Apart from the ESESC International Coastal Clean-up Singapore (ICCS) team, University Scholars Program (USP) and NUS Biodiversity Crew also conducted independent clean up at the Pulau Ubin and Pandan Mangrove sites respectively.

NUS ICCS 2011: Going Green and Greener!

On 17 September 2011, approximately 125 student volunteers from NUS conducted a cleanup at Lim Chu Kang East Mangrove as part of the annual International Coastal Cleanup Singapore (ICCS). They were also accompanied by a team of experienced personnel, including Mr N. Sivasothi who has been the coordinator of ICCS for many years.

The International Coastal Cleanup is an event conducted in over 70-100 countries – not only are students involved in the removal of debris from the shorelines and waterways, they are also tasked to collect data on the amount of debris so as to encourage positive change in the reduction of marine debris through submissions of these data to governments and international organisations.

It was the first time the mangroves at Lim Chu Kang East were being cleared of debris which had accumulated from various sources such as dumping and construction works over the years. In the 90 minutes of cleanup, the NUS staff and students endured the heat, dirt, mud, and even the occasional “rotten-egg” smell (due to sulphur dioxide being released naturally by the mangroves) to as to rid the mangrove of as much debris as possible. In the end, a total of 1887kg of debris in 181 trash bags was collected – and this does not include bulky items that could not be weighed such as oil drums and tyres. (Imagine the total amount of waste!)

The most frequently collected items included plastic bags and plastic beverage bottles. Also, there were several interesting discoveries amongst the items picked up such as the presence of a television set, car bumper, basin and even a toilet bowl! There was indeed a stark contrast in the appearance of the mangrove before and after the cleanup. (For further details on the debris collected, please visit the following site: http://coastalcleanup.nus.edu.sg/results/2011/nw-lckeast-nus.htm)

Furthermore, this marked NUS’s first collaboration with Alpha Biodiesel to provide biodiesel fuel for our bus transport to and fro the venue. This move helped to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced because the net life cycle emissions of biodiesel fuel is 95% less than that of ordinary diesel fuel. We are glad that ICCS is becoming even greener and hope that such movement will continue!

ICCS 2011 is also the 9th year that students from the NUS Environmental Science and Engineering Students Club (ESESC) have been organising ICCS for the NUS students and staff. During the Biodiversity of Singapore Symposium III which was held a week after ICCS on 24 September 2011, the club was presented with an award to recognise the dedicated efforts and contributions of the students over the past years.

It was definitely great to see everyone toiling hard in the morning to play their part for the coastal environment. We hope that this event would be a reminder for each and every individual of the need to reduce the use of non-biodegradable items and to dispose of the trash appropriately so as to safeguard the health of the marine animals and for the environment. Finally, we wish that ICCS 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015… will be an even better success! :)

Written by:
Derek Ang | Vionna Luah
On behalf of all the organisers of ICCS 2011