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Clean-up and Recycle SA Week

2017-09-11 00:00
2017-09-17 00:00
Africa/Johannesburg
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Background
  
International Coastal Clean-Up Day
  
2017 Clean-up and Recycle SA Week
 
  
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Background

 

Clean-up and Recycle SA Week is an annual initiative by the local plastics industry, supported and endorsed by the various packaging and retail streams and retailers. Each year, close to 120 000 volunteers participate in these clean-up activities that take place along roadsides, rivers, schools, residential and illegal dumping areas. The initiative is supported by provincial governments, local municipalities, environmental organisations, businesses, schools and communities.

International Coastal Clean-Up Day

 

One of the highlights of Clean-up and Recycle SA week, is South Africa’s participation in the International Coastal Clean-up Day (ICC) – the world’s biggest annual volunteer effort for ocean health that sees thousands of people flock to beaches to pick up and remove litter found in the marine environment.

Ocean Conservancy is the international coordinator of the ICC, but Plastics SA coordinates beach clean-ups that take place in the three Cape provinces, as well as various river clean-ups that take place inland. We are proud to partner with KZN Marine Waste Network members who take responsibility for coordinating beach clean-ups at major beaches in KwaZulu-Natal.  To date, nearly 12 million people have been part of the world’s biggest volunteer effort to protect the ocean, and South Africa is a major part of this success story.

This year, together with ICC, Plastics|SA is a proud supporter of one of the biggest national clean-up collaborations on this day, partnering with the  Let’s Do It!  Africa campaign and the WESSA Tourism Blue Flag Project (a National Department of Tourism funded coastal conservation and youth development project) to support or implement a number of registered ICC coastal clean-ups from the west to the east coasts of SA. This collaborative effort will mark one year to the big World Clean-up Day on 15 September 2018.

Approximately 75% of ocean litter is derived from land based waste. Without effective waste collection, an avalanche of debris will enter the ocean. To prevent this, we encourage South Africans of all ages, races and backgrounds to participate in this year’s Clean-up and Recycle Week SA activities.

At its core, ocean trash is a people problem – perpetuated by the often unwitting practices that industry and people have adopted over time. It affects human health and safety, endangers marine wildlife and costs states and nations countless millions in wasted resources and lost revenue.
 
This year we are celebrating our 21st year of being involved in the International Coastal Clean-up Day. In human years, we would now be considered an adult, and have to adopt adult ways.  Our sincere hope is that South Africans will mature in the way we consider litter by realising the impact our actions have on the environment. We can turn the tide on waste if we all work together!” concludes Steyn. 

2017 Clean-up and Recycle SA Week

 

Clean-up and Recycle SA Week will take place this year from 11 - 17 September 2017, with various clean-ups being planned for neighbourhoods, water sources and beaches around the country. One of the highlights of this annual environmental awareness event, will be the 21st International Coastal Clean-Up that will take place on Saturday, 16 September 2017.

“The aim of this week is to increase an awareness of the social, environmental and economic benefits of recycling.  During this time, we encourage communities, schools and businesses to clean-up the areas where they work, live and play by collecting the litter and ensuring that it gets recycled,” explains Douw Steyn, Sustainability Director of Plastics|SA and member of the National Recycling Forum team.

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International Coastal Clean-Up Day 2017 

The Minister of Environmental Affairs, Dr Edna Molewa has urged coastal communities across South Africa to participate in International Coastal Clean-up Day today, the 16th of September 2017.

“Marine litter is recognized as one of the biggest challenges to our oceans, not just in South Africa but around the world, by volunteering to take part in the various clean-up events scheduled to take place today, each one of us can do our part to minimize its detrimental effects on our coastlines and estuaries,” said Minister Molewa.

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Related source

 

» Clean-up and Recycle SA Week website

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by Dr. Radut.