PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Plettenberg Bay conservationists have joined the fight against nurdles – small plastic pellets used in the manufacturing of plastic products – by launching a local nurdle hunt.
Nature’s Valley Trust, in collaboration with Plett Tourism, has launched this initiative after an increase in reports by beachgoers spotting these tiny plastic pellets along Plett’s coastline.
In October last year, a massive nurdle spill occurred in the Durban harbour after a Mediterranean Shipping Company container was knocked overboard in a collision with another vessel during a storm, and about 49 tonnes landed in the ocean.
Scientists have expressed growing concern over nurdles as it not only concentrates and attracts background pollutants, but also never breaks down completely – only fragmenting into smaller plastic particles.
Nurdles are also mistaken for food by marine animals and end up in their diets.
“The danger becomes progressively worse as these plastic pellets enter the food chain,” says Plett Tourism spokesperson Patty Butterworth.
SANParks Garden Route spokesperson Nandi Mgwadlamba confirms that they are also involved in finding nurdles, and that honorary rangers have picked up a handful in Sedgefield so far while a few have been found on Nature's Valley beach.
To create awareness and to assist in cleaning up the local coast, a nurdle hunt competition was launched on 15 January and will run until 16 February.
“The idea is to bring together all those who love the area and wish to give nature a helping hand.
"Due to the high environmental impact it is important to stem this problem now,” says Butterworth.
How to join the fight:
Locals and visitors who wish to participate can do so by keeping an eye out for the pellets from Robberg Beach to Nature’s Valley.
Nurdles that have been collected from the beaches previously.
“As much as this is a coastal cleanup initiative, the collected nurdles will also assist the Nature’s Valley Trust researchers in assessing the full extent of the nurdle disaster in our area.
"This data will be a good indication and guide the cleanup operations taking place in the next couple of months.”
For the purpose of this competition, the coastline has been split up into six zones: Nature’s Valley; Keurboomstrand 1 (Keurbooms estuary mouth to Enrico restaurant); Keurboomstrand 2 (Enrico to Grootbank); Lookout and Central beach; Beacon Isle Hotel to Wreck beach; and lastly Robberg Nature Reserve Island beach.
Entrants will be allowed one entry per zone but may collect from as many zones as they like.
“For research purposes, we ask that they keep nurdles from different zones in different containers. Some great prizes are on offer to the individuals or teams that bring in the most nurdles.”
Winners will be announced on 22 February.
The SA Association for Marine Biological Research have launched drop-off points for collected nurdles, and these locations include Plett Tourism and the Nature's Valley Trust office.
For more drop-off points, visit: www.saambr.org.za/the-nurdle-hurdle.
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