News round-up

SUSTAINABILITY NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

The lifetime cost of plastics

The cost of plastic produced in 2019 on society, the environment and the global economy has been revealed at US$3.7 trillion (R54.5 trillion), according to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) calculations.

In its report, the environmental group claims that fragmented regulatory approaches, misplaced incentives, as well as a lack of coordinated technical resources, financial support and consistent data on plastic leakage are currently “costing us the earth”. The new report by the WWF and Dalberg – titled Plastics: The cost to society, environment and the economy – estimates that, if we carry on at the current trajectory, plastic production will double by 2040.

This will triple the amount of plastic pollution entering the ocean to 29 million tonnes (Mt), increasing the total stock of plastic in the ocean to 600 Mt. Greenhouse gas emissions from the plastic life cycle will account for up to 20% of the entire global carbon budget, accelerating the climate crisis.

The WWF has called on governments to start the negotiation of a legally binding global treaty on marine plastic pollution.

For over two decades, Pick n Pay has placed recycling at the top of its sustainability agenda.

The retailer has been one of the key sponsors of the National Beach and River Clean-ups for the past 25 years – the latest of which took place this September during Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week, when thousands of tonnes of waste were collected and recycled by thousands of volunteers who removed litter from rivers, streams, beaches and oceans.

Pick n Pay’s commitment to reduce the impact of single-use plastic and packaging by 2025 extends far beyond beach clean-ups. It includes significant public commitments to increase packaging recyclability and recycled content, reducing packaging weight and making it easier for customers to recycle packaging through clear recycling labelling on products.

Through its national stores recycling programme, Pick n Pay recycled or recovered more than 60% of the total tonnes of waste generated in its previous financial year. Some of the retail giant’s packaging and recycling achievements in the past financial year include: • replacing 8 million plastic straws with paper straws • selling 1.6 million reusable bags from recycled PET • using 11 million plastic bottles in the manufacture of reusable bags over the past five years.

Achieving a CARBON NEUTRAL food supply chain

With an ambitious national carbon reduction plan of cutting emissions by 28% by 2030, South Africa will need urgent and clear decarbonising plans for each sector – including food production.

South Africa’s agricultural sector is set to become an even bigger contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, as the sector will have to double its production by 2050 to meet our food demand. As the population demands greater food production, a carbon reduction plan will need to consider longer-term sustainable agricultural practices.

“With our carbon reduction targets and a predicted increase in food demand, we need to look at more sustainable agricultural practices – specifically regenerative agriculture,” says Julien Rambert, director of BiobiN South Africa.

Regenerative agriculture looks at principles and practices of farming that focus on rehabilitating the ecological integrity of the land while keeping carbon stored in soil and plants. There are several different regenerative agricultural practices, such as controlled grazing and minimising the physical disturbance of soil (conservation tillage), which prevent the release of carbon emissions.

While regenerative agriculture will prevent carbon emissions, organic compost will put carbon back into the soil. Retaining a landscape’s natural vegetation will also remove more carbon out of the atmosphere.

Pick n Pay keeps recycling at top of sustainability agenda

CALL ON CITIZENS TO RECYCLE PAPER PRODUCTS

According to RecyclePaperZA, the paper recycling association of South Africa, the country recovered 1.1 million tonnes (Mt) of recyclable paper products in 2020, putting the paper recovery rate at 69.8%.

Even though these numbers are encouraging, RecyclePaperZA has called on homes, schools and businesses to be better at separating recyclables from rubbish.

By keeping cardboard boxes, used office paper, newspaper, pizza boxes and other food packaging out of our bins, we keep them out of landfills. Not only is it better for the environment, but it supports the economy, especially the livelihoods of waste collectors.

If baled, 1.1 Mt of paper and paper packaging would cover 142 rugby fields or fill 1 322 Olympic-size swimming pools.

“More importantly, the paper recovered in 2020 saved 3.3 million cubic metres of landfill space and ensured that the recovered fibre was made into new products that we use every day,” says Samantha Choles, communications manager for RecyclePaperZA.

The small act of separating our recyclables at home, school and work makes a difference to the environment.

SA ranked among world’s worst plastic polluters

According to a report commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), South Africa is the 11th worst plastic polluter globally.

“There is also evidence of an increase in marine plastic debris from land-based sources within South Africa, suggesting this problem is likely to grow,” says the report, which analysed the extent of the global plastic crisis and profiled several of the worst polluters.

The report, entitled Plastics: The cost to society, environment and the economy, shows sobering pollution data. It reveals that the average South African generates 41 kg of plastic waste every year – significantly more than the global per capita average of 29 kg/annum.

Much of this escapes the waste management system due to inadequate service delivery. “In 2018, 35% of households did not receive weekly waste collection and 29% of household waste was not collected,” the report states. The pollution avalanche translates into a significant financial burden due to damage to key economic industries such as fishing and tourism. Studies show that many tourists avoid countries with heavily polluted environments.

Are you making these paper recycling mistakes?

It is estimated that only 6.1% of metropolitan households in South Africa actively participate in recycling. However, even the most environmentally conscientious people make recycling mistakes.

You might even think your home is paperless, so you don’t need to recycle. Have you considered the sturdy cardboard box and its moulded protective layers that housed your new TV during transit? Or the box from your latest online shopping haul? Cereal boxes? Milk cartons? What about the toilet paper roll core? All of these are recyclable in South Africa.

Fibre Circle – the producer responsibility organisation for the South African paper and paper packaging sector – outlines some of the more common recycling mistakes: • Mistake 1: Putting non-recyclable paper products into the recycling bin. • Mistake 2: Making it difficult and time-consuming for family members to recycle. • Mistake 3: Not knowing what to do with your recyclables.