Coast KZN

State of the Coast: KZN
State of the Coast: KZN

State of the Coast: KwaZulu-Natal Chapter 1: Introduction & Background Chapter 2: Overarching Drivers Chapter 3: Climate Variability
Chapter 4: Coastal Environment Chapter 5: Estuarine Environment Chapter 6: Marine Environment Chapter 7: Human Environment Chapter 8: Economic Environment
Chapter 9: Governance Environment Chapter 10: Conclusions
The Profile of the KZN Coast
The Profile of the KZN Coast

Ugu Lwethu- Our Coast Defining the Coastal Zone The Physical and Coastal Environment Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
Coastal and Marine Species Migrations The Human Dimension Socio-Economic Uses of the Coast Commercial Resource Uses
Pressures and Threats Management of the Coastal and Marine Environments Understanding our Coast
Coastal access
Coastal access

Access RoutesBoat Launch SitesThe Human DimensionCoastal Access: Stats & Facts
Estuaries
Estuaries

What is an Estuary? Know your Estuaries Estuary Health and Conservation KZN Estuary Observer Programme
Historical Time Series Estuary Mouth Status Sand Mining
Recreation
Recreation

Fish TaggingAccess RoutesBlue Flag Beaches
Coastal risk and vulnerability
Coastal risk and vulnerability

Coastal Risk LinesExtreme EventsCoastal ErosionKZN Coastal Vulnerability IndexPollution
Coastal issues
Coastal issues

PollutionSand MiningCoastal ErosionNurdlesUPL Chemical Spill
Back
13 Oct 2017

Cuttings Beach litter clean-up stymied by council inaction over bag removal

Holly Konig (Southlands Sun) Picture: Mikayla Sumption and Sarah Land put their backs into removing bags of litter from Cuttings Beach.

“Last Saturday’s main focus was sand sampling and finding ways to remove all the collected bags of litter from the beach.“

Clean Surf Project’s second attack on Cuttings Beach saw sand samples taken and a rethink of methods to remove bags from the beach reworked.

The non-profit organisation is more convinced than ever that the restoration of a clean shoreline along the littered 5km Isipingo-Merebank stretch that is Cuttings Beach will take years to conquer.

“Our main focus on Saturday was sand sampling and finding ways to remove all the collected bags of litter from the beach,” said Denzil van der Westhuizen.

“Toti Conservancy assisted us in taking samples, for which we are very grateful. The sample taken from below the surface showed 7,5kg of litter contained within a cubic metre of sand, whereas a second sample taken from the previously-cleaned section of sand showed just 3kg of litter. This is a clear indication that the litter we collected in the previous clean-up did in fact make a difference.”


Many different items of rubbish are buried in the sand of the once-beautiful Cuttings Beach which straddles Isipingo and Merebank.

Denzil noted that unfortunately the bags which were supposed to be collected by the council from the previous week’s clean-up were still at the high-water mark where they were left. “We’ve now moved them closer to the canal, in hope that the council will pitch and play their part in restoring Cuttings Beach,” said Denzil.

He explained that Clean Surf Project neither has a vehicle capable of nor a permit to drive on the beach, and that the organisation and its volunteers have no choice but to depend on the council for removal of the litter-laden bags.

The Cuttings Beach clean-up will take a break this Saturday, and recommence on Saturday, 21 October.

CSP thanked all who gave up their Saturday morning to help. For more information about the organisation and to follow their clean-up plans, follow the Clean Surf Project Facebook page or call Denzil on 082-802-3353.


Angus Pyke of the Toti Conservancy shifts through sand as he works out how many kilograms of the sand sample are in fact litter.

 

Online Article