NEELS’RALLYTENT
Let’s declare war
on plastic
F
our years ago, the amount of plastic
in our oceans was estimated at
around 40 billion tonnes. This,
apparently, is enough to cover the
earth with clingwrap six times over.
Marine biologists predict that by 2050
there will be more plastic than fish in the
oceans – some even claim that there are
more microplastics in the oceans than the
200 billion stars in our galaxy.
Plastic in the ocean moves along
ocean currents and collects
in five vortices. Two of
these are located
between South
Africa and
Argentina,and southeast of Mauritius. Packaging
material from South Africa is found in some
of these vortices.
Our 3 500 km coastline is an irreplaceable
food source, attracting tourists and
providing a home to some 13 000 marine
species, of which 33% aren’t found
anywhere else in the world. Research on
beach debris on our coastline has shown
the worst plastic pollution to occur near our
major coastal cities, such as Durban and
Cape Town.ON ONE OF the most popular beaches, more
than 3 000 microscopic pieces of plastic
were counted in every square metre of sea
sand. Cigarette butts, plastic bags, fishing
tackle and food and beverage containers are
the most common forms of plastic pollution
on our beaches.
Marine animals including mussels,
crayfish, sardines and many whale species
are filter eaters. Because the plastic
particles have broken down to be as small
as plankton, they get incorporated into
their systems. So, there’s a red light flashing
around food security. Many marine animals,
such as seals, whales, tunas and sharks eat
other fish that have plastic in their system,
and therefore absorb it, too. Theoretically,
therefore, the chances are good that
humans also have microscopic plastic in
their organs.
Plastic that end up in rivers and
dams, also eventually find its way into
our oceans. The average South African,
for example, consumes more than
150 plastic water bottles annually, but
recycles only 25% thereof. It’s safe to say
that South Africans have done too little
to solve our plastic problem.
South Africa currently ranks 11th
globally and third in Africa on a
pollutant ranking. We must all stand
together and declare war on plastic.First, we need to reduce our dependence on
plastic packaging. SANParks banned the use
of plastic bags in its stores many years ago,
but other campsites need to join the fight.THE TOURISM GRADING Council should
have rules on this. If a resort cannot provide
evidence of how they manage plastic waste,
they shouldn’t receive a star rating.
The entire camping community should
put shoulder to the wheel by avoiding,
for example, single-use plastic products
such as shopping bags and straws. Pack
your groceries in reusable material bags or
containers that are also biodegradable.
By deliberately changing our behaviour,
we can easily cut single-use plastic from
our lives. If plastic waste does accumulate
during a camping holiday, the campsite
needs to provide labelled containers where
reusable waste can be separated from
single-use plastic.
Glass bottles and bamboo or hemp are
good alternatives to plastic. Our camping
stores can customise their product lines
to make a greater contribution in the fight
against plastic.
Before we throw anything in a garbage
bin, we need to consider how it can be
reused. If it cannot be reused, we must
recycle it. If it can’t be recycled, we must ask
why we purchased it in the first place.It’s safe to say that South Africans are still doing too little about
plastic pollution, says Neels van Heerden.SANParks banned the use of
plastic bags in its stores many
years ago, but other campsites
need to join the fight