Texelaars Henk Griffioen and Roland Bisschop came to the conclusion six years ago that they were completely done with all the stray plastic on the island. The two started their fight against the mess under the name ‘elderly against plastic’. In the meantime the Texel Plastic Foundation is freely created and they get thousands of kilos of junk from the mileage of beach.
Once a month, the two men, together with their colleagues from the foundation, go out to tinker part of the more than 30 kilometers long beach. With volunteers who can simply raise, they remove all the plastic from the sand. From large crates to plastic caps: everything goes along. Last year they raised no less than 16 thousand kilos of waste.
“Everything comes from the sea. And a lot comes from the fishing. From crates in which they separate the fish to the loose, plastic threads that come from the beards of the fishing nets. Those beards drag over the seabed and wear off. They then rinse here again in the seaweed,” says Henk Griffioen.
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“All the plastic that exists in the world is made during my life,” says Roland Bisschop, “I don’t think we should saddle our children with that tax. So this is what I want to do.”
In the meantime, Henk meets a flat balloon with the string on it. “I think this plastic is very dangerous. It is hardly going bad. It falls apart in small parts and ends up in organisms and ultimately also in us.”
The foundation is now increasingly expanding. Jut cages have come on the beach where walkers can get rid of them. In addition, information is given at schools. Bisschop: “And we are now starting a project where we will recycle materials.”
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But all that junks Jutten does have a price tag. The foundation left know before That structural money is needed to continue to remove the mess. Some money has been released from several jars to endure the first time. But a permanent solution is needed, says Bisschop.
“We can still be ahead for a few months. When it is finished, we have to ring the bell again. The municipality of Texel has since consulted with other coastal municipalities to prepare the discussion with Rijkswaterstaat, which is also responsible for the beach. Hopefully then it will be clear how and who can pay for the costs. We hope to hear more soon.”
‘Gold search’ on the beach
In the meantime, they just continue working. Because, especially after a good storm, there is always more material. “But we do it cheerfully, though. Otherwise you can become depressed,” says Griffioen, “and so on a Saturday on the beach, is a party. It is actually a kind of gold search, beautiful work”.