SA to mark World Environment Day

Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Barbara Creecy in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will today host World Environment Day (WED) 2023 in Cape Town.

The WED 2023 will be commemorated under the theme: “Beat Plastic Pollution” with a strong focus on eliminating all forms of waste/pollution, particularly plastic.

In a statement on Sunday, the department said this year’s WED is aimed at seeking innovative ways to end plastic pollution.

“Plastic pollution is now a global problem with an estimated 353 million tonnes of plastic waste produced in a year and finding itself polluting our oceans because of its durability and taking a much longer time to disintegrate.

“To mark the World Environment Day 2023, Minister Creecy will embark on a tour of two recycling plants in Cape Town that are supported through Producer Responsibility Organisations – POLYCO and PETCO to gain further insight into the benefits of Extended Producer Responsibility in support of plastic recycling,” the department said.

The Minister will start her tour at Waste Want which is located in Kraaifontein.

Waste Want started out as a small collections company, selling collected recycling material to recyclers.

Through this project around 200 people have been employed, recycling in the local community has improved and backlogs in waste processing addressed. Waste Want diverts 1 000 tonnes of waste per month.

The Minister will then go to CRDC SA RESIN8 situated in Blackheath Industrial.

CRDC SA RESIN8 is a site where plastic is mixed and converted into an aggregate modifier for the construction industry.

At its pilot plant facility, CRDC processes about 420kg of plastic waste per day enabling it to test various waste streams in its process.

At the new facility, CRDC will be able to process 610 tonnes of plastic waste per month and thereby produce 725 tonnes of RESIN8. The project has partnered with various existing waste reclaimers.

Minister Creecy will conclude the World Environment Day 2023 commemoration with a beach clean-up at Macassar Beach. – SAnews.gov.za