Overcoming the nurdle hurdle
TWO initiatives are in progress to rid the ocean of nurdles, many of which entered the sea after Durban’s freak storm in 2017.
The weather brought recordbreaking rain that measured 108mm in 24 hours. It flooded roads and stranded thousands of motorists. It damaged homes and businesses and ripped a vessel from its moorings which caused it to the block the harbour mouth.
Eight people died.
Millions of tiny plastic nurdles spilt into the mess when two containers fell into the harbour water.
Founder of non-profit organisation Litter4tokens, Clare Swithenbankbowman, said: “This resulted in
2.2 billion nurdles being spilt in the Durban Harbour. These washed up along the Kwazulu-natal coastline from Ballito to the KZN South Coast. Only 72% of that spill has been cleaned to date.”
She said that in August 2020, there was another spill of more than 174.5 tons off Plettenberg Bay, and that KZN manufacturers had illegally dumped nurdles upstream in rivers which had washed up on ethekwini beaches.
“To date, only 12.6% of these nurdles have been retrieved.”
Nurdles are lentil-sized plastic pellets made of, among others, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride.
A Litter4tokens release read: “These pellets are shipped, shrinkwrapped in 25kg bags on pallet bases, to factories around the world that melt them down to form plastic products.
“Currently, nurdles are not considered hazardous, as per the
OSHA (Occupational Health and Safety Act) Hazard Communication Standard and IMDG (International Maritime Dangerous Goods) code.
“In fact, most shippers don’t even know they have them on board, but if containers are lost at sea, the bags will split open, dispersing the nurdles.
“Once released, these microplastics are hugely detrimental to marine ecosystems and humans, because they quickly find their way into the food system, leading to ulceration, starvation and death. They do not biodegrade, and a recent discovery indicated that nurdles follow the same ocean currents as turtles, making them particularly hazardous for these species.”
Litter4tokens, with Lifesaving South Africa and the Centre of Regenerative Design and Collaboration, has launched the Litter4tokens Nurdle SA Clean-up Competition, which will run until February next year.
Collection drums will be located at identified lifesaving clubs along the South African coastline, from Cape Town to Kwadukuza (formerly Stanger).
A press release read: “People can use the drums to dispose of nurdles – also known as mermaid’s tears – with prizes to the lifesaving club and the individual that collects the most nurdles during the eight-month stretch.
“It’s important the drums are used because nurdles cannot be placed in recycling bins.”
Lending support to the competition is South African big wave surfer and three-time WSL World Champion Grant “Twiggy” Baker.
“Nurdle pollution is a huge problem. Almost every beach I travel to around the world has these environmentally disastrous pieces of plastic on them,” he said.
Litter4tokens has developed the Mermaid Tear Catcher, a scooping device with holes that allow the user to sieve the nurdles. It is made from ocean-bound plastic and doubles as a frisbee. All funds from the sales will go to the Litter4tokens kiosks.
The device can be ordered at www.litter4tokens.co.za