Kenya’s ban comes with the world’s stiffest fines and some businesses are struggling to find affordable alternatives, but in Nairobi’s shanty towns the clean-up is changing lives, Waterways are clearer, the food chain is less contaminated with plastic – and there are fewer “flying toilets”. A year after Kenya announced the world’s toughest ban on plastic bags, and eight … [Read more...]
Chile joins worldwide push to ban plastic bags
The fight to ban the use of plastic bags outright in commercial purchases has finally come to the Americas. Chile, a South American nation that consumes and disposes of an estimated 3.4 million plastic bags per year, has passed legislation giving large retailers and supermarkets six months to ban plastic bags from stores. "We have taken a fundamental step to take better care … [Read more...]
The environmental impacts of plastic bags
Like cigarettes, plastic bags have recently gone from a tolerated nuisance to a widely despised and discouraged vice. Last month, the New York City Council passed a 5-cent-per-bag fee on single-use bags handed out by most retailers. Last week, the Massachusetts State Senate passed a measure that would ban plastic bags from being dispensed by many retail businesses and … [Read more...]
Come join us for Plastic Free July
On a whim I do my first trip out after surgery. Sudden deep need for fish and chips. I can’t find my son I intended to take along. It’s getting dark. Had googled best fish and chips in the Helderberg and ordered. I end up at the wrong place. My phone’s battery is about to die. On the last bar Maps get me to the right place. Nobody else around. Hungry folk begging. Dash in … [Read more...]
Plastic Free July coming at Two Oceans Aquarium
This Plastic Free July, the Two Oceans Aquarium is getting even more serious about putting a stop to plastic pollution in the sea. An exciting lineup has been planned for the whole month, and the Aquarium will use its extended platforms to further mobilise individuals, communities, retailers, restaurants, businesses, and other stakeholders to commit to stemming the tide of … [Read more...]
SA retailer to lead the way by ditching plastic packaging
A large retailer has announced that it plans to be the first in South Africa to contribute zero packaging waste. In a statement released on Tuesday, Woolworths said it aims to have none of its packaging end up in landfills, which will require the introduction of 100% recyclable materials and a supportive recycling infrastructure. This will include the phasing out of … [Read more...]
Bring Your Own Bag campaign aims to keep the seas trash free
Every year South Africans use approximately 8 billion plastic bags, and less than 1% are recycled. Most end up in landfills or the ocean. With the support of A Rocha “Christians in Conservation,” South African Churches have launched a campaign to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags. At the launch, Rethink The Bag campaign founder Hayley MacLellan shared stories of the … [Read more...]
Exploring alternative materials to reduce plastic pollution
In an effort to equip the world with the tools and knowledge to reduce plastic litter from ending up in our ocean, rivers, and lakes, UN Environment today published a report assessing the potential of replacing conventional plastics with alternative materials in certain applications. The ocean has increasingly become a repository for discarded plastics and microplastics, … [Read more...]
India’s top beach destination commits to #BeatPlasticPollution
Goa, a small state on the west coast of India, is known for its pristine beaches, forests, adventure sports and rich marine life. The picturesque region attracts 5 million tourists every year from all parts of the world. This influx is key to the local economy, but it also generates 600 tonnes of waste on a daily basis. Tourists enjoying the beautiful land of “sun, sea and … [Read more...]
World Cleanup Day aims to create a cleaner world
It is estimated that each year, 8 million tonnes of litter end up in the environment - causing a serious threat to people, wildlife, soil, water and air. Plastics|SA is proud to be partnering with Let’s Do It! Africa, and providing resources towards the biggest global cleanup that the world has ever witnessed. On 15 September 2018 five percent of the globe’s population will … [Read more...]
Europe plans ban on plastic cutlery, straws and more
Europe is proposing a ban on single-use plastic items such as cutlery, straws and cotton buds in a bid to clean up the oceans. The European Commission wants to ban 10 items that make up 70% of all litter in EU waters and on beaches. The list also includes plastic plates and drink stirrers. The draft rules were unveiled Monday but need the approval of all EU member states … [Read more...]
Western Cape’s mounting rubbish problem
"We have a serious waste problem in the Western Cape. We are running out of landfill space," MEC for environmental affairs Anton Bredell warned in a press release. The Western Cape generated approximately three million tonnes of waste in 2017 according to the government. The City of Cape Town alone produced almost 7 000 tonnes of waste per day last year, GroundUp … [Read more...]
Plastic bags found at the bottom of the Mariana Trench
Scientists have confirmed that plastic bags litter the very depths of the Earth's oceans inside the Mariana Trench. The findings highlight a polluted region of the ocean often ignored: the very bottom. Scientists from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) and the United Nations were able to determine that "plastics are ubiquitous even at depths … [Read more...]
