South African non-profit association, the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA), aims to change perceptions and encourage more people to consider waste as a valuable resource. The institute’s Eastern Cape branch hosted its regional waste conference, titled ‘Green is the new Gold’ at the World of Windows in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium last week. “Our … [Read more...]
African Marine Waste Conference highlights need for more collaboration
The 2017 African Marine Waste Conference took place from the 9th to the 13th of July in Port Elizabeth, and was attended by approximately 200 delegates from 9 African states and a further 10 countries from other continents. The inaugural African Marine Waste Conference was managed by the Sustainable Seas Trust (SST) under the leadership of Dr Tony Ribbink, CEO of SST, and … [Read more...]
Norwegian billionaire funds world’s largest yacht to scoop up plastic
Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge Røkke has profited from offshore drilling. But now the businessman, who started as a fisherman, wants to give back with a colossal yacht for marine research. The vessel will be able to scoop up around five tons of plastic every day, and then melt it down – all in yet another private effort to help clean up the ocean. Røkke, who’s worth around … [Read more...]
50 000 litres of sewage flow into SA’s rivers every second
South Africa’s municipal sewage system has largely collapsed. Of the 824 treatment plants, maybe only 60 release clean water. Raw or partially treated sewage flows into rivers throughout the country, turning dams green and killing people who drink the polluted water. From big metros such as Johannesburg to towns like Villiers in the Free State, what is flushed down the … [Read more...]
Why are our sea turtles getting smaller?
Sea turtles in South Africa are getting smaller – and scientists are trying to find out why, and how this will affect future populations. “What we are finding is that the size at reproduction of individual loggerhead and leatherback turtles is getting smaller over time, and we are gearing our research to find out what could be the cause,” said NMMU’s Head of Zoology, … [Read more...]
Clean-up and Recycle SA celebrates 21 years of beach guardianship
Clean-up and Recycle SA Week will take place this year from 11 – 17 September 2017, with various clean-ups being planned for neighbourhoods, water sources and beaches around the country. One of the highlights of this annual environmental awareness event, will be the 21st International Coastal Clean-Up Day (ICC) that will be taking place on Saturday, 16 September … [Read more...]
Fishing Line Recovery Programme aims to spread responsible fishing
The Fishing Line Recovery Programme, aimed at preserving South Africa’s marine heritage, has extended to now boast 360 bins along the coast. DPI Plastics has been involved with the initiative for the past four years, supplying the pipes and fittings for the manufacture of the specially-designed fishing line repositories, explains Marketing Manager Martine Goodchild. The … [Read more...]
SANRAL fights littering on Eastern Cape roads
The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has asked that people stop doing something in order to benefit the environment - littering. It is just astonishing what and how much people just throw out of their vehicle windows, with little regard on the impact it has, says Mpati Makoa, SANRAL’s Environmental Manager. Cleaning up the mess is expensive and time-consuming, … [Read more...]
Are South Africa’s shopping bags really being recycled?
Despite many claims to the contrary, the shopping bags of most SA retailers are not actually being recycled because of one additive. In spite of wording on their plastic shopping bags such as "Recycle me - set a trend" (Woolworths), "Reduce, reuse, recycle" (Pick 'n Pay & Shoprite) and "We love our country, please recycle" (Spar), these bags are not being recycled … [Read more...]
Environmental heroes to cast global spotlight on African marine waste
The presence of Ted Prize winner Earle, a National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence, who has 22 honourary degrees and more than a hundred national and international honours, is considered a major coup for the Metro. Dr. Sylvia A. Earle, called "Her Deepness" by the New Yorker and the New York Times, "Living Legend" by the Library of Congress, and first "Hero for the … [Read more...]
Moth-eaten: plastic-eating caterpillars could save the planet
Most scientific research follows a logical progression, with one experiment following up on the findings of another. Every now and then, however, serendipity plays a part. Such is the case with a paper just published in Current Biology, which reveals to the world a moth capable of chewing up plastic. The experiment behind the paper was inspired when Federica Bertocchini, an … [Read more...]
What to do about our plastic-chocked oceans
Imagine an area 34 times the size of Manhattan. Now imagine it covered ankle-deep in plastic waste — piles of soda bottles and plastic bags, takeout containers by the mile, drinking straws as far as the eye can see. That’s a total of about 19 billion pounds of garbage. And according to one of the best estimates available, that’s how much plastic waste ends up in our oceans … [Read more...]
New landfill regulations aim to minimise pollution and protect health
Waste disposal norms and standards have been implemented at South Africa’s 876 in order to minimise pollution and protect the health and safety of residents by correctly containing the waste. Jan Palm, President of the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA), discussed the importance of having these regulatory mechanisms in place to ensure that the … [Read more...]
