Tonnes of nurdles collected along coastline

CLEANING-UP operations are still ongoing after a severe storm hit Durban on 10 October during which a container ship in Durban Harbour was damaged and billions of little plastic pellets, nurdles, leaked into the ocean causing an environmental disaster. It is estimated that around 49 tons (billions of pellets) nurdles are in our ocean.

ALSO READ: Maritime authorities monitor plastic pollution mop up

During the week of 20-30 November, efforts were made by the east coast Department of Environmental Affairs – Working Coast, the formal directive driven DRIZIT/RESOLCE Marine Group, SAAMBR, WILDOCEANS teams and volunteer response teams coordinated through the KZN Waste Network to collect the nurdles. To date, a total of 4.117 tonnes have been collected by all parties combined.

This week, 340.5 bags of nurdles were collected from 15 different locations in KZN including Amatikulu, Dokodweni, Umhlanga, North Beach and Umkomaas. Teams will continue to work along the KZN coastline actively collecting nurdles.

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