Durban — The South African Association for Marine Biological Research (Saambr) has indicated that it would send samples of nurdles it collected during the annual Great Global Nurdle Hunt to Japan for identification and toxicity analysis.
The Great Global Nurdle Hunt takes place throughout the world at more than 5 800 sites between September 20 and October 17.
Saambr’s Ann Kunz said that Saambr staff were joined by the Grade 3’s from Addington Primary School on Thursday morning and focused on collecting nurdles from uShaka Beach.
“We will send samples of the nurdles collected to Japan for identification and toxicity analysis. This information will form part of an international study on just how far-reaching the nurdle problem is,” Kunz said.
Nurdles were small plastic pellets about the size of a lentil and were the industrial raw material from which our plastic products were made. They were re-melted and moulded in factories to make the various plastic items on which we have become so dependent, Kunz said.
“The bad news is that once nurdles are released into the marine environment, over time they absorb pollutants such as organochlorine pesticides which are extremely harmful to both marine life and humans, if consumed. One of the concerns is that as nurdles look very similar to many food sources in the ocean, animals and fish sometimes mistake them for food,” Kunz explained.
“So, the next time you are at the beach, have a close look at the sand and when you spot a few nurdles, consider collecting them and placing them in a jar to let your colleagues, neighbours, friends and family know about nurdles.”
Kunz congratulated the Grade 3s.
During inclement weather in 2017, nurdles spilt into the Durban Harbour and spread along the entire coast of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape within days of the disaster, said Saambr’s former conservation strategist, Dr Judy Mann, last year.
Daily News