Kerala Government enlists volunteers to rid beaches of plastic detritus from capsized Liberian ship

Granules of thermoplastic on the Thiruvananthapuram coast as parts of containers, along with floating cargo from the capsized Liberian ship, washed ashore on May 27, 2025 | Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran

The Kerala government has enlisted volunteers to remove piles of plastic granules washed ashore from the capsized Liberian-flagged cargo vessel, MSC Elsa 3. 

The police will use drones to survey the State’s beaches. They will work with the volunteer force, Fire and Rescue Department, Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, Revenue, and LSGIs to mitigate the menace.

The Government also decided to harness the expertise of KSDMA officials, environmentalists and officials from companies specialising in salvaging sunken container ships and cargo to help mitigate shipwreck-related risks, including oil spillage and the leak of hazardous chemicals. 

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) stated that the Government has prepared rapid response teams under the command of the State Pollution Control Board to remove oil slicks and other hazardous materials that are running ashore and posing a threat to fishermen and the marine environment.

The government has ordered the immediate deployment of floating barriers to rein in and limit the oil spill spread from the shipwreck off the coast of Kochi. 

Published - May 28, 2025 01:22 pm IST