Beach clean-up creates waves of change
I hope the attached photos are what you are looking for. We had approximately 250 people take part in the cleanup. We collected approximately 50 bags. An armchair and a whole carpet underfelt were also collected. The first photo is a group photo – credit R Leeuwner Second photo is three volunteers who found a shoe. - credit R Leeuwner I hope the attached photos are what you are looking for. We had approximately 250 people take part in the cleanup. We collected approximately 50 bags. An armchair and a whole carpet underfelt were also collected. The first photo is a group photo – credit R Leeuwner Second photo is three volunteers who found a shoe. - credit R Leeuwner
Staff Writers
AN armchair, carpet underfelt and a shoe were some of the items collected on Melkbos Beach at the weekend.
Saturday was International Coastal Clean-up day (ICC), one of the world’s largest volunteer environmental data-gathering efforts.
This year’s theme was “communities creating waves of change”.
Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs Barbara Thomson said South Africa was one of the top 10 participants in the ICC.
The Melkbos clean-up, organised by the Two Oceans Aquarium, attracted 250 people.
Aquarium spokesperson Renée Leeuwner said they had collected 50 bags of waste, including an armchair and a large piece of felt, within two hours.
South Africa has one of the most picturesque and tranquil coastlines globally, stretching over 3 000km.
Thomson said with urbanisation, the coastline and estuaries were under increasing threat.
“Every year, 8 million tons of plastic end up in our ocean with devastating effects on some 700 species of marine wildlife, and on our sensitive marine ecosystem,” Thomson said.
“Approximately 80 percent of all marine pollution originates from land, meaning that we all contribute to this problem in some way.”
Litter also threatened the lives of fish, birds, sea turtles, seals and dolphins.
“These animals may become entangled in debris or eat rubbish along with real food,” Thomson said.
More than 260 animal species worldwide have become entangled in or consumed fishing line, nets, ropes and other discarded equipment.
Marine debris affects 86 percent of marine turtles.
Thomson said that plastic debris degrading, or fragmenting, into smaller pieces had become a serious problem affecting marine ecosystems and was by far the number one source of pollution in the ocean.
To date, plastics were the most common man-made objects sighted at sea, with 18 000 pieces of plastic litter floating on every square kilometre of the world’s oceans.
“As South Africans we need to act immediately, pick up and take responsibility for waste when we see it, because every single one of us can make a difference,” Thom- son said.
Leeuwner said the oceans had become a rubbish dump for humans. “Not only is marine litter unsightly, but it also poses a danger to marine life. “During our rehabilitation work with endangered sea turtles we have found plastic pieces, bits of balloons and pieces of plastic bags in the gastro-intestinal tracts, bladders and body cavities of hatchlings, sub-adults and adults,” Leeuwner said.
A new study, led by researchers from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, has found that nine out of 10 sea birds have ingested plastic. The study has also predicted that within the next 35 years, 99 percent of all seabirds will be victims of plastic ingestion.
Last year 560 000 volunteers in 91 countries picked up more than 7.2 million kilograms of rubbish during the event.
As with last year, the number one item found was cigarette butts, with more than 2.2 million.
Enough bottle caps to cover seven tennis courts were collected. The weight of the plastic shopping bags collected equalled that of three manatees. Some of the strange things picked up include bowling balls, a lawnmower and a wheelbarrow.
There were 3 208 participants in South Africa who picked up more than 11 000kg of rubbish.