South Africa’s (SA) efforts to curb plastic pollution are under renewed scrutiny, with environmental organisations warning that current measures have failed to stem the country’s growing reliance on single, use plastics.
They are calling for tougher regulations, including a ban on plastic carrier bags, while industry says sustainable alternatives are beginning to reshape the packaging sector.
From shopping bags to food packaging, plastic has become part of everyday life, but environmental experts warn that the growing use of cheap plastic is making pollution harder to control.
Senior Technical Specialist for Circular Economy at the Worldwide Fund for Nature SA, Lorren de Kock, says lasting solutions lie with government and industry.
“We are still struggling with plastic pollution. More and more plastic is being produced and consumed because it is very cheap. And it’s not just a consumer issue that we’re talking about here. So, awareness campaigns also need to go to industry because from quite a few years in this space, we know that the real point of leverage is the industry and government. So, government for policy and then industry to actually implement the change on the ground.”
As calls grow for stronger intervention, some businesses say they are already investing in environmentally friendly packaging.
However, they say the lack of waste management infrastructure remains a major obstacle.
Founder and Director of Fortis X, Nicholas de Beer, explains.
“We certainly see the businesses are moving in this direction. Many businesses and corporations are under immense triple bottom line pressure, which requires that they head in an eco-friendly direction. But in terms of consumers, certainly the challenge is there’s so many areas and locations around South Africa where those waste management facilities just simply don’t exist.”
Greenpeace Africa believes stronger regulation is needed, arguing that existing measures have failed to significantly reduce plastic waste.
Pan-African Plastic Project Lead at Greenpeace Africa, Hellen Kahaso Dena, says it’s time to move beyond the plastic bag levy.
For many small businesses, however, the transition to environmentally friendly packaging comes at a cost.
Small business owner Amu Rikhotso says while he supports sustainable packaging, affordability remains the biggest challenge.
–ChannelAfrica–
