Plastic seas
A couple circumnavigating New Zealand in a 12m yacht are involved in a three-year project monitoring our seas for microplastic pollution. Their initial findings are a little disquieting.
Monitoring New Zealand’s seas for microplastic pollution. The findings are a little worrying.
The volume of plastic pollution that’s now a feature of our oceans has become a growing global problem and evidence shows that, without doubt, plastic is now in the food chain.
Microbeads used in shower gels and many other household products have a lot to answer for. Designed specifically small enough so they are flushed easily through water-treatment plants, they are creating oceans of plastic smog.
Many countries have either banned the use of microbeads in personal care products, or are in the process of doing so, including New Zealand, where this ban should be in place by July next year.
Thousands of seabirds and sea creatures die every year from plastic that floats around in huge amounts, circulating in ocean currents and ending up in what are referred to as ocean gyres. Millions of tons of plastic caught in a whirlpool, out of sight, and out of mind, from everyday living. Recent research into dead seabirds in New Zealand and Australia found that over 30 percent had eaten plastic. WHAT ABOUT NEW ZEALAND? How much plastic pollution is there in the seas around our shores and, more visibly, on the beaches? We didn’t set out on our voyage to answer those questions fully – rather to help by adding our piece of detailed research.
is Rakiura – ‘glowing sky’ – and it certainly lives up to the name. The sunrises and sunsets are inspiring and our few weeks stay could easily have turned into months. Again, our research continued for several weeks trawling along the coastline and inlets.
And again we found unusual things – toothbrushes, a dog’s squeaky toy, footballs and lots of jandals – though unfortunately, never in pairs. Compared to other areas there wasn’t as much beach rubbish, but it was still too much.
By way of comparison, in May this year researchers found over 38 million pieces of plastic on Henderson Island, 2,800 miles north-east of New Zealand in the Pitcairn Group.
NORTH ISLAND
We love the Bay of Islands and spent the last few months there before moving up to the Cavalli Islands and Whangaroa. Sadly, we have found more rubbish up here than anywhere else on our trip so far, despite the conscientious hard work of many local groups.
A 20-minute walk on Roberton Island produced a large bag full of plastic. Beaches in the Cavallis produced even more. But what we found in abundance were plastic pegs! And it seems the pegs are turning up
And again we found unusual things – toothbrushes, a dog’s squeaky toy, footballs and lots of jandals...