Public urged to clean up and recycle

Image courtesy of Rawich / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For the past 17 years, Plastics|SA has been the coordinator of clean-up and recycling month.

"What originally started out as a plastics industry drive in 1996, has since developed into a countrywide awareness campaign that enjoys the support and involvement of the National Recycling Forum (NRF) and all of the players in the packaging industry, including the glass, cans and paper converters and recyclers," says Douw Steyn, sustainability director of Plastics|SA. "During September we see packaging leaders united around a common goal - litter-free streets, rivers and beaches - by mobilising local communities to make a difference in their own neighbourhoods."

Shortage of collection points

Schools, businesses and communities are encouraged to recycle on Friday, 20 September 2013.

"Although recycling has become second nature to many people, research shows that the majority of our population still does not recycle despite the various awareness campaigns. There are still not enough collection points in many of our major cities, while many consumers still claim to be unsure about what materials can be recycled or how to go about it," Steyn says.

"This is one day of the year that we are making an appeal to South Africans to consciously recycle their plastics, cans, glass, paper, oil and e-waste and in order to reduce the pressure on our country's landfills. Support the recycling industry by taking your recyclables to a recycling facility near you or by separating your recyclables from your wet waste for curbside collection. Communities should appeal to their local municipalities and leaders if they live in communities where their waste is not collected and recycled," Steyn continues.

Life depends on the ocean

One of the world's biggest volunteer efforts for ocean health will take place on Saturday, 21 September 2013 when thousands of South Africans join volunteers around the world to clean up our country's beaches. "The ocean supplies much of the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. That means no matter where you live, your life depends on the ocean. If our ocean isn't healthy, neither are we," Steyn explains.

"In keeping with our Berg-2-Beach campaign, we are encouraging celebrities, sport teams and businesses to lead by example by initiating or participating in clean-ups from coast-to-coast, across our cities, around our bountiful water sources and scenic mountains," Steyn concludes.

For more information on clean-up initiatives, drop-off sites, the competition or hints and tips on how to recycle, go to www.plasticsinfo.co.za, www.cleanup-sa.co.za, www.recyclingday-sa.co.za or www.mywaste.co.za.