Littering and the iGeneration

The survey, formulated from information gathered from 3 focus groups, was conducted in order to better understand youth littering behavior among 16-24 year olds. Although this survey was done in Los Angeles, USA, it sheds light on the iGeneration, wherever they may be. To download the report, click here.

The 2010 Gauteng National Cleanup Report

Plastics|SA has increased its commitment regarding the combating of littering in South Africa and has stepped forward as the main sponsor for cleanups in South Africa. This sponsorship has increased from providing 500 000 refuse bags for the cleanups throughout the year to employing the national coordinator in South Africa on a permanent basis, as the Environmental Manager for the three Cape Provinces – Western, Northern and Eastern Cape.

Synopsis

Between 15 September and 30 October, 7746 volunteers cleared debris from the beaches, underwater areas and waterways of the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape, thanks to generous sponsorships from Plastics|SA, Pick ‘n Pay and the bottlers of Coca Cola.

Of these volunteers, 2943 audited the material picked up on a standard Ocean Conservancy datasheet in an international effort to analyse what the most prevalent materials are in the various waterways and marine systems.

In 2008 we removed 13.5 tons of litter in audited cleanups. This year we removed 11.5 tons of litter.

The most interesting item picked up was a scuba tank picked up on Robben Island. This and many similar items are linked to the illegal poaching of Abalone along the Western and Eastern Cape coastlines. The Scuba tank had been stolen in Hermanus, from the central government agency responsible for protection and management of the marine resources – Marine and Coastal Management.

A fact that may alarm readers not accustomed to Sub Saharan Africa is the large amount of condoms that were picked up. Of the 320 condoms picked up, 90% of them were still in their packaging un used. Condoms are freely available in South Africa to address the Aids pandemic and like most free things; these freebies are less “respected” than bought condoms.

80% of the litter found in the coastal environment in the Western and Eastern Cape is of land-based origin. This figure is different in the Northern Cape where 5 of their most picked up materials were from marine related activities:

We could not have done it without the generous support of the following partners:

• Douw Steyn and Plastics|SA for supporting the cleanup and going that extra mile to ensure that the ICC in South Africa is sustainable.
• Anna Dewhurst and her team from Pick ‘n Pay - besides their constant support and outstanding co-ordination, Anna also provided lots of laughs!
• Coca Cola - especially the Eastern Cape bottlers.
• And of course, thanks to all the local coordinators and volunteers for your unflinching efforts! We look forward to working with you once again at the bigger and better 2010 International Coastal Cleanup!

John Kieser - Ocean Conservancy, November 2009

On the 19th of September 2009, a total of 5020 kigs of litter alone wasw collected by 1200 enthusiastic volunteers along the Umgeni River, Beachwood Mangroves and surrounding beach areas. This was brought to a central point within the Beachwood Nature Reserve where it was separated, sorted and weighed by Veolia Environmental Services, who donated their equipment and staff. The staff of Mondi Recyclers also ably assisted with this project.

The materials collected were mostly packaging items in the form of plastic and glass bottles, polystyrene cups and take away boxes and tins.

These collected materials will now undergo different recycling processes en route to becoming a new product.

KZN Wildlife acknowledges with enormous appreciation the support of all the numerous sponsors that made this cleanup a success, especially the Plastics Federation of SA and ABI Coca Cola for the many years of continued support and partnership.

To download the report in pdf version, click here.

Wayne Munger, KZN Wildlife, November 2009

International Coastal Cleanup 2008 : the findings...

In less than one day, nearly 400 000 volunteers in 104 countries found and collected 11 439 086 items of litter from beaches and waterways.

Every September, from Bangor, Maine to Bangladesh, hundreds of thousands of people in more than 75 countries remove millions of kilograms of trash from waterways and beaches all over the world. In South Africa volunteers also head for the high seas to spring clean the beaches along our coast including three of our most ecologically sensitive islands. What makes the International Coastal Clean-up so important is that it is an audited cleanup – every single piece of litter collected is noted in a register and the rubbish is also weighed afterwards. The Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Clean-up event is also recognized as the world’s biggest one-day volunteer event. The event has been running in South Africa for 10 years and in 2008 more than 12 000 South Africans got up at the crack of dawn to clean our coastline! A report recently released (click here to download the full report ) points to shoreline and recreational activities as the single biggest source of garbage in almost every area of the world. In Africa, the Caribbean, South America and Southeast Asia over 70% of the litter was from food packages, drink bottles and other items that suggested recreational activity. Smoking related activities came in as the second biggest source of litter, accounting for over 30% of the items found worldwide.

