4.5kg of rubbish collected

• Author: Megan Wilson
• Published date: 26 January 2023
• Publication title: Katikati Advertiser

More than 500 volunteers helped pick up microplastics in an “urgent” beach clean after “millions of pieces” of microplastics washed up on Waihī Beach after Cyclone Hale hit the region last week

Sustainable Coastlines litter intelligence programme co-ordinator Carla Fonseca-Paris said 2988 items of rubbish were collected yesterday, which weighed 4.5kg. This was from a section of the beach measuring 100m by 20m, collected in a four-hour period. Of this, 2329 items were “unidentifiable hard plastic fragments”. Fireworks, plastic lids, toys, food wrappers, food containers, fishing gear, cigarette butts and nurdles (plastic beads) were among the litter items collected.

Sustainable Waihī Beach co-founder Pippa Coombes said it was a “huge community response”, with local businesses, organisations and “keen members of the public” joining the clean-up effort.

Coombes said the day was opened with a karakia which was “quite special”.

Volunteers collected a “massive” amount of nurdles. “People just sat there and they didn’t have to move — they were just nurdle-collecting in one position.”

Coombes said the turnout showed the community could rally together in an emergency and cared about the taonga, marine...