Kilometres of debris has washed up on the beach where the Waimakariri River meets the Pacific Ocean. It was an important and natural process though for Canterbury's network of braided rivers to discharge built-up debris, Tūhaitara Coastal Park general manager Greg Byrnes said. ALDEN WILLIAMS/Stuff Plastic waste, tennis balls, cans and various other waste is found among the washed-up driftwood. ALDEN WILLIAMS/Stuff Greg Byrnes says local residents are helping to clean the plastic waste out of the driftwood to prevent it going into the ocean. While it was positive that the braided rivers had been cleared, Byrnes said “tens of thousands, if not millions” of items of plastic waste had also washed up on the beach.

Source: Stuff June 07, 2021 07:18 UTC