FOR eco-warrior Melanie Wilson, plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues facing the planet. The Durban North resident has spent her time scouring the beaches along the Durban coastline, from Eastmoor Crescent (uMhlanga) on the north coast to Blue Lagoon (Durban) on the south for litter.
Incredibly, Wilson has picked up more than 300 lighters and more than 2 000 bottle caps in just 11 walks on the beach.
Her discovery has prompted greater concern as the impact of pollution on Durban’s coastal ecosystems is being evidenced by the growing amount of plastic pollution found in our rivers and beaches.
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“I’ve always picked up litter when I walk along the beaches and I carry a rubbish bag with me to put items in. What has been concerning is the number of lighters and bottle caps I’ve found while cleaning up. Without fail I’m able to pick the items up in the sand so much so that my eyes are attuned to them now. According to the trash pollution index, bottle caps are the third most common items collected on our beaches. While cigarette butts are the most common items found in clean-ups and in our oceans, cigarette lighters are not far behind.
“What hurts the most is what I’ve collected is just a few days worth of rubbish, not weeks nor months or years. I do feel more awareness is needed to highlight and stem the growing tide of pollution. My regular clean-ups are about highlighting what is in our oceans and rivers, because what I’ve collected is only a small fraction. There are some great initiatives like #CleanBlueLagoon and others who do amazing work and we need more organisations like this to fight back,” she said.
Wilson said she hopes to inspire others to conduct regular clean-ups along their beaches to help fight the pollution.
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