Join the final Two Oceans Aquarium Trash Bash at the next of our regular beach cleanup events in Cape Town. We want to do more to combat coastal plastic pollution… And we want YOU to join us.

Throughout 2018, four successful Trash Bash cleanups were run on Cape Town's Sunset Beach - not only cleaning up this patch of coast, but also collecting scientific data about the buildup of pollution on this stretch. In 2019 a new Trash Bash location will be selected - we'd love to hear your suggestions about a strip of Cape Town coast that needs some Trash Bash T.L.C.

Apart from being good for the environment, beach cleanups are also good for us humans. Anyone who’s spent a morning with us on a beach to pick up plastic pollution knows that it’s actually a chance to have a ball, to spend time with friends and family, to breathe in some fresh air and feel the sand between our toes, and to leave a slightly better, slightly more informed person.

Photo by Ingrid Sinclair/Two Oceans Aquarium.

What better way to give back than having fun while doing it?

The Two Oceans Aquarium Trash Bash receives the support and assistance from the amazing Beach Co-op, a non-profit organisation driving change in single-use plastic through integrated surveys and research-ready beach cleanups. It’s great to have this wonderful organisation on board!

Photo by Amina Hoosain/Two Oceans Aquarium.

• Date: TBA
• Time: TBA
• Location: TBA
• What to bring: Sunblock, a hat, water (in a reusable bottle), and reusable gloves (like the ones you’d use for gardening or doing dishes)

Aside from the obvious perks of doing a beach cleanup, Trash Bash also contributes to important scientific research by following the Dirty Dozen data collection method.

The Dirty Dozen are the 12 litter items that are most commonly found on our beaches. These are: Carrier bags, chip packets, cigarette lighters, cooldrink bottles, cooldrink lids, earbuds, fishing line, lightsticks, plastic lollipop sticks, straws, sweet wrappers and water bottles.

We found 8 429 items from this list on just 1km of beach at the last Trash Bash!

Photo by Devon Bowen/Two Oceans Aquarium.

Attendees work together in groups and record everything collected, paying specific attention to the Dirty Dozen items. At the end of each cleanup, the data is collated and contributes to research tracking the different sources of marine litter. 

We certainly did not expect such a huge crowd at the first Trash Bash - and with enthusiasm in bucket-loads! Participants worked together in 28 groups, recording everything they collected. 12 907 pieces of litter were picked up in under two hours at Trash Bash - that works out to more than 185 pieces of litter per square metre of beach - unbelievable! 

If you want to see more of the fun that took place at the first Trash Bash - checkout the full report here.

Those of you familiar with the recent nurdle spill in KwaZulu-Natal, would be surprised by what we found on Sunset Beach! These harmless looking plastic earbud sticks were the worst pollutant found by far - 2 225 found at the first Trash Bash! Photo by Joe Carelse/Two Oceans Aquarium.

We were truly amazed at the enthusiasm everybody brought with on the day! We made such a big difference.

The third Trash Bash of 2018 was even more epic - occurring on International Coastal Cleanup Day (15 September), over 500 volunteers collected more than 170kg of trash from what many people would have considered a "clean" beach.

Check out the full article about the third, and by far the largest, Trash Bash here.

Our oceans are facing a human-made plastic catastrophe. With estimates being that by 2050 there will be more plastic, by weight, than fish in the ocean, the time is now to make a difference and clean up our acts. Studies have shown that millions of seabirds have ingested plastic and a staggering number of sea animals die each year from plastic ingestion. Plastic has truly permeated into the deepest recesses of our natural world and has even entered our food chain.

Photo by Devon Bowen/Two Oceans Aquarium.

Plastic doesn’t break down; it doesn’t degrade and become part of the natural system again. In fact, plastic breaks up. It breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces until it becomes small enough, not only for small fish to mistake it for food, but research has found that even plankton is now mistaking this “forever material” for food and consuming it, introducing it into the food chain at the lowest level.

The question now is: What can we do to stop this pollution of our oceans? Considering that 80% of plastic found in the oceans originates on land, the answer is actually quite simple - we can intervene in the cycle of pollution entering the oceans via land, by removing it from the beaches and preventing it from entering the water in the first place.

Join Bruce the Shark and let's make a Trash Bash difference! Photo by Amina Hoosain/Two Oceans Aquarium.

In the past, the Two Oceans Aquarium has always supported International Coastal Cleanup Day, taking place in September each year. Trash Bash is a relatively new campaign by the Two Oceans Aquarium, expanding on our previous beach cleanup commitments by hosting quarterly. With your support, we hope to grow attendance of these cleanups and to entrench them as part of Cape Town’s culture. The following dates have been set for Trash Bash 2018:

• 21 March – Completed, here's the feedback!
• 9 June – Completed, check out the feedback video!
• 15 September – Done! Check out the awesomeness! 
• 8 December – Done!

All of the 2018 cleanups will take place at Sunset Beach, Blouberg for the purposes of regular collection of research data, and a new beach will be chosen in 2019 (we are open to your suggestions).

If you'd like more information, feel free to get in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Don't forget to express your interest on the Trash Bash Facebook event to receive updated information.