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Plastic

Marshalling for a plastic-free future
Opinion
/ 27 April 2024

Marshalling for a plastic-free future

As world leaders meet at the fourth round of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on plastics, urgent, bold steps must be taken

By Gerance Mutwol
Award-winning local innovation fights plastic pollution
The Green Guardian
/ 3 January 2024

Award-winning local innovation fights plastic pollution

At state-of-the-art labs in Pretoria, a team of scientists is developing compostable products to replace single-use ones that are not recycled

By Sheree Bega
Ocean Sole: From trash to treasure
The Green Guardian
/ 19 May 2023

Ocean Sole: From trash to treasure

The initiative in Kenya employs people to make art from flip-flops that have been thrown into the sea

By Gemma Gatticchi
Turning plastic bottle tops and bread tags into wheelchairs
The Green Guardian
/ 21 March 2023

Turning plastic bottle tops and bread tags into wheelchairs

The Sweethearts Foundation sells the plastic to recyclers and buys wheelchairs

By Gemma Gatticchi
Plastic is choking Ghana’s sea
Africa
/ 5 March 2023

Plastic is choking Ghana’s sea

In Accra, as in much of urban Africa, waste management falls far short of what it needs to be. Plastic waste is killing marine life and fishers’ incomes

By Marian Ansah
Diet of plastic their harmful chemicals is killing seabirds
The Green Guardian
/ 6 November 2021

Diet of plastic their harmful chemicals is killing seabirds

An international team of researchers has found plastic chemicals in seabirds, including flame retardants and UV stabilisers, as well as banned pollutants

By Sheree Bega
Having fun while saving the oceans
Article
/ 9 October 2021

Having fun while saving the oceans

Activists have pointed out interesting ways that people can learn something new and have an adventure while doing their bit to save the ocean.

By Tunicia Phillips
The Mediterranean sea of plastic
The Green Guardian
/ 17 September 2021

The Mediterranean sea of plastic

The quantity of rubbish in the sea is driving a growing alarm among countries whose economies rely on tourism

By Stéphane Orjollet
Plastic pollution in 2019 cost South Africa staggering R885bn
The Green Guardian
/ 17 September 2021

Plastic pollution in 2019 cost South Africa staggering R885bn

Yet plans are underway to import more plastic waste into the country and it has not signed global plastics treaty

By Sheree Bega
SA’s draft position on global plastic pollution treaty weakens its global and regional standing – expert
The Green Guardian
/ 17 August 2021

SA’s draft position on global plastic pollution treaty weakens its global and regional standing – expert

‘Leaked environment department document is a copy and paste of plastics industry arguments’

By Sheree Bega
Plastic: South Africa is 11th-biggest litterbug
The Green Guardian
/ 25 June 2021

Plastic: South Africa is 11th-biggest litterbug

The country risks ‘pariah status’ for approach to global plastic waste crisis

By Sheree Bega
Rebuilding the SA economy more sustainably – and for greater impact
Opinion
/ 20 April 2021

Rebuilding the SA economy more sustainably – and for greater impact

Covid-19 has devastated the economy, but it has also opened a window of opportunity for businesses

By Lee-Hendor Ruiters
Corona waste is harming animals, everywhere
Coronavirus
/ 26 March 2021

Corona waste is harming animals, everywhere

Single-use PPE, such as face masks and gloves, is hurting and killing wildlife and pets around the globe

By Sheree Bega
A Gauteng firm is using bioplastics to limit microplastics
The Green Guardian
/ 7 March 2021

A Gauteng firm is using bioplastics to limit microplastics

Humans eat, drink and breathe in tens of thousands of micro- and nanoplastics, but research into the effects on health is limited

By Boitumelo Kgobotlo
Buggy sucks up nasty nurdles on beaches
The Green Guardian
/ 19 December 2020

Buggy sucks up nasty nurdles on beaches

Four friends who spent their spare time diving saw the bigger picture and started an organisation to defend the blue

