Our coastal areas, estuarine systems, and the guts of our marine animals, are flooded with microplastics.” Introduced in 2017 in Tembisa, Johannesburg and now also active in Durban, Project Butterfly works with non-profit organizations and local communities to tackle poor waste management through education, … Plastics SA agrees that one solution to plastic waste is to develop more environmentally-sound plastic products. Waving goodbye to ocean plastic pollution Written by Dale Hes South Africa is on a drive to prevent litter from destroying our river and ocean environments, while also creating jobs in the process. Plastic waste pollution, aggravated by inefficient waste collection and limited recycling capabilities, is prevalent across Africa. The new report points out … Lightweight litter, such as chip packets and sweet wrappers, are often whipped up by the wind and channelled down storm water drains and urban canals, making their way into streams and rivers and, ultimately, the sea. The DPaPP campaign is driven by an alliance of stakeholders who are committed to achieving its goals. Through the MARPLASTICCs project, IUCN is working with South Africa, one of the world’s top 20 contributors of marine plastic pollution, to close the plastic tap. Oil is the fastest source of deterioration to the ocean, being far more harmful than trash and waste. Ethical Volunteering since 2006 +27 72 8532753 “In South Africa, environmental initiatives implemented by the government and private sector have resulted in 46% of plastic being reused or recycled. How Is Plastic Pollution Affecting South Africa’s Shores? Thomas Barrett. Plastic pollution in the ocean is almost exclusively due to the actions of Asia and Africa, not the United States. ... senior Policy Analyst at WWF South Africa. While this would be a step in the right direction, conservation groups warn of the mountain of trash South Africa still needs to climb. Recent projects funded under the Waste RDI Roadmap include a South African marine plastic pollution science review, published in the South African Journal of Science in … “We are a big contributor to plastic pollution. This creates a swamp of large and small plastic pieces that is mistaken for food by marine animals. Recycling of plastic waste might gain more momentum: On 26 March 2019, a group of international consumer goods companies operating across Africa and responsible for a large share of plastic pollution launched the ‘African Plastics Recycling Alliance’ at the seventh edition of the Africa CEO Forum . 6th March 2019. Japan funds UNIDO project in South Africa to find alternatives to single-use plastic. 2015 Dec 15;101(1) :473-480. The recycled material can be used to manufacture new plastics products. If we can stop post-consumer waste from entering the environment, then this will minimise pollution. PRETORIA, 26 July 2019 - The Government of Japan and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have signed a funding agreement for a project to support a transition from conventional plastics to sustainable alternatives in South Africa. The Effects of Plastic Bags on Environment - The effects of plastic bags on the environment are really quite devastating. Plastic pollution causes great harm to the organisms big and small that encounter it. A thick layer of plastic pollution has littered the beachfronts and riverbanks of Durban in the wake of localised flooding. Also read: Drowning in plastic: Shocking pollution levels and how you can help. Heavy rainfall has devasted outlying areas of Durban, with reports of fatalities and property damage making headlines on. In South Africa, only 16% of plastic is recycled. South Africa is amongst the top recycling countries in the world. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), in South Africa more than eight million metric tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean.. Krishen, who is completing her thesis on plastic pollution at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The state of Durban’s ocean last Thursday 12 December – waves of plastic pollution. Nuclear Issues, Global Warming, Climate Change, Environment, Ecosystems, Mining, Poisoning, Acid Mine Drainage, GM Foods, Legislation. Scientists have found that we are already eating seafood that is contaminated with plastic. Various other countries, including Cameroon, Mauritania, Nigeria, Eritrea, Botswana, and Ethiopia, are enacting similar campaigns to reduce plastic waste, according to UNEP. The campaign Beat Plastic Pollution has mobilized the continent to come together and clean up plastics in land and water ecosystems. WWF led on the development of a national initiative in 2019 – The South African Plastics Pact – which brings together key stakeholders in the plastics value chain – businesses, governments and NGOs – behind a common vision to address plastic waste and pollution issues. plastic pollution and improving the collection and recycling rates of plastics in South Africa. In South Africa, as little as 16% of plastic … The recent torrent of plastic waste that spilled into the port of Durban in South Africa following heavy rains prompts us to question the strategies implemented by African governments to combat plastic pollution. It holds a significant strategic place in our campaign, as South Africa is the largest emitter in all of Africa, amounting to 40% of emissions. Read the air pollution in South Africa, get real-time, historical and forecast PM2.5 and weather data with AirVisual. Tiny pieces of plastic are clogging the stomachs of marine creatures and fish. Plastic pollution in five urban estuaries of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Mar Pollut Bull. Plastic pollution – particularly in the oceans around Africa – will thank goodness be in the spotlight during a two-day event in Port Elizabeth this July. October 24, 2020. Pollution from settlements along just 20 rivers contributes as much as 67% of this total - these rivers are mostly in Asia, but also feature river systems in Africa and South America. Every year, up to 250 000 tonnes of rubbish enters the oceans around South Africa, mainly by … Photo by Nadine Strydom. NGOs and businesses call for UN treaty on plastic pollution Plastic waste continues to leak into the environment at alarming rates - with more than 11 million tonnes of plastic flowing into the oceans each year. South Africa is just one of the countries where Greenpeace Africa operates. An initiative called Project Butterfly is helping to tackle the problem of plastic waste in the townships of South Africa. 