GREEN Corridors, a Durban-based organisation, is urging citizens to take an active stand against plastic pollution this World Ocean Day (June 8), as part of its drive to try to reduce the amount of plastic waste flowing into the oceans through our rivers.
World Oceans Day is a reminder of the “major role the oceans have in everyday life. The purpose of the day is to inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilise and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world’s oceans,” says the United Nations website.
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Two events have been planned for Saturday, June 10 to create awareness around waste management and recycling related to the oceans:
- World Oceans Day Swim – Green Corridors will have a stand at the Durban Beach Club where you can meet the team involved in the litterboom project and clean-ups.
- Global Water Dance Festival at Green Corridors – The KwaMashu School of Dance Theatre will be performing at the Green Hub open-grass area from 14:00.
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Green Corridors has installed 16 litterbooms onto waterways in the eThekwini Municipality to minimise the flow of plastics into the Indian Ocean.
These litterbooms are large, plastic pipes that trap floating waste; the waste is then collected by local community coordinators and sorted. Plastics that are not able to be recycled are taken to the Green Corridors KwaMashu Materials Beneficiation Centre, and through a process combined with other materials, are converted into ‘green’ pavers.
“There is something like 75–199 million tons of plastic waste floating about in the oceans, mostly flowing into the sea from rivers. This plastic pollution not only endangers marine biodiversity but also contributes to climate change,” said Green Corridors’ litterboom coordinator Siphiwe Rakgabale.
“Last year, Green Corridors were able to remove two tons of plastic from our 16 litterbooms, but this is a fragment of what could be captured and redirected. The waste comes down these waterways through the inappropriate use of stormwater drains, lack of waste management services around informal settlements and lack of awareness among consumers about the impact of the products they buy,” he added.
Green Corridors is calling upon governments, businesses, communities and individuals to take action and support initiatives that help to minimise the waste flowing into the oceans.
“By investing in sustainable waste management systems, promoting recycling and raising awareness about the importance of reducing plastic consumption, we can create a positive and lasting impact on our oceans and the planet as a whole,” says Rakgabale.
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