eThekwini speaker rejects motion to speed up nurdle clean up
"Mapena rejected the urgent motion stating that the motivation submitted failed to establish its urgency. " - DA.
THE Democratic Alliance tabled an urgent notice of motion to intensify the nurdles clean-up operation on eThekwini beaches, but it was rejected at a full council meeting.
ALSO READ: Nab some nurdles and help save Durban’s beaches
According to DA PR councillor for ward 13 and 15, Marlaine Nair, the eThekwini speaker, councillor William Mapena rejected the urgent motion.
The request follows the recent devastating #DurbanStorm during which two containers fell into the harbour, spilling minute plastic pellets – polluting our ocean and beaches, said Nair.
“The motion sought to highlight the threat to our marine life and humans, emphasising the effects of pollutants and pesticides on our food chain through the ingestion of these nurdles,” Nair added.
The DA was “appalled” the speaker failed to see the urgency of intensifying efforts to deal with the ecological disaster.
The DA, through the rejected motion, sought to intensify the clean-up operation by requesting:
• An increase in financial and labour resources;
• A report from the eThekwini municipality outlining details surrounding the nurdle spillage, progress made thus far as well as the plan of action to deal with the crisis; and
ALSO READ: More microplastic bits in our oceans than stars in our galaxy
• Engagement with national and provincial government with the intent of securing further support.
“Mapena rejected the urgent motion stating that the motivation submitted failed to establish its urgency. We are disappointed by this move. It is another example of an uncaring government that does not make the environment and its people a priority,” said Nair.
900 bags worth of potentially hazardous nurdles were collected in Durban over the weekend, more work still needs to be done. pic.twitter.com/h9wwq6r5UF
— WildlandsSA (@WILDLANDSSA) October 23, 2017
Folks are asking – what's a nurdle?! Nurdles are small pellets of plastic, billions used to make plastic products each year #BeyondPlastic pic.twitter.com/47zjMQBgRr
— Justin Field (@justinrfield) October 31, 2017
Freathy beach at Whitsands bay today resembling a plastics factory rather than an Atlantic beach. So many #nurdles and #microplastics 😢 pic.twitter.com/xV628y8PNl
— Madie Steer (@madiesteer) October 21, 2017
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