6th March 2019. According to WWF, over 80% of marine pollution originates from land-based sources [3]. In South Africa, only 16% of plastic is recycled. The rest of the plastic ends up at landfill locations where they can end up in rivers (due to wind, littering, inproper waste management, overflowing landfills) and eventually end up in the ocean. In Africa, which leads the world in plastics bans, more than three dozen laws now restrict the use of plastics. Plastic waste chokes and entangles turtles and seabirds. World Environment Day, celebrated on 5 June, heightened the urgency to rid Africa of plastics. The second solution lies in improving waste collection services and recycling infrastructure in South Africa. Its members procure sorted, baled end-of-life plastics and re-process it into raw material. Asia, Africa Cause 90% of Plastic Pollution in World's Oceans | American Council on Science and Health Off the coast of South Africa, thousands upon thousands of PET bottles and other plastic debris churned in the surf after days of heavy rain. Activists in the Ivory Coast have organized beach clean-ups to tackle ocean pollution, and campaigners in Egypt are trying to rid the Nile River of plastic. Research shows that only 16% of plastic in South Africa is recycled. In South Africa research on debris in marine and coastal environments and its ingestion by seabirds began in the mid-1980s (Ryan, 1987, Ryan, 1988), although incidental reports of plastic ingestion pre-date this (Hughes, 1970, 1974 cited in Ryan, 2015). In 2010 South Africa ranked 11 th on the list of the worst offenders regarding plastic pollution in the ocean [2]. According to WWF, over 80% of marine pollution originates from land-based sources [3]. In South Africa, only 16% of plastic is recycled. Plastic Pollution Comes Under the Spotlight in South Africa. Keep reading to learn more about plastic pollution in South Africa and what you can do to help. ONE of Thirza Schaap’s plastic waste awareness artworks, 'showtime'. We also build networks, for sharing information and support, focused on waste management. The sad truth is that more than 80% of marine pollution originates from land-based sources. The South African Plastics Recycling Organisation (SAPRO) represents the plastics re-processors in South Africa. The mission of the Durbanites against Plastic Pollution (DAPP) is to tap into local and international best practice - driven by the latest evidence for impact – to advocate and practically demonstrate solutions to Durban and South Africa’s plastic and packaging pollution challenges. The UK’s Daily Mail, one of the most read media outlets in the world, said: “Waves of PLASTIC crash towards litter-strewn South African beach, with hundreds of bottles and other waste washed onto the shore in grim illustration of pollution.” Take Action on Plastic Pollution and volunteer for climate change projects in the beautiful coastal town of Knysna, South Africa. But more needs to be done to tackle this plastic epidemic.” Coca Cola believes that everyone has a responsibility towards ending plastic pollution. The organisation estimated that South Africans, on … Trash flowed down South Africa's Umgeni River after heavy rain hit, causing flash flooding and severe blackouts. ; The first synthetic plastic — Bakelite — was produced in 1907, marking the beginning of the global plastics industry. Sustainable Seas Trust is a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) that supports and connects communities across Africa through research, education, enterprise development and growing awareness about ocean conservation and plastic pollution. Environmental News, Articles and Legislation for South Africa. Right now there are as many as 51 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean. It was a video that shocked even the most experienced plastic pollution activists, who’ve watched similar scenes unfolding around the world. We have also produced an FAQs on Plastics page which attempts to answer additional common questions on the topic. Banning straws and plastic bags will do nothing to solve the problem. ... 3 Department for Biodiversity & Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa. Two South African women and their Sunshine Cleaning volunteer group are cleaning up river banks in Blue Downs near Cape Town, to keep plastic out of oceans. Tackling plastic pollution in South Africa. The rest of the plastic ends up at landfill locations where they can end up in rivers (due to wind, littering, inproper waste management, overflowing landfills) and eventually end up … We work on moving away from coal and nuclear, towards renewable energy solutions. The rest is thrown into dustbins and sent to landfill sites. According to WWF, over 80% of marine pollution originates from land-based sources. Through our events and projects, the African Marine Waste … In 2018, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) released some statistics about South Africa’s plastic habits. From tiny corals to majestic whales, more than 700 marine species are known to be killed either by the ingestion of plastic or entanglement - resulting in millions of animal deaths a year, that we know of.. says in 207 2 plastic consumption in South Africa was over 1.6 million tonnes. South Africa is an ideal place to study the fate of marine plastics because it is far from other major litter sources, and so most of the litter comes from local sources. This is our main data entry on plastics, with a particular focus on its pollution of the environment. Between 1.15 to 2.41 million tonnes of plastic enters the oceans via rivers. South Africa Air Quality Index (AQI). Through the MARPLASTICCs project, IUCN is working with South Africa, one of the world’s top 20 contributors of marine plastic pollution, to close the plastic tap. Indeed, plastic pollution is a serious threat to the environment, biodiversity, and has harmful consequences on public health. … Corona Africa Global brands director Marsha Kumire said the beach-born brand had a … Photo: IUCN ESARO Earlier this year, IUCN and South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) held a Theory of Change (ToC) workshop in Pretoria as a first step towards tackling the plastic pollution in South Africa. Just this week, Durban was forced to temporarily close its beaches as piles of pollution and debris washed up on shore, and in the Western Cape seals have … ; A slide-deck summary of global plastics is available here. The campaign also encourages governments to adopt the initiative and come up with regulations to curb plastic pollution. Building on recycling successes Despite the inadequate waste management infrastructure and other challenges mentioned earlier, it is important to note that plastic waste is being collected and recycled in South Africa thanks to a dynamic,

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