Media Release: Garden Routers join efforts to remove nurdles from Mossel Bay and Hessequa coastline

For immediate release
13 November 2020

On Wednesday, 4 November and Friday, 6 November 2020, a team representing various organisations removed tens of thousands of nurdles from two beaches in Mossel Bay and Hessequa respectively. The clean-up operation took place after the nurdles were spilled along the Garden Route District Coastline during October this year.

The remnants of the spill is still a cause of concern because it poses a threat to marine life, coastal ecosystems and estuaries. According to Martina MacDonald, Disaster Management Officer at Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), nurdles have been washing up along the Garden Route coastline, even in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. She said:  “The source of the spill is unknown and under investigation by the South African Maritime Safety Authority, and although the identified source will be instructed to clean up, we needed to start removing the plastics from our beaches. Requests from residents from the area were also received to remove the nurdles, which indicated that communities have also been extremely concerned,” she added.

The remnants of the spill is still a cause of concern because it poses a threat to marine life, coastal ecosystems and estuaries.

Assisting the GRDM in making the clean-ups possible was the Hessequa and Mossel Bay Local Municipalities, Incident Working Group Africa and Provincial Department Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP).

The clean-up took place at Gouritsmond Beach on November, the 4^th and Kanon Beach on November, the 6th.

Role-players involved in removing the marine debris, were:

• GRDM Disaster Management
• GRDM Fire and Rescue Services
• Working on Fire (WoF)
• Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP)
• Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF)
• Cape Nature
• Hessequa Municipality
• Southern Cape Fire Protection Association (SCFPA)
• Incident Working Group Africa
• Gouritsmond Conservancy Trust
• Fransmanhoek Conservancy

Representatives from GRDM, Hessequa and Mossel Bay Local Municipalities, the Incident Working Group Africa and Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) during the clean-up operation.

Although the clean-up operation was carried out, not all the nurdles could be removed due to the large scale of the spill. However, every bit that was cleaned up forms an integral piece of contribution to the overall solution of the problem. For this reason, the GRDM Disaster Management Centre encourages all members of the public and residents to continue collecting nurdles and also to spread the message of the threat that it poses to marine life and the eco-system.

Dr Nina Viljoen, Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Change Adaptation Practitioner at GRDM who drafted the initial action plan, said:  “In the raw stage (pre-moulded and packaged) new nurdles are not toxic to touch. Once released into the marine environment they will, over time, attract harmful substances from land-based pesticides, herbicides and other organic pollutants that end up in the ocean. They never go away, but they break down into tiny pieces that then get eaten by small marine organisms, and then eventually can become part of the human food chain”.

She mentioned that, “while the investigation into the source of the nurdles is being undertaken, SpillTech has been appointed to assist and conduct clean-up efforts along the affected sections of the coastline. SpillTech will also be storing the nurdles collected through clean-up efforts and are working with authorities, Non-Governmental Organisations and volunteer groups to identify collection points and arrange the pick-up of nurdles.”

Dr Viljoen called on community members to assist to remove as many nurdles from affected beaches as possible. The GRDM requested that any private individuals who collects nurdles, to make note of information listed below. This data needs to be shared with Dr Viljoen via e-mail, nina@gardenroute.gov.za, as this information is required to assist us with important research data.

Responses needed to plan additional short and long-term solutions:

• Where nurdles have been seen?

• Where nurdles have been collected?
• If you have collected it, how many, i.e. black bags, etc. (nurdles collected to be weighed if possible)
• Where have you dropped it off?
• Have you encountered any bird or animal carcasses?

Dr Viljoen indicated that “it is important to note that nurdles should not end up in our landfill sites, as it can be ingested by animals or birds. Any collected nurdles should therefore not be disposed of in the general waste, but should be placed in a sealed bag and taken to the nearest drop-off points.” For more information regarding your nearest drop-off points, SpillTech can be contacted on 063 404 2128.

ENDS