Assistance needed to collect nurdles from beaches

A RECENT spill of plastic nurdles – a catastrophic source of harmful microplastic pollution – took place recently off the coast of Plettenburg Bay, and with recent reports indicating that there will be more waste plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050, ocean clean-up activists, Litter4Tokens, are calling for everyone to get involved to change the trajectory of this devastating path.

“In October, three years ago, a freak storm resulted in the collision of two container ships and 2.2 billion nurdles were spilt into the Durban Harbour, washing up along KZN beaches, from Ballito to the KZN South Coast,” explained Clare Swithenbank-Bowman, founder of the non-profit organisation (NPO).

Swithenbank-Bowman said the microplastics are hugely detrimental to both humans, as well as marine ecosystems, quickly finding their way into the food system where they cause ulceration, starvation and death. “We’re particularly concerned as it’s been discovered that these nurdles follow the same ocean currents as turtles. The ocean is the earth’s life force, and if we don’t get on top of this plastic crisis now, the ocean is literally going to choke. It’s now or never.”

ALSO READ: Tonnes of nurdles collected along coastline

She said while the company responsible for the spill is still being sought, there are still millions of nurdles along the coastline threatening the oceanic life.

Litter4Tokens is an innovative recycling solution, whereby bags of recyclable material are exchanged for tokens valued at R5 each. These can be redeemed for dry goods in token shops at the many Litter4Tokens outlets across South Africa, thereby targeting the dual challenge of pollution and hunger simultaneously. Since the launch of Litter4Tokens in 2015, more than 528 000 bags of litter have been prevented from reaching the oceans, and more than 156 000 people in remote South African communities fed.

Zimbali Coastal Resort, on the KZN North Coast, is one organisation that has recently invested in a Nurdle Trommel from Litter4Tokens-Nurdle SA. The Trommel is a lightweight machine which is a sand-sifting solution that unearths buried nurdles and other plastic waste from beach sand. This is a permanent fixture that will allow for the clean-up of harmful microplastics along the Ballito stretch of beach.

Swithenbank-Bowman, and the team at Litter4Tokens, are now calling on retailers and businesses to get involved in the clean-up of nurdles – referred to as ‘mermaid’s tears’ by the NPO. As a registered NPO, Litter4Tokens can form part of a company’s required CSI initiative, with relevant tax certificates issued for donations and no VAT charges applied.

Following the initial nurdle spill, Clare created the proprietary, award-winning Mermaid Tear Catcher (MTC) as a simple yet effective beach clean-up utensil. This is a circular disk in the form of a frisbee that can be used to sieve through the dry beach sand, separating organic material from nurdle. When not being used for beach cleaning, the MTC can be used as a frisbee, making it both an educational and fun device.

ALSO READ: Ban the bag: Greenpeace Africa implores public to comment on plastic regulations

The long-term solution is the large-scale Basking Shark machine which removes small, medium and large shoreline plastic efficiently, by sucking it into a massive tube, thereby eradicating microplastics and improving the health of marine ecosystems.

Litter4tokens has partnered with RanMarine to offer the WasteShark, the first water drone based on the whale shark frame. This is designed to work inside the coastal waters, primarily in city waterways, ports, rivers and waters, thereby stopping the flow of waste and plastics at the source. In addition to collecting waste, it also collects valuable data that can be used for enhanced ocean clean-ups.

Individuals or businesses can purchase or sponsor any of these solutions. Contact clare@litter4tokens.co.za.

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