Plastics SA has signed a joint declaration to combat marine litter in South Africa. The organisation is working to create a joint effort with all plastic-related companies in SA to combat the issue.
Plastics|SA has released a series of new radio and television adverts in which it addresses the issue of plastics litter found in the marine environment.
“Never before has the issue of plastics in our oceans received so much attention on a global scale. Plastics|SA, the umbrella organisation representing the entire South African plastics value chain, signed The Declaration of the Global Plastics Associations for Solutions on Marine Litter, also known as the “Joint Declaration” in 2011. According to this declaration, we are committed to doing everything in our power to help protect our marine life from plastic and other packaging materials which are threatening their natural habitats and therefore also their survival,” explains Plastics|SA’s Marketing & Communications Executive, Monya Vermaak.
According to Vermaak, The Blue Planet II inspired the new campaign – a nature documentary series on marine life in which naturalist Sir David Attenborough highlighted the growing problem of litter found in the oceans.
Throughout the adverts, the beautiful sounds and images of whales, dolphins and seagulls take centre stage while the narrator explains that not everything in the sea is as beautiful as the creatures who live in it.
“Carelessly discarded plastic breaks down into small particles that look like food. When eaten, they harm sea creatures from tiny fish to large whales. Be responsible. Don’t let plastics end up in the ocean,” the Attenborough-like voice warns.
The adverts will broadcast on various DSTV channels and selected radio stations over the next few months to ensure maximum coverage. The campaign has also been adapted for printed media and will be shared on Plastics|SA’s various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
“Marine litter is a global problem that needs to be tackled on a global scale. Effective solutions that prevent all types of litter from entering the oceans, need to be developed. Our results of the latest International Coastal Clean-Up have shown that pollution in the oceans and on our beaches is caused by irresponsible human behaviour that needs to be addressed and corrected. Plastics are valuable and make modern life convenient and easy, but they need to enter the recycling stream to maintain their value and be kept out of the environment. We are confident that our new advert swill help to drive the message home even further,” Vermaak concludes.
Watch the advert below. Together, we can be the difference that saves this beautiful planet.
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This campaign is fantastic. However, the plastic industry has used this approach of trying to change consumer behaviour for over 30 years and it has failed as a stand-alone strategy as attested by the ghastly statistics on the millions of tons of plastic that enters the ocean each year.
A more evidence-based, multi-pronged strategy that addresses design, production, consumer economics and waste management issues is required. Metrics that measure plastic loss to the environment need to me vigorously monitored at the municipal level and poor performers held accountable.
“Everything in our power to help protect marine life” should at least include:
• greater commitment to reducing the percentage of packaging that is not widely recyclable (currently extremely high),
• eliminating problem products such as plastic ear buds
• investing more in non-government plastic collection activities for recycling,
• clamping down harder on offenders who pollute waterways with post-production plastic waste,
• and pushing harder on producers to re-design problem products for collection and recycling such as untethered bottle caps.
The plastic industry should perhaps be more introspective and challenge its members to do more to reduce plastic in the environment before it celebrates itself as a bona fide agent in protecting marine life from plastic.