The SA Plastics Pact members have committed to phasing out 12 plastic items, by December 2021. Do you know which items are going to be banned from landfill?
What is the SA Plastics Pact?
The SA Plastics Pact is the first African Plastics Pact to join the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Plastics Pact network that aims to bring together all participatory agencies: businesses, governments, NGO’s and other key stakeholders to stand behind the common goal of creating a circular economy for plastic.
Target 1
As part of the roadmap to reaching its Target 1 goal by 2025: take action on problematic and unnecessary plastic packaging, the SA Plastics Pact members have committed to phasing out 12 plastic items, by December 2021.
Out of 2.4 million tonnes of plastic generated annually in South Africa, just 14% of this is recycled. Further, 40% of this is mismanaged, resulting in 3% leaking directly into the environment (SA Plastics Pact).
This plastic pollution is visible in our oceans, cities and rivers. Some reasons for pollution include: lack of efficient waste management systems and collection services, poor public behaviour, and non-recyclability of certain grades of plastic packaging.
Whilst behaviour can be changed through active engagement and education (training) on efficient separation and collection techniques (Read: The impact of best practice workshops in the retail industry and The power of data in customising internal waste reporting and driving changed tenant behaviour), some types of plastic are non-recyclable or do not have a feasible market for recycling. This is where Re-designing for the environment fits in.
The list below, derived from The SA Plastics Pact ,identifies and prioritises small plastic items and packaging that are either:
- Not recycled in practice
- Non-recyclable or recycled in very small volumes in South Africa
- And/or have alternatives available that can allow its removal from circulation
The Phase 1 List
How do we ensure that these plastic waste streams are collected efficiently?
As industries begin to phase out the above-mentioned items, how we do ensure that it is collected before it leaks into the environment? The solution rests with creating a supply chain that seamlessly integrates post-consumer collection of waste from sources of generation (e.g. retailers, manufacturers, environmental clean-ups) to its final destination.
Don’t Waste has spent over two decades in designing supply chains that support such cradle-to-cradle models, plugging the gaps that often causes leakages into the environment. Our systems ensure transparency throughout the collection process so that you know where your waste actually ends up. In addition, we provide a unique and optimised technology and waste management system, that works effectively to reduce all grades of waste, ensuring optimal recovery of plastic material for recycling.
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Don’t Waste provides industry leading business intelligence, site management, and waste management services to Property, Retail, Commercial, Industrial and Hospitality industries. Our customers include the world’s leading property management groups. To find out more about our innovative value-added systems and services in onsite waste operations, contact:
Linus Naik- Group Manager: Sustainability & Business Development (Email: I Mobile: +27 82 552 0675).
Michael Foreman- UK Managing Director and International Business Development (Email: I Mobile: +44 7939 027193).
