Still a way to go in war on plastic

THE story “Climate change threatens cities” (Cape Argus, June 21) refers.

According to the UN, the driver behind 2018’s World Environment Day theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution”, is the world’s over-reliance on plastic which poses serious consequences for the environment and human health.

In South Africa in 2016, only 42% of the 1.1 million tons of plastic that entered the waste stream was recycled, according to statistics issued by Plastics SA.

Although this marked an increase of 35% from 2011, there is still some way to go before we can judge our efforts sufficient to begin turning the tide on waste.

If one considers that 90% of South Africa’s waste is disposed of at landfill sites and that this amounts to 98 million tons of waste deposited across 826 landfills each year, then it is time for all of us – business, industry and society – to start thinking differently.

Internationally, global drivers like pollution, climate change and resource scarcity have resulted in the development of a number of sustainable alternatives to waste disposal, and here in South Africa these opportunities for innovative solutions have yet to be explored.

It’s important for South Africans to understand that waste management is not only a cost decision.

If more people demand innovation and sustainable waste management methods, the market for alternative solutions in South Africa will begin to grow.