collected from the Waikareao Estuary during an Otumoetai College initiated clean-up day.

About 66 volunteers including teachers and students took part in the Otumoetai College Environmental Group's estuary clean-up on Thursday where they worked for hours to remove rubbish from the inner-harbour.

Otumoetai College students clean up the Waikareao Estuary.

The college was supported by Tauranga City Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, the Waikareao Estuary Care Group and Ngai Tamarawaho.

Rubbish was picked up by the volunteers, bagged and appropriately disposed.

Tauranga City Council pollution prevention officer Toby Barach says the students were united by Otumoetai College student Marika Watt.

Rubbish collected from the Waikareao Estuary during an Otumoetai College clean-up day.

'This pollution will be having a negative effect on the quality of water, and will be harming aquatic life. The pollution is also a health risk to people and looks terrible,” says Toby.

'Marika approached us on behalf of the school because they were looking for something active that they could do to improve the environment.”

Toby says there are two issues that need addressing.

A group of volunteers and students gather to clean up the Waikareao Estuary.

The first is that people are dumping household rubbish on the fly, which can attract a fine of up to $250.

'But that's not the major problem. Stuff that gets dumped in the street gets washed down here. It's amazing what we find; shopping trolleys, televisions, toys and balls. You name it we find it. We did a similar clean up behind Otumoetai College and I think we collected a ball of every description possible.”

A free barbeque was held at 1.30 to thank all the volunteers for their effort.

Tauranga City Council pollution prevention officer Toby Barach removes rubbish from the estuary.