Tag Archive for: litter

Citizens can help to improve recycling rates

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South Africa boasts some impressive recycling statistics. The country currently recycles more plastic than Europe. In 2018 alone, South Africa converted 352 000 tonnes of plastic waste into valuable raw material – about 67% of all plastic refuse. However, despite being a world-leader in mechanical plastic recycling, there is always room for improvement.

The plastics industry and waste management providers are working hard to ensure that all plastic waste is recycled. Consumers and South African citizens can help us reach our goal of a 70% plastics recycling rate in the next few years. By implementing recycling in the home, citizens can ensure that plastic waste is sent to the recycling facility instead of the landfill.

Recycling in the home will boost recycling rates

By implementing separation at source strategies in the home, more plastic waste will be sent to recycling facilities. Citizens should start to separate their plastic waste from non-recyclables and organic refuse at home. All waste placed in general garbage bins will be sent to a landfill. While some of the recyclable waste is collected and sorted at landfills, a lot of it remains in these facilities.

In addition, consumers should aim to rinse their plastic waste before placing it in the recycling bin. The water used for washing dishes can be used for this – not clean water – as water is also a scarce resource that we should be using sparingly. This will wash away any food and drink remnants that could contaminate the recycling batch. “Basic actions like rinsing, or, in water-scarce areas wiping out a food container before placing it in a bag, reduces contamination,” says Mpact general manager Nicholas Schild.

Cleaner plastics entering the recycling stream will result in a higher-quality recyclate at the end of the process. This means that products made from recycled plastic will be more durable, better quality and more cost-effective to process. “Consumer choice can add to the momentum of recycling and environment-conscious manufacturing practices,” says Schild. 

South African government calls for citizens to help

The South African government has already implemented two mechanisms in order to encourage citizens to reduce litter – the Plastic Bag Regulations and a plastic bag levy. However, these attempts have not curbed the prevalence of illegal dumping and littering.

“There are a whole range of areas where we need to see a behaviour change from our citizens. Single-use plastics are just one example,” says Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Barbara Creecy. “The department is currently assessing single-use plastic products—plastic carrier bags, straws, earbuds, crockery and cutlery – and we will be conducting various stakeholder engagements in this regard,” she adds.

“With the proper coordination and consumer action, voluntary change can be a sustainable and cost-effective solution,” says Creecy. The South African plastics industry is looking at innovative ways to encourage citizens to recycle. Plastics are valuable products that make modern life easier and more affordable. Recycling plastics is currently a better solution than banning them, so we urge all South Africans to dispose of their plastic waste in a responsible manner.

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Plastics SA represents all sectors of the South African plastics industry. ​Together with our associations, we play an active role in the growth and development of the industry and strive to address plastics related issues, influence role-players and make plastics the material of choice.

​Plastics SA has been mandated to ensure a vibrant and sustainable plastics industry in South Africa. The plastics sector is uniquely placed to meet the needs of a sustainable society and to deliver solutions to many challenges such as recycling, climate change, water scarcity, resource usage and energy recovery.

For more news, updates and information on the South African plastics industry, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

Pollution is the problem, not plastic

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South Africa and many other countries around the world are calling for a ban on plastic products. However, this is not the best solution for the global pollution crisis; a complex problem that requires rational thought and deep-rooted changes in the way society functions.

Banning plastic bags is an emotional reaction to the problem of plastic pollution. The supporters of this ban may have good intentions, but they do not fully understand the impact that this will have on society. The real problem lies with our waste disposal practices, such as illegal dumping and littering.

These are the major causes of plastic pollution in the environment. “To win the war on plastic pollution, every role-player in the plastics industry needs to confront some hard truths. This includes us as the producers of plastics, but it also includes government and consumers,” says Plastics SA executive director Anton Hanekom.

Plastic pollution is the result of poor waste disposal practices

South Africa has some of the highest plastic recycling rates in the world. In 2018, we collected and recycled over 46% of our plastic waste – a 12% increase from the previous year. Our recycling facilities are able to process a vast amount of plastic and keep these products out of landfills, but the industry’s efforts alone cannot win the war on pollution.

Proper disposal of plastic products will go a long way to boost recycling rates and keep these materials out of the environment. Consumers must make the effort to put their plastic refuse in a recycling bin and avoid littering at all costs. The government can also help to improve waste collection infrastructure and recycling facilities.

The funds are already available to the government in the form of the plastic bag levy that was introduced in 2003. It currently stands at 12 cents for every plastic bag sold. By using this levy solely for the development of better recycling facilities and consumer education campaigns, the national government can unlock hundreds of millions of rands.

Plastic is a vital material for modern society

Banning plastics will have severe impacts on modern society. We use them every single day for basic tasks, sometimes without even being aware of it. While imagining a world without plastic pollution may be a novel idea, the fact is that we cannot live without plastic.

If disposed of correctly, plastic can be a more sustainable solution than its ‘environmentally-friendly’ alternatives, such as cotton. A recent study by Denmark’s Ministry of Environment and Food reveals that many of these alternative materials actually have a bigger negative impact on the environment than plastic.

The study suggests that organic cotton shopping bags would need to be reused 7100 times in order to have the same environmental impact as a plastic shopping bag. This is because producing plastic bags is far cheaper, more energy-efficient and results in less carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. If we can curb pollution, we can save the environment and retain our dependence on plastic products for daily living.

“In the coming weeks and months, we, as the plastics industry, will embark on a sustained campaign to persuade government and citizens to join us in the war on plastic pollution. We support President Cyril Ramaphosa’s quest to clean up South Africa, but it can only happen if there is a recycling revolution in this country,” Hanekom exclaims.

“A rational conversation about plastic pollution recognises the positive attributes of plastic and focuses on how to manage plastic waste. To win this fight, we need to build strong collaborative and meaningful partnerships. Government, industry and the consumer need to work together,” concludes Hanekom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yttc36PNtvA

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Plastics SA represents all sectors of the South African plastics industry. ​Together with our associations, we play an active role in the growth and development of the industry and strive to address plastics related issues, influence role-players and make plastics the material of choice.

​Plastics SA has been mandated to ensure a vibrant and sustainable plastics industry in South Africa. The plastics sector is uniquely placed to meet the needs of a sustainable society and to deliver solutions to many challenges such as recycling, climate change, water scarcity, resource usage and energy recovery.
For more news, updates and information on the South African plastics industry, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.