Take part in the battle against litter
Durban's Green Corridor and the KZN Sharks Board have joined forces in their efforts to eradicate litter. They are urging the community to recycle and to keep Durban clean.
THE Green Hub, part of Durban’s Green Corridor, recently begun waging a war against the ever-prevalent issue of litter in an attempt to protect the indigenous fauna and flora along the , pollution.
Ocean Crusaders, an international volunteer organisation, has estimated that there are currently 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean. In some cases, the plastic is either ingested, leaving the animals feeling full and starving to death, or wrapped around the animal, choking it or causing severe lacerations.
Brenda Nquku, Green Hub manager, said they had joined forces with the KZN Sharks Board to eradicate litter. A monthly clean-up is scheduled for the first Friday of every month from Blue Lagoon towards the beach.
“The river mouth is a particularly problematic area. We believe there is someone hoarding glass bottles in the area. There are always dozens of glass bottles at the river mouth. To make matters worse, people are also smashing these bottles, making the area dangerous for beach-goers,” she said.
Nquku has made an appeal to the public and local schools to assist with the monthly clean-ups.
“People need to realise that their litter and pollution have an effect on the numerous species living in and along the river. The birds and fish live and eat within the river. Can you imagine living in such a dirty environment? If one of these species is impacted, it effects the entire eco-chain,” she said.
Every chip packet or plastic bag has the potential to wash down into the country’s river, making its way into the ocean. Nquku and her team encouraged the community to take up recycling and to protect the environment.
Terrifying waste stats:
– Six million tons of debris enter the world’s oceans every year
– Approximately 1 million sea birds also die from plastic
– It can take anything between 20 to 1 000 years for a plastic bag to break up
– At least two thirds of the world’s fish stocks are suffering from plastic ingestion
– Scientists have identified 200 areas declared as ‘dead zones’ where no organisms can now grow
– During 2014 1 084 400 tons of plastic waste was sent to South African landfills
– A study revealed that only 3.3 per cent of the country’s urban population recycled
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