By Sheree Bega
Carer swims for Bob the Green Turtle
The Green Guardian
/ 13 November 2020

Carer swims for Bob the Green Turtle

After being discovered with a belly full of plastic waste, Bob has become an ocean ambassador

By Sheree Bega
Plastics industry needs policing
Article
/ 8 November 2019

Plastics industry needs policing

We must continue to hold manufacturers to account and push for better waste management

By Froilan Grate and Lili Fuhr
A handful of multinational corporations is responsible for the world’s plastic waste
Article
/ 23 October 2019

A handful of multinational corporations is responsible for the world’s plastic waste

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestle were responsible for the most pieces of plastic collected according to an environmental pressure group

By Agency
Plastic is paving an eco way
Article
/ 20 September 2019

Plastic is paving an eco way

Two local projects are turning to plastic instead of bitumen to bind the asphalt used to construct roads

By Tshegofatso Mathe
The marine plastic pollution crisis
Article
/ 31 May 2019

The marine plastic pollution crisis

The cost in damage to the marine ecosystems is $13-billion each year

By Advertorial Supplement
Tackling the ocean plastics problem now
Article
/ 31 May 2019

Tackling the ocean plastics problem now

A key focus at the IIOE-2 and SANOCEAN conferences was the issue of marine plastics

By Professor Andy Cundy
Malaysia to ship back hundreds of tonnes of plastic waste
Article
/ 28 May 2019

Malaysia to ship back hundreds of tonnes of plastic waste

Plastic imports to Malaysia have tripled since 2016, to 870 000 tonnes last year, official data showed

By Agency
Alternative straws: the long and the short of it
Article
/ 3 May 2019

Alternative straws: the long and the short of it

Plastic straws and their role in environmental sustainability remain an issue of global concern

By Aaisha Dadi Patel
Letters to the editor: May 3 to 9
Article
/ 3 May 2019

Letters to the editor: May 3 to 9

Our readers write in about plastic waste, SMEs, humanism, and restitution

By Letters
China plastic waste ban throws global recycling into chaos
Article
/ 23 April 2019

China plastic waste ban throws global recycling into chaos

In mainland China, imports of plastic waste have dropped from 600 000 tonnes per month in 2016 to about 30 000 a month in 2018

By Sam Reeves
Death or taxes for polluting plastic
Article
/ 18 April 2019

Death or taxes for polluting plastic

South Africa’s apathetic attitude to plastic use requires an intervention — but what would work here?

By Lynley Donnelly
Why can’t all plastic waste be recycled?
Article
/ 5 August 2018

Why can’t all plastic waste be recycled?

The UK produced 11m tonnes of plastic waste in 2017, and recycled around two thirds of it. Or so it seemed

By Staff Reporter
Everyday plastics emit greenhouse gases, study reveals
Article
/ 3 August 2018

Everyday plastics emit greenhouse gases, study reveals

‘Plastic represents a source of climate-relevant trace gases that is expected to increase as more plastic is produced”

By Agency
Plastic alternatives just good PR or a real solution?
Article
/ 27 July 2018

Plastic alternatives just good PR or a real solution?

Some retailers, recognising an opportunity to gain significant marketing mileage, have been quick to respond by introducing plastic alternatives

By Staff Reporter
Plastic is light, versatile and here to stay — for now
Article
/ 8 July 2018

Plastic is light, versatile and here to stay — for now

A across the world, only 9 percent of the nine billion tonnes of plastic produced to date has been recycled, a recent UN report said

By Staff Reporter
Glass straws and fresh produce help zap plastic waste
Article
/ 22 June 2018

Glass straws and fresh produce help zap plastic waste

Businesses are slowly phasing out nonrecyclable plastic waste

By Tebogo Tshwane
New study reveals global plans to curb single-use plastic pollution
Article
/ 5 June 2018

New study reveals global plans to curb single-use plastic pollution

More than 60 countries have instituted bans on plastic use

By Staff Reporter
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