The Enviromark and Fantastic Plastic Category Winners joined more than 120 volunteer divers from the False Bay Underwater Club and SA Navy at the False Bay Yacht Club where an underwater clean-up took place on 20 September 2008. Divers were issued with bags sponsored by Polypak and specifically designed to collect waste from the waterways around the yacht club.

The Plastic Federation sponsors the more than 80 000 bags used during the International Coastal Clean-up event in Cape Town, Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal. This year, the PFSA will sponsor bags again. Be sure to request your bags - contact Douw Steyn To read the findings of the International Coastal Cleanup 2008, which provides a country-by-country, state-by-state breakdown of trash in our ocean and waterways visit www.oceanconservancy.org OR download the full report (PDF).

The Coastal Clean-up Co-ordinator for South Africa is John Kieser, who ensures that this mammoth job continues. John enjoys the fact that the Cleanup revolves around a very positive atmosphere of community involvement. School children, for whom water pollution is part of the curriculum, flock to Cleanup sites every year. Thirty-eight schools in the Western Cape are involved in beach monitoring through an Adopt-a-Beach program, and John helps raise litter awareness at major sporting events. A government anti-poverty program pays poor people to clean up litter. But none of this progress could happen without the energy and ideas of coordinators like John. Well done John!

For more information, or to sign up as a volunteer for the next international coastal cleanup, visit www.coastalcleanup.org.

The Environmental Risks of Microplastics... Are microbes the solution?

The very properties that make plastic a desirable material also cause plastic debris to be hazardous to marine environment and accumulate as litter in both landfill and in the aquatic environment. This report deals with an ugly truth - the newly emerging problem that microplastic poses. It attempts to explore the subject of microplastics, study their impact, gather the existing findings and explain the urgent need for us to take action.

Are Microbes the answer?

Fragments of plastic in the ocean are not just unsightly but potentially lethal to marine life. Coastal microbes may offer a smart solution to clean up plastic contamination, according to Jesse Harrison presenting his research at the Society for General Microbiology's spring meeting in Edinburgh today.

The researchers from the University of Sheffield and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science have shown that the combination of marine microbes that can grow on plastic waste varies significantly from microbial groups that colonise surfaces in the wider environment. This raises the possibility that the plastic-associated marine microbes have different activities that could contribute to the breakdown of these plastics or the toxic chemicals associated with them.

Plastic waste is a long-term problem as its breakdown in the environment may require thousands of years. "Plastics form a daily part of our lives and are treated as disposable by consumers. As such plastics comprise the most abundant and rapidly growing component of man-made litter entering the oceans," explained Jesse Harrison.

Over time the size of plastic fragments in the oceans decreases as a result of exposure to natural forces. Tiny fragments of 5 mm or less are called "microplastics" and are particularly dangerous as they can absorb toxic chemicals which are transported to marine animals when ingested.

While microbes are the most numerous organisms in the marine environment, this is the first DNA-based study to investigate how they interact with plastic fragments. The new study investigated the attachment of microbes to fragments of polyethylene – a plastic commonly used for shopping bags. The scientists found that the plastic was rapidly colonised by multiple species of bacteria that congregated together to form a 'biofilm' on its surface. Interestingly, the biofilm was only formed by certain types of marine bacteria.

The group, led by Dr. Mark Osborn at Sheffield, plans to investigate how the microbial interaction with microplastics varies across different habitats within the coastal seabed – research which they believe could have huge environmental benefits. "Microbes play a key role in the sustaining of all marine life and are the most likely of all organisms to break down toxic chemicals, or even the plastics themselves," suggested Mr Harrison. "This kind of research is also helping us unravel the global environmental impacts of plastic pollution," he said.

Society for General Microbiology, EurekAlert 28 Mar 10;

To download this report, click here.

Marine Litter: A Global Challenge

From discarded fishing gear to plastic bags to cigarette butts, a growing tide of marine litter is harming oceans and beaches worldwide, says a new report.

The report, the first-ever attempt to take stock of the marine litter situation in the 12 major regional seas around the world, was launched on World Oceans Day by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Ocean Conservancy.

http://www.unep.org/regionalseas/marinelitter/publications/docs/Marine_Litter_A_Global_Challenge.pdf