In 2019, Plastics SA launched a new, annual award, which aims to recognise and reward excellence in South Africa by an individual in the field of waterways and marine and coastal clean-ups, called the Caroline Reid Award for Clean-Up Champion of the Year.
Caroline Reid was an ocean conservation warrior who sadly passed away in 2018 after a tragic accident. Caroline coordinated hundreds of beach and diving clean-ups and was central to the work done in the Durban harbour in 2017 when nurdles leaked out of containers. She worked tirelessly to increase the awareness of plastics pollution on the KwaZulu-Natal Coastline.
Water Week, which took place between 20 and 26 March 2022, seemed the ideal time to acknowledge the unsung heroes, in communities around South Africa, who tirelessly protect the environment and make a difference in the quality of community life. They do it to create awareness of the plight of many of our waterways and oceans that are being affected by litter originating inland.
