Of 1,3 million tons of plastic manufactured in our country, only 250 000 tons was recycled in 2011 – and most of that was post-consumer waste. This means that a big chunk more could have been recycled, according to Jacques Lightfoot, Sustainability Manager of Plastics SA.

Earlier this month, Cape Town-based adventurer Ray Chaplin began a 2 300km source-to-sea expedition.

Cleaning up the nearly 20,000kg of waste from the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town this past weekend was no sweat for Nampak Liquid and Plastics SA. Together, they've supported the extensive cleanup operations that form part of the event's successful management strategy.

The role players of SA's plastics industry made use of the opportunity to air their views on matters relating to sustainability and recycling during the first-ever industry specific conference, held in Joburg eariler this month.

A selection of products made of recycled Polystyrene and other exciting new recycling initiatives were on show at a showcase held in Midrand recently.

The South African plastics industry will be debating various issues that impact on its growth and future prospects with the first-ever industry specific conference, coming in March.

Beaches on the Western, Northern and Eastern Cape Coast will soon have their very own bins where fishermen can throw away their broken or used lines.

The objective of the design competition was to design the most innovative and practical trolley that could be pulled behind a bicycle for the collection of recyclables.

According to an annual survey of the plastics recycling industry in SA, the recycling of plastics has shown a year-to-year increase in the total tonnage being converted since the 2009 survey.

The world’s largest annual volunteer effort for ocean health, the International Coastal Clean-Up (ICC), will once again take place this year on Saturday, 15 September. Volunteers from all walks of life will hit the country’s beaches in an effort to keep our country’s beaches beautiful and litter free.

A local authority has launched an innovative pilot study with the aim of developing a better understanding of the shape and size of the Plastics Industry in South Africa.  

Deaf and hearing-impaired students are invited to apply for merSETA funded bursaries that will allow them to train in the art of working with composites during the period of 13 August to 14 December 2012.

The annual Clean-Up & Recycle Competition is underway and the call for entries is open. Each year, this competition attracts entries from schools and organisations who are eager to share the success of how they encouraged their fellow pupils, co-workers and local neighborhoods to get rid of litter and start recycling.

September is traditionally the month in which South Africans from all walks of life are encouraged to clean-up and recycle where they work, live or play.

The eyes of the world will be focused on the health of our oceans when World Oceans Day is celebrated on Friday, 8 June.  

Entries are now open for the third annual “Best Recycled Plastics Product of the Year” Competition.

Cape Argus cyclers are going to be encouraged to cycle and recycle at the same time this year!

Johannesburg: After Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi banned the manufacturing, importation, exportation and sale of polycarbonate (PC) infant bottles containing of Bisphenol A (BPA), many chemical scare stories, urban myths and internet-rumours started to spread like wildfire.

The first group of students who were enrolled in the Whisper Boat Building Academy (WBBA), the Cape Town Boatbuilding and Technology Initiative (CTBI) and Plastics|SA pilot project to equip deaf students with the skills to work with composites and the art of boat building, received their certificates of competence in lamination at a graduation ceremony held in their honour last week.

Plastics|SA's purpose is to: