Paddling away from plastic
IT’S TIME to go back to glass.
So said swimming legend Sarah Ferguson while walking along Durban’s beaches, devastated at the amount of plastic and other litter washed down by last month’s floods.
“We need to eliminate our plastic production and go back to the deposit system. That is the way forward.”
When the floods hit, Ferguson was swimming off Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) on her epic swim from Durban to Cape Town, which she is scheduled to resume in November. It is to highlight plastic pollution in the ocean.
In the meantime, she is organising the June 4 Breathe World Oceans Day Swim at Durban Beach Club at Point Waterfront.
“A sea swim where all the money raised goes towards marine conservation is a first-of-its-kind in Durban, and that’s exciting. After last year’s Covid-19 restricted event, we are pushing this year’s event and looking forward to welcoming as many swimmers as possible.”
On issues of glass and plastic, Ferguson said it may, unfortunately, cost a bit more for producers and consumers.
“But that is the way forward to protect our oceans and ourselves.”
Canoeist Stephen Cohen, who founded Durbanites Against Plastic Pollution, shared Ferguson’s views on the retail sector needing to promote the recycling of plastic. He said vague commitments around recycling appeared to be “a highway to nowhere”.
“Not unless there are major consumer changes. It’s not going to happen through litter booms and beach cleanups and increasing recycling targets from 50 to 60%. We have to get serious about implementing policies and supply chain systems.”
Cohen said there needed to be more financial incentives for people who walked the streets collecting plastic litter.
“Given the time it takes, they earn less than the minimum wage.”
Plastics SA, which represents all sectors of the South African Plastics Industry, said it did not agree that stricter legislation on retailers would solve South Africa’s waste crisis.
“Producers of packaged goods are responsible not only for health and safety issues associated with their products but for the management of their post-consumer packaging waste, including collection, sorting and recycling.”
Waste pickers must also be integrated into “a working, shorter recycling chain”.
The organisation said South Africa’s waste collection and recycling system was still broken: 34% of households still do not have access to waste collection.
“Some 64% of recyclables still come from landfill and other post-consumer sources. We need an effective separation-at-source system in all municipalities to prevent valuable waste being sent to landfill, or worse, ending up in rivers or oceans because there is no effective waste management system in place.
“The industry’s efforts alone are not going to win the war on plastic pollution. It is vital that producers, brand owners, retailers, government and consumers join forces and work together around the collective goal of creating a litter-free environment.”
Visit www.breatheconservation.org