SA's first Biodegradable Festival will take place Saturday, 29 February, at De Waal Park in Cape Town, hosting academics, environmental activists, entrepreneurs and small business owners who are trying to make a positive environmental difference.
The festival aims to spread greater awareness around ethical environmentalism, including the move away from wasteful living to a more sustainable way of life using biodegradable products, and recycling, reusing and reducing waste products.
“We aim to promote greater community spirit and awareness around the inevitable move towards biodegradable products and advanced waste management solutions," says festival organiser, local entrepreneur and businessman Luvuyo Ndiki.
Ndiki is the inventor of the first 3D printed biodegradable cup in South Africa. His company, Red Cup Village, created an eco-cup that is manufactured with 3D printing technology using a polylactide (PLA) filament. This is a biodegradable and bioactive thermoplastic aliphatic polyester derived from renewable resources such as sugarcane and corn-starch which breaks down in compost.
Speaking at the event is Dr Sudhakar Muniyasamy, a senior researcher and technical leader in the field of biobased materials and biodegradable polymers at the CSIR Chemical Cluster - Pretoria. With a PhD in chemical sciences from the University of Pisa-Italy, Muniyasamy focuses his main research on the development of sustainable biobased biodegradable polymers from natural resources for green packaging (flexible film and rigid). Other Think Tank speakers, on from 11am to 1pm, include Candice Mostert, founder of Waste-Ed; Bongi Mofomate of GCX Eco; Karoline Hanks, founder of SUPA (single-use plastic alternatives); Nicholas De Beer of FortisX; and Hayley McLellan from the Two Oceans Aquarium.
The event is from 10am to 6pm. Access is free from 10am until 11am. Tickets are R30 – R50 via Webticket.
