How South Africans can unite to combat plastic pollution
Litter seen at Lagoon Beach in Milnerton.
Image: David Ritchie / Independent Newspapers
South Africans must play their part in conserving the environment by not littering, but instead recycling, because a cleaner, healthier, and more just environment is possible; however, only if every sector of society takes part in the effort to Beat Plastic Pollution, this is according to environmental activists.
The activists were speaking ahead of World Environment Day, which is commemorated on June 5 annually, and this year's theme is #BeatPlasticPollution.
World Environment Day, established in 1972, is the largest annual event organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to promote environmental action and address issues such as ozone depletion, toxic chemicals, desertification, and global warming. It was first celebrated in 1974.
The World Economic Forum estimates that more than eight million tonnes of plastic enter the world's seas annually, with a significant portion of that plastic washing up on the coasts of countries such as South Africa.
In 2022, a study by Plastic SA revealed that South Africa generates an estimated 2.6 million tons of plastic waste annually. Only about 40% of this plastic is recycled, and a significant portion of it ends up in the ocean, negatively impacting marine life.
Desmond D'Sa, an environmental activist with the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), said plastic pollution manifests differently across South Africa's diverse socio-geographic contexts.
In eThekwini Municipality, for instance, recurring incidents of flooding due to blocked stormwater systems highlight the immediate infrastructural risks of mismanaged plastic waste.
He said high volumes of household plastic waste, limited public awareness, and over-exploited landfill sites are prevalent in urban areas, whereas in rural communities, inadequate waste collection services lead to open burning or illegal dumping of plastics.
He added that in coastal regions, marine plastic pollution threatens ecosystems, fisheries, and tourism. Thus, there is a critical need for context-specific interventions, such as urban stormwater catchment clean-outs and litter traps, community-based waste management initiatives in rural areas, and integrated river-to-sea waste monitoring systems in coastal zones.
'Awareness and education are vital in combating plastic pollution. Effective strategies in the South African context include school-based environmental education programmes, mass media and social media campaigns, community clean-up events, particularly when paired with incentives and local leadership support, faith-based and traditional authority engagement, to embed environmental messages within cultural practices.
'Over the years, SDCEA has carried out numerous initiatives, including beach clean-ups, community clean-up campaigns, and the removal of waste from rivers and riverbanks,' D'Sa said.
He added that environmental activist organisations play a role in raising awareness, advocating for stronger legislation, and mobilising communities, however, they are often faced with challenges including, lack of funding and donor fatigue, especially for grassroots groups, inadequate access to institutional platforms to influence policymaking, and high operational demands with minimal staff or resources.
He highlighted that plastic pollution excessively impacts marginalised communities, particularly those residing in informal settlements, peri-urban areas, and along riverbanks or landfills.
Exposure to waste burning, water contamination, and uncollected refuse compounds social vulnerability and health risks. Addressing this injustice requires equitable access to municipal waste services and infrastructure, inclusion of vulnerable communities in the design and implementation of waste policies, community health and environmental risk assessments in plastic-polluted areas, and corporate accountability under EPR frameworks, including financial support for clean-ups and community development, D'Sa said.
He added that South Africa's pathway to sustainability must be underpinned by a circular economy, a zero-waste culture, and just environmental governance.
'In relation to plastic pollution, the vision should include a national ban on non-recyclable single-use plastics, a fully integrated and formalised recycling economy, inclusive of informal actors, behavioral transformation, fostered through education and consistent messaging, and stronger regulatory enforcement and industry accountability.
'Hope lies in the resilience and ingenuity of local communities, the momentum of youth-led climate and waste movements, and technological innovations in waste recovery and biodegradable materials. Some of the persistent concerns include the pace of political and institutional change, ongoing inequality in environmental exposure and service delivery, and corporate influence that delays or dilutes progressive policy action,' D'Sa said.
In Durban's inner city alone, over 500 informal recyclers recover around 150 tonnes of cardboard daily, reducing landfill pressure and supporting climate change mitigation. Similar to this, the informal waste sector remains the backbone of South Africa's plastic recycling system. Waste pickers are responsible for collecting a significant proportion of recyclables but operate without basic protections or recognition, he said.
He recommended that the role of waste pickers be formalised through registration systems, cooperatives, and municipal contracts. That they be provided with access to protective gear, sorting facilities, and fair compensation, and that funding streams to support environmental activism and community-led waste programmes be established.
While several legislative instruments aimed at mitigating plastic pollution, such as the National Environmental Management Waste Act (Act No. 59 of 2008), the Plastic Bag Levy, and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations introduced in 2021 have been implemented, he said, there are loopholes.
'There is inadequate enforcement capacity at the municipal level that impedes implementation, the lack of uniformity across municipalities results in fragmented waste management approaches; inadequate monitoring and compliance mechanisms for EPR schemes; and the informal sector remains excluded from formal planning, despite playing a significant role in recycling,' D'sa said.
Lisa Makaula, advocacy officer at The Green Connection, said plastic pollution in South Africa has been mostly due to industry use of plastic materials, much of which ultimately end up in oceans via rivers, threatening marine life. The biggest problem is single-use plastics, like shopping bags and plastic wrapping.
'Stronger regulatory frameworks are required to reduce plastic production and ensure the limited use of plastic products. However, the public must play their part by not littering and implementing recycling methods instead.
'A key part of The Green Connection's work has been advocating for proper governance and ensuring that environmental laws are followed, especially given that plastics come from oil, which is a fossil fuel that contributes to climate change. Industry and citizens have been part of plastic recycling as well as plastic reduction, and beach clean-ups, but more needs to be done,' Makaula said.
The production of more plastic will ultimately mean more extraction and production of oil, which increases the risk of oil spills that could negatively impact the livelihoods of those dependent on healthy oceans. Rivers polluted by plastic waste impact the health of our environment, disproportionately affecting marginalised communities who might be dependent on these resources, she said.
Makaula said there are fewer resources for environmental NGOs that work with communities, which means that fewer resources go into plastic clean-ups and recycling initiatives that can help improve the livelihoods of affected communities.
'Often, without NGOs, communities struggle to access information about proposed projects that could affect them. Our vision for South Africa is a clean, safe, plastic-free, marine environment with climate adaptation measures in place to ensure communities do not bear the brunt of pollution and natural disasters,' she said.
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