Esther Ashby-Coventry
Timaru Herald - Stuff

An eco-friendly car wash for Seaweek has also boosted CPlay fundraising by $1134 as one of a number of events around South Canterbury celebrating the importance of the sea.

Seaweek is an annual national week hosted by the NZ Association for Environmental Education had Connecting with our Seas - Toi Moana, Toi Tangata, as the theme for 2022.

Timaru District Council drainage and water manager Grant Hall said the car wash, using environmentally friendly low phosphate suds, was a hit with the public at the Timaru District Library on Sunday morning. He estimated more than 70 cars were washed by about 30 volunteers.

“We were flat out for two hours.”

Hall said to reduce the impact on the environment further they temporarily blocked the stormwater drain and pumped the water into the sewer.

“When other people do fundraising car washes they should contact the Timaru District Council for assistance to do something similar. If the water goes into the stormwater drain it ends up in the streams and sea and is not treated.”

The council does a car wash annually for Seaweek and this year volunteers from the CPlay committee offered help with funds raised going towards the new playground at Caroline Bay.

At Caroline Bay about eight people in the Timaru Litter Intelligence group carried rubbish away.

Group co-ordinator Rosie Winter, 16, said the “citizen scientists” started almost two years ago and meets four times a year to collect litter and measure the amount for data collection in collaboration with the Ministry for the Environment, Department of Conservation and Statistics New Zealand.

She said on Sunday they found the usual polystyrene balls, cigarette butts, masks and food wrappers which was consistent with the last clean up.

Another Seaweek initiative removed more than 60 kilograms of rubbish from around the at Waihao Box, in the Waimate District on Saturday.

Led by the Lower Waitaki Zone Committee with Waimate Ditrict Council and Environment Canterbury, 30 volunteers scoured the beach for two hours, picking up litter.

Fabia​ Fox, a Waimate District Council councillor and council representative on the zone committee, said there were plastic bottles, a washing machine lid, tyres, fishing lines/reels and a big old water cylinder.

“I think it was a mixture of people dumping and it washing down the Waihao River.”

She said it was the first time the zone committee had been involved but it was hoped it would become an annual event at different locations.

“It was great to have such a huge range of people involved and children.

“The kids interacted with the ocean and learnt about the damage the rubbish can cause. We want to keep the conversation going.”