The 5 to 13 June 2021 was Make-a-Difference Week, a worldwide effort to reduce negative environmental impacts. The Cape Town Environmental Education Trust (CTEET) team kicked off the nine-day commitment with a beach cleanup from Sunrise Beach to Muizenberg on World Environment Day, which was also the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. There was … [Read more...]
Fishers around SA protest against Karpowership plans
Hundreds of people from fishing communities near Langebaan and Saldanha on the Cape’s West Coast took to Friday Island Beach on World Ocean Day (8 June), to “Say No to Karpowerships”. The protesters turned up in droves to demonstrate their rejection of the government’s plans to allow the so-called Karpowerships to anchor offshore, proposed to assist the government’s power … [Read more...]
Local polymer producer joins Operation Clean Sweep
One of Africa’s leading polymer producers and marketers has officially signed the Operation Clean Sweep® (OCS) pledge. According to Gert Claasen, Technology and Innovation Executive at Safripol, the OCS pledge firmly aligns with their recently launched “Let’s Plastic Responsibly” campaign, which encourages the responsible use of plastics. “From a Safripol perspective, it … [Read more...]
International Coastal Clean-up Day a huge success
Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week took place from 14 - 19 September 2020, culminating in National Recycling Day on Friday, 18 September and South Africa's 24th year of participating in the annual International Coastal Clean-Up Day on Saturday, 19 September. "With an emphasis on COVID-safe clean-ups this year, we asked coordinators to keep the numbers of volunteers to below … [Read more...]
Eco heroes wear masks and make a difference
Each year, the local plastics industry welcomes the arrival of Spring and warmer weather by encouraging citizens to help make a difference where they live, work, learn or play by participating in Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week – an annual public awareness week during which plastics and other litter are removed from our country’s neighbourhoods, rivers, streams, beaches and … [Read more...]
Marine waste project removes a ton of litter from KZN lagoon
The KZN Marine Waste Network South Coast was launched at Amanzimtoti Lagoon last week. The event attracted 150 participants who joined in a clean-up at the lagoon to celebrate the network's launch, removing more than 200 bags of litter (weighing more than 1 ton in total) from the area in an hour. Explaining the importance of launching the KZN Marine Waste Network South … [Read more...]
Award winner for clean-up champion of the year announced
Alison Bryant of the Keep Plett Clean Campaign is the winner of the Caroline Reid Award for the Cleanup Champion of 2019. This new, annual award was established by Plastics|SA to recognise and reward excellence in South Africa by an individual in the field of marine and coastal clean-ups. Making the announcement during a gala dinner to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of … [Read more...]
Eliminating marine pollution with innovative design
Finalists in the Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLIP) STOMP Awards have been announced. The STOMP (Stamp Out Marine Plastic Pollution) Awards made a call out in October for South Africans to enter ideas and solutions that could reduce, or eliminate plastic pollution, which ultimately ends up in the ocean destroying habitats, and endangering marine species. Over 60 entries … [Read more...]
Searching for technical innovations to eliminate SA’s plastic waste
The search is on for science, technology and technical innovations that will help reduce and eliminate plastic waste, and be the next great 21st century innovation that could change the world, as the UK-based Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLIP), introduces its STOMP (Stamp Out Marine Plastic Pollution) Awards in South Africa. The awards, which are open to all South African … [Read more...]
Plastics industry tackles waste in the environment
The local plastics industry will once again demonstrate its commitment to cleaning up the environment and removing plastics litter from our rivers, streams, oceans and neighbourhoods when the annual Clean-up and Recycle SA Week takes place from 16-21 September 2019. According to Douw Steyn, Sustainability Director of Plastics|SA, this is the 23rd year that they will be … [Read more...]
Tackling plastic waste with a concerted effort
The local plastics industry will once again demonstrate its commitment to cleaning up the environment and removing plastics litter from our rivers, streams, oceans and neighbourhoods when the annual Clean-up and Recycle SA Week takes place from 16 - 21 September 2019. According to Douw Steyn, Sustainability Director of Plastics|SA, this is the 23rd year that they will be … [Read more...]
South Africa’s 2019 recycling champions announced
On the back of a 6% year-on-year increase in the recycling of PET plastic bottles, SA's national industry body has unveiled its 2019 recycling champions. These people and organisations are making strides in sustainability at grassroots level. The annual awards were made across 11 categories, with Western Cape winners scooping nine awards, followed by Gauteng with two, and … [Read more...]
Operation #Cleanup Durban a huge success
The South African plastics industry has one again proved that we don't merely pay lip service when it comes to looking after the environment - we act on our promises! Under the guidance of Plastics|SA's Sustainability Director, Douw Steyn, supported by the KZN Marine Waste Network and various other organisations and institutions, more than 300 tons of litter were removed … [Read more...]
