PLASTIC Wise Gizo (PWG) successfully conducted a one day coastal cleaning up program at Nusatupe Island near Gizo, Western Province last week.
The clean-up involved the collection of all solid wastes as part of the International Coastal Clean Day (ICCD).
As part of the clean-up PWG also engaged and one of the recipients that won the project Positive Change for Marine Life Organization through funding from South Pacific Regional Environmental Program (SPREP).
The clean-up was carried out on the beach side at the western end of the Nusatupe Island.
Nusatupe hosts the Gizo main airport.
A total of 14 different types of solid wastes were collected during the day.
the total solid wastes weighed 121 kilograms (kg).
Aluminum cans tops the list which weighed about 22.2kg.
President of Plastic Wise Gizo, Rendy Solomon told the paper that this is the final activity of their program under the ICCD engagement.
Ms Solomon said their first coastal cleanup was done at the Naru Island where a waste audit report was carried out and will later be sent over to SPREP.
She said, about 20 women and a few men were part of the program last Thursday.
‘’We just come over to pick up rubbish and the solid wastes to find which types of waste.
“We also weigh the wastes to record it in the survey data,’’ she said.
Solid wastes collected included; soft plastic, glass bottle, paper/cupboard, bottles, tins, aluminium cans, kasu gas bottle, slippers (rubber footwear), foam, canvas, shopping, fabric, metal iron and others.
All those solid waste categories were inserted on the Intelligence Liter Challenge Category guide then entered into specific materials content of the solid wastes.
Following the clean up activity, an environmental awareness was conducted with the workers of the Community Access Urban Service Enhancement (CAUSE) who are engaged in a project at Nusatupe.
Many of the workers were pleased to hear some good news about the purpose of the PWG work.
“More importantly spreading the importance of how rubbish and solid wastes are valuable and worth money.
“This is one thing that everyone must understand because we can make money from solid wastes that we just overlook and just litter carelessly.
“Above all, its about keeping our environment, the natural peace, clean and beautiful so that I can live in a clean home and breathe a fresh atmosphere,’’ Ms Solomon further added.
The previous clean-up at Naru Island has recorded that a total of 130 different types of solid wastes that weighted 40,000 grams.
Meanwhile, PWG has undergone special training to carry out surveys and audit of the waste samples.
The survey and date will help them to give a better understanding on the average rate for solid wastes in the islands of the province.
SPREP has stepped in to help after Plastic Wise Gizo was recognized for its work in dealing with environmental and solid waste issues over the past years.
Positive Change for Marine Life is a private network based in Australia that deals with the wastes sector on marine focusing on wastes.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
