Update
PLETTENBERG BAY - Plettenberg Bay residents have played their part in the war against nurdles – collecting about 20 800 of these small plastic pellets, which are used in the manufacturing of plastic products, along the town’s shore over the past few weeks.
These collection efforts were part of a nurdle hunt competition hosted by the Nature’s Valley Trust (NVT) in partnership with Plett Tourism, following an increase in reports from beachgoers spotting the pellets along Plett’s coastline.
This collective effort came after a massive nurdle spill in the Durban harbour in October last year.
About 49 tons landed in the ocean after a Mediterranean Shipping Company container was knocked overboard in a collision with another vessel during a storm.
Experts have been expressing growing concerns over the ecological impact these pellets could have on marine life.
NVT director Dr Mark Brown says that locals managed to collect about 20 773 nurdles in total.
The most were collected by Greenwood Bay College learners who managed to gather 13 500 nurdles.
The school received tickets to Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and Jukani for their efforts.
In second place was the local Covarr family who received a voucher for a one-night stay at Ingwe Forest Adventures, including a hike through indigenous forest, for their efforts.
The Bitou Beach Stewards took the final podium spot and received some beach accessories.
Local Sally Sivewright received a snorkel from Oysters R Us and a two-hour SUP rental from Oar Struck in Wilderness.
Another local, Trish Coninx, received an NVT hamper of reusable shopping bags, a waterproof cellphone pouch and an NVT cap.
The Plettenberg Bay Sea Scouts group was also commended for their efforts and received a hamper of biodegradable cleaning products from GoingNatural.
The collections were made in the area covering Robberg to Nature's Valley.
Brown says although this sounds like a very large number and that they are very proud of the efforts locals have put in, there are still many nurdles along South Africa’s coastline.
More than 20 000 of these small plastic pellets used in the production of plastic products, called nurdles, have been collected in Plettenberg Bay over the past few weeks as part of a nurdle hunt competition. The pellets have been washing up along the SA coastline after a spill in the Durban harbour in October last year. Photos: Supplied
He adds that about 2-billion nurdles were spilled during the Durban disaster and that these have “travelled” all the way up to Kosi Bay in Kwazulu-Natal and down to Gansbaai in the Western Cape.
To date, about 197-million, about 11%, had been retrieved.
“Although our contribution is very low in the greater scheme of things, every bit helps and even the smallest percentage of nurdle removal surely makes a very large difference to at least the little bit of coastline we call home,” Brown says.
The NVT is currently in discussions to obtain nurdle deposition bins to be placed at each of Plett’s beach entrances.
“In our immediate area, NVT and Plettenberg Bay Tourism are the main drop-off points for nurdles. Please continue to do the good work,” he encourages.
Read a previous article: Residents collect 30 000 nurdles
ARTICLE: YOLANDÉ STANDER, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD CORRESPONDENT
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