Cape Town - South Africa took a proactive role in addressing plastic pollution, particularly through its participation in the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee (INC) for a global legally binding instrument on plastic waste that was held recently in Busan, South Korea.
Six representatives of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), one from the Department of Trade and Industry, one from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and a representative from organised waste picker organisations such as the African Reclaimers Association and the South African Waste Pickers Association comprised the South African delegation to the INC-5.
The international talks on plastic pollution, exposed glaring differences in national approaches.
More than 100 countries sent representatives to work on a worldwide agreement, but important problems like limiting the production of plastics and regulating the dangerous chemicals used in them were not settled.
Many governments advocated for all-encompassing remedies, such as restricting the production of plastic, while oil-producing countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait rejected these policies because they were worried about how it would affect their economies.
African delegates and environmental organisations cautioned that an agreement would not address the pressing need to stop plastic pollution, which is causing more and more harm to ecosystems throughout the world.
Some, such as the negotiator from Ghana, highlighted the escalating crisis: “Plastic waste is engulfing communities, encompassing urban areas, farmland, and waterways.”
South Africa’s delegation highlighted efforts to manage waste while also advocating for broader reductions in plastic production.
The DFFE spokesperson, Peter Mbelengwa, told Weekend Argus that during the INC sessions, the South African delegation discussed with industry representatives, organised labour, civil society organisations, and waste pickers as needed, to consider new issues.
Mbelengwa emphasised: “South Africa has already started addressing the environmental issue related to pollution and the production of plastics using a mixed policy approach.
“To reduce plastic waste, the nation has already put in place a number of policies, including the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) rules and the plastic bag fee.”
A CSIR research from 2022 suggested measures to boost garbage collection, enhance recycling, lower the demand for plastic, and switch to alternate materials.
“South Africa’s long-standing plastic carrier bag regulations, which required higher levels of post-consumer recyclate in plastic bags, further demonstrated the country’s commitment to addressing plastic pollution across the entire life cycle of plastics.”
In an earlier press release Plastics SA said an impressive 431 800 tons of plastics were recycled in 2023, up from 368 800 tons in 2022.
“This resulted in an input recycling or collection rate of 52 %, a significant increase from 42.9 % the previous year. The output recycling rate also rose, reaching 27.5 % from 22.9 % in 2022. These figures position South Africa as a leader in mechanical plastics recycling, outperforming many developed nations in mechanically recycling thin polyethylene films and contaminated post-consumer plastics.”
Even before the gathering in Busan Plastics SA said it is concerned over global moves to regulate Chemicals of Concern (CoC) through a standardised list.
Plastics SA executive director, Anton Hanekom emphasised that while the industry supports efforts to curb plastic pollution, it opposes blanket regulations and lists of CoCs, advocating for a more flexible, riskbased approach that considers local socio-economic conditions.
He warned that such lists could have a detrimental effect on South Africa’s economy and its burgeoning plastics recycling industry.
Although a final global agreement had not been reached, Mbelengwa said South Africa continued to contribute to international efforts, sharing research and policy insights to support a stronger, more comprehensive treaty.
Mbelengwa added: “South Africa is comfortable to share some of the work that is already underway to support the broader goals of the international legally binding instrument.”
The negotiations, initially set to conclude by the end of 2024, are due to resume in 2025, with hopes of reaching a binding accord that could more effectively tackle plastic pollution worldwide.
The information on the date of the next session and the publication of the updated text will be announced by the INC secretariat through the office of the United Nations Environment Programme.