Entries are open for Plastics|SA's Clean Up & Recycling Competition

"This will be the sixth year that Plastics|SA coordinates this inter-schools competition that forms part of Clean-Up South Africa Week which takes place from 10-15 September [2012]," says sustainability director at Plastics|SA, Douw Steyn.

"The aim of this inter-schools competition is to create awareness of plastics among children and educate them about the positive attributes of plastics and the responsible use and disposal thereof. As future custodians of the earth, they have the chance to make a difference in their homes, schools and environment," Steyn says.

Schools and organisations can submit entries in any of the four categories:

• Category 1: Our Clean-Up encourages schools or communities to draw up a marketing and action plan to clean up a local river, dam or beach.

• Category 2: We Recycle encourages schools or communities to engage with their local municipality and a local recycling entrepreneur during a recycling initiative. Participants have to identify and list the different types of plastics that they collected, as well as list which new products are being manufactured from the recycled material.

• Category 3: We Cleaned-Up and Recycled - where a school organised an exciting clean-up and recycling event within their local community, or at a local river, dam or beach.

• Category 4: Our carbon handprint (at home, office, organisation) encourages communities to initiate or support clean-up and recycling activities.

Cash prizes to be won

For each category, schools and organisations have to ensure that they involve their teachers, fellow pupils, community members, municipality, local businesses and the media in their campaigns. A detailed report on the success of the event, number of people that participated and supporting photographs must be sent to the organisers by no later than 30 September 2012.

Each of the three categories have a 1st prize of R5 000, 2nd prize of R3 000 and 3rd prize of R1 000 for the winning primary and high school learners, whilst the winning primary/high schools can win appliances sponsored by Pick n Pay or recycling bins sponsored by Eco-Bin. In addition to the exciting cash prizes, all 1st prize winners (learners plus one educator) will also be treated to a fun-filled weekend and prize giving in Cape Town during the last weekend of October 2012.

To find out more about plastic recycling, identification and clean-ups, visit the various Plastics|SA websites (www.plasticsinfo.co.za; www.cleanup-sa.co.za; www.recyclingday-sa.co.za) where entry forms, rules of the competition and more information can be downloaded.