The South African plastics industry’s collection and recycling initiatives are having a positive effect on lessening the amount of plastic waste in the environment and society. This is evidenced by the amount of recycling of plastic waste that is already being undertaken in the country – although off a low base – and initiatives geared at keeping our water-catchment areas free of plastic litter.
Plastics SA Executive Director, Anton Hanekom, says, “There has been a 35% increase in the use of recycled content in plastic products over the last 10 years, and this will continue to be a big drive for the industry moving forward. Up to 43,7% of the plastic products that are being produced in the country are being collected. The South African recycling value chain is long, with costs added and materials lost along the way. Ultimately, we recycle up to 22% of plastic waste that passes through this process. This is much higher than some countries in the world.”
There has been a notable increase in the consumption of plastic packaging products in the country and this can be attributed to the high demand for health and hygiene products during the Covid-19 pandemic. This was especially the case throughout 2020 when very strict measures were implemented to contain the spread of the virus. The plastics industry grew from 17% of manufacturing gross-domestic product (GDP) by number prior to the outbreak of the pandemic to 20% of GDP by number. The per-capita consumption of plastics products is about 24kg per South African citizen and 29kg per person when adding recycled content.
Douw Steyn, Sustainability Director of Plastics SA, says that the industry is working hard to improve its reputation considering concerns regarding the impact of plastic waste on the environment and societies. Of particular concern is the amount of plastic waste that is also ending up in the oceans and on beaches. “Research has shown that 80% of litter on beaches and in the oceans consists of land-based waste. It for this reason that we have launched a number of initiatives geared at keeping our country’s river-catchment areas clean of plastic waste,” Steyn says.
Working closely with all relevant stakeholders, including the various levels of government, Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) and educators, Plastics SA’s projects in these areas encompass waste management and recycling and education, training and awareness. This is in addition to clean-up campaigns, which are an absolute last resort.
A sound example of such a project is Inkwazi Isu in the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast. Inkwazi Isu is isiZulu for Fish Eagle. The project was so named because Fish Eagles returned to various catchment areas in the region after various interventions were implemented to keep them clean. The programme was launched after a flash flood washed up tons of plastic litter onto beaches.
It is being coordinated by the KZN Marine Waste Network South Coast. Established by various stakeholders, KZN Marine Waste Network South Coast works with industry participants, such as Coca Cola Beverages South Africa, Sasol, Petco and Polyco, as well as Polystyrene Association of SA, Plastics SA and local community leaders.
Coca Cola Beverages South Africa sponsored a Unimog equipped with a beach rake to remove smaller plastic particles that cannot be collected by hand. It is being operated by the Clean Surf Project, a local non-government organisation (NGO). Sasol funded the Baseline Study to quantify the problems and inform interventions required to address the problem through education, collection at source, recycling and the cleaning up of rivers.
Notably, local informal recyclers, small businesses and NGOs have also been empowered to help change mindsets around used plastics to encourage more recycling.
At the same time, work is progressing on diverting plastic waste to South Africa’s landfill sites through the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programme. This is in line with the recently published Section 18 Regulations to the National Environmental Management: Waste Act on 5 November 2020. The regulations, which came into effect on 5 May 2021, makes EPR mandatory for all producers and importers of packaging. It changes how producers, brand owners, retailers and importers design, produce, sell and keep their products in the recycling loop as far as is practicably possible. Any company or brand that makes or imports any form of plastic packaging for distribution is required to pay an EPR fee per ton. State has established strict targets for yearly collection and recycling that need to be met over the next five years.
While already in full effect, the industry is still waiting for Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Minister Barbara Creecy, to approve the proposed fees that need to be paid to the PROs by producers.
Shabeer Jhetam, Chief Executive Officer of Packaging SA urged plastic producers to pay their fees, despite these delays, noting that they would either be credited or debited depending on the feedback received from Minister Creecy.
“The Minister has noted that until such time that industry has received consensus, producers need to pay their fees to comply with existing legislation. Many producers are currently not paying, and this will negatively impact the PROs which will not be able to fund their various EPR schemes and meet their targets.”