Thursday April 27, 2017
Fifteen years of plastic pollution By Jessica Reeves MASSEY JOURNALISM STUDENT
Wel l i ng ton’s sout her n beaches are being littered with pieces of plastic accidentally discharged from the Moa Point waste water treatment plant 15 year ago, putting marine and bird life at risk. Due to the Moa Point treatment plant’s proximity to the Taputeranga Marine Reserve, biodiversity ranger for the Department of Conservation David Moss had concerns for marine life. “Plastic pollution anywhere in the ocean – but especially in a marine reserve – is a concern because sea creatures can
ingest it, thinking it is food. “For gulls and larger seabirds like albatross, small plastic particles can fill their stomach, obstructing their digestion and eventually leading to death.” The small pieces of plastic, which act as “mini houses” for the micro-organisms that treat the wastewater, are from an overflow discharge which occurred on December 8, 2002, a spokeswoman for Wellington Water said. “They are meant to be contained within the plant but a design flaw, that has since been corrected, led to a number of them escaping. “The media is designed for a long life and as such, each
time there is a large storm more get washed up onto the beach.” During heavy rainfalls the amount of sewage coming into the treatment plant can exceed the plant’s 3,000 litr e per second capacity for treatment. Wellington City Council has consent to discharge the partially treated waste water, diluted with treated water, into the Cook Strait, approximately 1.8 kilometres from the shore. David said if the public want to help they can collect the plastic off the beach at high tide. “This will be a great help as it removes them from the food chain and minimises the effects on animals.”
Pieces of plastic from the Moa Point waste water treatment plant are a threat to the marine and bird life at the Taputeranga Reserve. PHOTO: Jessica Reeves
Police investigate indecent exposure incidents Wellington Police are investigating four separate incidents where a male has indecently exposed himself to women on the Prince of Wales Park walking track in Mount Cook. The incidents occurred between November 15 2016 and April 18, ranging between the hours of 1pm and 7pm.
Each time, a male has approached a woman on the track and has performed an indecent act on himself. Police believe it is likely that it is the same man involved in each incident. The male is described as being between 40 and 50 years of age with a shaved or balding head. He
was wearing prescription glasses and was possibly of Maori or Asian descent. “This sort of behaviour is unacceptable and we want to identify this man as soon as possible,” detective sergeant Haley Ryan said. “We believe the public can help us find out who he is, so we
are asking for people to come forward if they have information or may have experienced a similar incident. “We believe this man lives locally to the park and that someone from the area will know who this is, or may have seen a male matching this description. “Police reminds users of the
track to be aware of their surroundings and to call Police immediately if they see anything suspicious,” she said. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Haley Ryan on 04 381 2000. Alternatively, information can be shared anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
New relationships with other cities
Angelina Toma, Justine Rivera, Dandi Gobana, Josiah Wilson. PHOTO: Emma McAuliffe By Emma McAuliffe
each other to discover what it was like to go to school in a different area of New Zealand. “The project came as part of a Get New Zealand Writing programme through the Warehouse Stationery. They partnered us up with the school in Tauranga. We had to write poems and put in individual cards to make a puzzle
A Miramar class discovered the world around them last term. Totara Class at Miramar Christian School had the opportunity to partner up with a class in Tauranga in term one, teacher Betsy Anderson said. As part of this each class wrote to
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and then they sent us one as well,” Betsy said. For many of the students this gave an opportunity to learn about what it was like to live in Tauranga and experience a different way of life. Classmates Angelina Toma, Justine Rivera, Dandi Gobana and Josiah Wilson said they were excited about learning about other cities.
would not cover that subject. So I welcome his support, but do not appreciate English lessons from him. Westfold acknowledges his roots in Calvinist so that is his call, but I do object to being called Ms,
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What the French? Dear Ed, A Mr H Westfield of Miramar (CSN April 13) writes in support of my objection of Newtown State Primary School considering a French immersion unit when clearly the curricula
IT’S TAX TIME AGAIN!
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Mrs or Miss, nor to have doubts about my own language, I am really a simple English rose. It would be better for all of us in NZ to use English and Te Reo. Rose Wu, Kilbirnie
Level 1, 13 Bay Road, Kilbirnie, Wellington www.countonus.co.nz
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