Lieschen Arendse and Zaghra Heineberg, who are pupils at St Theresa Roman Catholic Primary School in Welcome Estate, took part in this year’s International Coast Clean-up Day. The event was organised in partnership with the Woolworths Educational Programme, Plastics SA and the City of Cape Town, in an effort to clean-up Strandfontein beach, and was held on Saturday September 16.
More than 500 Cape Town school children, parents and teachers took part in the event. The clean-up of Strandfontein beach marked the 11th year that the partners have involved South African schools in the commemoration of this international day, that raises global awareness of the impact of human pollution on oceans and waterways. Plastic remains the most serious pollutant of the seas, killing more than a million birds and over 100 000 seals, turtles and whales, as well as an immense number of fish annually. Studies estimate that as much as eight million tons of plastic is dumped in oceans around the world every year. The top items picked up at International Coast Clean-up Day events are plastic bottle caps and bottles, plastic straws and sticks, food wrappers, plastic bags, cigarette filters, ropes, fishing line, glass bottles and plastic cups and plates.