Western Cape Government recognises Earth Day and the importance of managing our relationship with plastics.
“Today we celebrate Earth Day, and this year's theme, Plastics vs Planet, resonates strongly with our values and mission as the Western Cape Government. We recognise the urgent need to address pressing environmental challenges and embrace sustainable practices for the well-being of our planet,” Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning said today.
Saliem Haider, Director for Waste Management at the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) says that plastics itself is not the problem. It was introduced as a substitute to ensure easier mobility and transport for essential goods, reducing costs, and making products affordable. Unfortunately, human behavior, through irresponsible disposal of the plastic waste stream has led to the environmental problems we face today. “Single use plastics must be phased out and replaced with alternatives. New technologies must be explored to treat and beneficiate the current problematic plastic waste streams, whilst the transition from waste to circular economy products are developed,” Haider said.
According to Haider, plastic pollution is currently a global crisis posing a significant threat to people and the environment.
An estimated 12% of the world’s Municipal Solid Waste is plastic, amounting to about 242 million tons.
Plastic packaging, including wrappers and bottles, accounts for nearly 50% of plastic waste produced annually. Although some plastic waste is recycled, the remainder is primarily landfilled, and about 22% of all plastic waste generated each year is mismanaged and likely to pollute the environment.
Plastic items reportedly make up 56–70% of street litter in large cities and 64–88% of marine litter globally. 8 million tons enters the oceans every year. The quantity of plastic entering the oceans is projected to reach 23–37 million tons per year by 2040. “This, together with the accumulation of plastic waste in the oceans over the years, means that by 2040 there will be more plastic than fish in the sea if adequate interventions are not implemented timeously,” Haider said.
The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) is spearheading the development of a legally binding global plastics treaty to address plastic pollution. The treaty will require that countries commit to taking action across the lifecycle of plastics within a specified time to manage plastic usage and waste, with the goal of ending plastic pollution. To meet these requirements, countries must develop strategies with achievable and affordable targets. For interventions to be successful and sustainable, they must be guided by reliable data and expertise across the plastics value chain.
In response to this global call, South Africa became the 5th country in the world to establish a Plastics Pact. The South African Plastics Pact (SAPP) is a collaborative platform bringing together members from across the plastics value chain, from packaging manufacturers to brand owners and retailers, to recycling collectors and sorters, as well as recycling companies.
The SAPP helps create an environment for members to reach targets, and includes Product Responsibility Organisations (PROs), such as municipalities, national government, informal recycling collectors, and others.
The SAPP is led by the WWF and SAPRO and supported by international organisations which include the Ellen McArthur Foundation and WRAP. “DEA&DP has been actively engaged in the South African Plastics Pact and will continue to support its important work, Haider said.
The SAPP recognises that some plastic items are problematic or unnecessary and must be phased out. Re-use products can reduce the need for single-use packaging, whilst at the same time hold the potential for significant user and business benefits. The targets of the SAPP to achieve by 2025 are as follows:
- Eliminate unnecessary and problematic plastic packaging.
- 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable.
- 70% of plastic packaging effectively utilized.
- 30% average recycled content across all plastic packaging.
According to Haider, South Africa recently published a set of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, which aim to extend companies' financial or physical responsibility for certain identified products to the post-consumer stage of the products. The EPR Regulations and associated sector schemes were published and came into force on 5 November 2020, which ensure that plastic producers take financial responsibility for the waste associated with the lifecycle of the material. EPR Regulation is a key policy instrument to address the increasing volumes of plastic pollution.
EPR will hold both the plastic packaging industry and government to account and ensure transparency in the system. Setting targets and charging fees provide incentive mechanisms to improve eco-design, repairability, reusability and/or recyclability of products and packaging. “EPR, therefore, is a critical policy for supporting a transition to a circular economy,” Haider said.
“Through these various interventions and partnerships, we believe that every action, no matter how small, has the power to make a positive difference. By working together, we can build a more sustainable and resilient future for current and future generations”, Minister Bredell said.
For more information on Earth Day or what our Department is doing, please visit www.westerncape.gov.za/eadp
What is Earth Day?
Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by Earthday.org including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries.
For more information, please visit: https://www.earthday.org
Contact:
Wouter Kriel
Spokesperson for Minister Anton Bredell
Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Cell: 079 694 3085
