Cuttings Beach litter clean-up stymied by council inaction over bag removal
Last Saturday's main focus was sand sampling and finding ways to remove all the collected bags of litter from the beach.
CLEAN Surf Project’s second attack on Cuttings Beach saw sand samples taken and a rethink of methods to remove bags from the beach reworked.
The non-profit organisation is more convinced than ever that the restoration of a clean shoreline along the littered 5km Isipingo-Merebank stretch that is Cuttings Beach will take years to conquer.
Incase you missed this: Sea of litter cleared from Cuttings Beach but more help needed
“Our main focus on Saturday was sand sampling and finding ways to remove all the collected bags of litter from the beach,” said Denzil van der Westhuizen.
“Toti Conservancy assisted us in taking samples, for which we are very grateful. The sample taken from below the surface showed 7,5kg of litter contained within a cubic metre of sand, whereas a second sample taken from the previously-cleaned section of sand showed just 3kg of litter. This is a clear indication that the litter we collected in the previous clean-up did in fact make a difference.”
Denzil noted that unfortunately the bags which were supposed to be collected by the council from the previous week’s clean-up were still at the high-water mark where they were left.
“We’ve now moved them closer to the canal, in hope that the council will pitch and play their part in restoring Cuttings Beach,” said Denzil.
He explained that Clean Surf Project neither has a vehicle capable of nor a permit to drive on the beach, and that the organisation and its volunteers have no choice but to depend on the council for removal of the litter-laden bags.
The Cuttings Beach clean-up will take a break this Saturday, and recommence on Saturday, 21 October.
CSP thanked all who gave up their Saturday morning to help. For more information about the organisation and to follow their clean-up plans, follow the Clean Surf Project Facebook page or call Denzil on 082-802-3353.
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