How to help on International World Cleanup Day in South Africa
This year, International Coastal Cleanup Day is held on 18 Sept 2021.
Initiated by Ocean Conservancy more than 30 years ago, the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) is an annual day dedicated to cleaning up the waste on the beaches worldwide, and recording each item collected on a data-sheet in order to identify trends and sources of marine waste.
Since its beginning, over 16 million volunteers have collected more than 154 million kg of trash across the globe.
With over 2,500-kilometres of coastline, South Africa has been part of the Cleanup for 25 years, with a steadily growing number of volunteers. In 2020 more than 11,500 people joined their local conservancies and organizations, to make their beaches and ocean environments cleaner and healthier.
Beach cleanups are important mitigation tools and help create an understanding of the global trash problem then encourage people to engage in solutions. Awareness is the first step to creating behaviour change!
About 2,370 tonnes of plastic waste is generated in South Africa every year. From that, 70% is collected, but just 14% of it (including imported waste) is recycled. If you want a deep dive read about where plastics in South Africa go after being collecting, read this article on how waste recycling is window-dressing because not all plastics are equal.
Thanks to volunteers around the world, the ICC has become a beacon of hope, leading and inspiring action in support of our ocean. In our own small way, everyone can help.
In addition to cleaning beaches and waterways, ICC volunteers also contribute to the world’s largest database on marine debris.
Join us! Together, we can turn the tide and restore the ocean.
We’re joining The Beach Co-Op this International Coastal Cleanup Day on the West Coast!
Date: Saturday, 18 September
Location: Bokbaai, West Coast (1 hour drive out of Cape Town)
Time: 9AM-12PM
What is the Beach Co-Op?
The Beach Co-Op is a not-for-profit company driven by womxn. Their mission is to eliminate, reuse, redesign and recycle single-use plastic, which often lands up in our oceans and on our beaches.
They work with single-use plastics at all points of the value chain, to:
Remove them from the beach
Refuse them when making purchases
Work with brands and companies who want to use less plastic
Encourage manufacturers to design plastic packaging with a circular economy in mind.
Their goals are:
To keep South Africa’s beaches clean and healthy
To empower coastal communities as guardians of our oceans
To address issues around single-use plastic from design to consumption with a focus on building circular economies
Become a salty sea-going citizen scientist
The Beach Co-Op’s Dirty Dozen toolkit was designed by Prof. Peter Ryan from the University of Cape Town and tracks 12 commonly found plastic litter items around South Africa. Source: The Beach Co-Op.
Before you join any beach cleanup! Wear a mask, bring reusable gloves and install the Marine Debris Tracker app (iOS | Android) to log the litter you collect (join The Beach Co-op's list). Beach cleanups are help contribute to important scientific research by following the Dirty Dozen data collection method.
The Dirty Dozen are the 12 litter items that are most commonly found during cleanups. These are: carrier bags, chip packets, cigarette lighters, cooldrink bottles, cooldrink lids, earbuds, fishing line, lightsticks, plastic lollipop sticks, straws, sweet wrappers and water bottles.
More beach cleanups in South Africa for International Coastal Cleanup Day
Maybe you can’t join us on the West Coast, but we can all do our bit! Get in touch with your provincial head to find a cleanup near you. Here are some other events happening in South Africa.
CAPE TOWN
Join the crew from Sentinel Ocean Alliance between 9AM - 12PM at any of the following locations. Please pre-register first by filling out this form!
Hout Bay Harbour, Hosted by Blue Bay 2030. Meeting point: Harbour Slipway
Hout Bay Beach, Hosted by Parley, Sentinel Ocean Alliance & Oceano Reddentes. Meeting point: Sentinel Ocean Alliance
Hout Bay River (Disa River), Hosted by Friends of the River Hout Bay. Meeting point: Princess ave bridge parking area
Hout Bay Sports Complex IY, Hosted by Community Cook Up IY, Hout Bay United Football club and Eyethu Skatepark. Meeting point: In the sports complex behind the skatepark.
MONWABISI BEACH
The Two Oceans Aquarium will be at the Trash Bash Cleanup from 9AM to 11AM.
WITSANDS BEACH
Join Sea The Bigger Picture. “We're targeting Witsands which is in dire need of help - it's super polluted and infested with nurdles!” The team will be there between 9AM and 11AM.
PORT ELIZABETH
SANCCOB has arranged a cleanup at Cape Recife Nature Reserve on Marine Drive and WESSA will be at the Brighton Beach parking area. Look out for the WESSA feather flags.
SALDANHA BAY
Open Minded and @birchwoodmedia will be partnering up. Meet at 9AM.
KWAZULU-NATAL
Meet at the Amanzimtoti Country Club and help the Clean Surf Project with their beach cleanup from 9AM to 11AM
JOHANNESBURG
Not near the ocean? You can still get involved! Cityzen is organising a cleanup with Redhill School in Morningside. Join them at the Outspan local park (corner Outspan and West Rd North) between 10AM and 2PM.
Or join Bubele for the Alexandra Restoration Series. They will be cleaning the Jukskei River from 8AM to 1PM.
Start your own Clean Spot
The Sustainable Seas Trust have started a Clean Spot movement by taking ownership of a “spot” and clearing it of litter.
Identify your spot (any size manageable to you, and any location convenient for you).
Adopt your spot by completing the form online.
Conduct your clean-up
Submit your clean-up by completing the form online and finally
Visit their map to see your spot!
Did we miss a great cleanup event? Tell us in the comments!
Sources: www.oceanconservancy.org; www.dailymaverick.co.za; www.sst.org.za;