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
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30 Mar 2021

Nurdles clean-up along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline concluded

Marvin Charles (News24.com) Picture: Citizen of the Planet/Education Images. The collection of the nurdles was monitored by a joint operations committee. Universal Images Group via Getty Images/File.
  • The SA Maritime Safety Authority issued a directive in October 2017 for the collection of nurdles along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline.
  • The nurdles fell into the ocean during a storm in Durban.
  • About 70% of the nurdles were reported to have been collected.

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has concluded the recovery of nurdles along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline. It issued a directive for the collection of the nurdles in October 2017, after the plastic pellets fell into the ocean during a storm in Durban. Several containers fell off a ship that was moored in the port at the time, discharging the nurdles into the ocean.

SAMSA said the collection of the nurdles was monitored by a joint operations committee, comprising SAMSA as the lead agency, the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), the Transnet National Ports Authority (TPNA), the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)/Resolve Marine, the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (Itopf) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA).

“In deciding on the stoppage of the collection, SAMSA took into account the law of diminishing returns and decided that the [number] of nurdles collected during the last inspection, between the 11 and 12 December 2020, did not provide sufficient justification to continue with the recovery operation. Approximately 70% of nurdles are reported to have been collected to date,” SAMSA said in a statement.

SAMSA spokesperson, Tebogo Ramatjie, said all affected areas where nurdles were collected would be inspected and monitored.

“Samsa also reserves the right to instruct the responsible party to conduct a further cleanup should there be a need, following the monitoring,” Ramatjie added.

Online Article