Why the Concern Over Single-Use Plastic Matters

The outlook for single-use plastic consumption in Africa is cause for alarm. Recent reports indicate that the South African government intends to oppose a multilateral Environmental Agreement (MEA) treaty in September, which would effectively halt the importation of plastics into Africa. In addition, Coca Cola’s deceptive promotion of PET plastic bottles in Kenya raises further concerns about the impact of single-use plastic on vulnerable communities in Africa. This issue necessitates immediate intervention.

Understanding Single-Use Plastic

Single-use plastic, also known as disposable plastic, has detrimental effects. Even if an item is labeled as recyclable, if it is designed to be discarded after use, it falls into the category of single-use plastic. Shockingly, approximately 90% of plastic is never recycled once it is thrown away. Single-use plastic refers to any plastic item that is used once and then disposed of. Here are some examples of single-use plastic items that are causing harm to our communities and environment:

• Tags on plastic bread bags
• Plastic bottles
• Styrofoam takeaway containers
• Straws
• Plastic packaging materials
• Plastic cutlery
• Plastic shopping bags

The Impact and Growing Concerns of Single-Use Plastic

For years, major corporations have convinced us that single-use plastic is a necessity in our fast-paced, consumer-driven culture. They offer false solutions like recycling to counter the overwhelming amount of disposable plastic waste. However, most single-use plastic is either burned or contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Here are a few negative impacts of single-use plastic:

• Disposable plastic items do not biodegrade; instead, they break down into micro particles that contaminate our environment.
• Microplastics, resulting from the breakdown of single-use plastic, pollute our water sources and even infiltrate our food.
• Only 9% of plastic waste gets recycled, while the rest is incinerated or dumped.
• The trade and resulting pollution of single-use plastic disproportionately affect impoverished and disadvantaged communities.

Regrettably, the Covid-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented surge in the production of single-use plastics, driven by consumer demands for plastic-wrapped food and other products as protection against the virus. Medical waste, including disposable masks, and fast food items such as plastic cutlery, straws, and bags, are among the main contributors to this crisis. This is largely due to the global plastics industry misleadingly portraying single-use, disposable plastic products as inherently safer than reusable ones, despite evidence to the contrary. In June of last year, over 120 health experts, including doctors, virologists, and epidemiologists, dispelled the myth that single-use plastic is safer by affirming that reusable plastic products can be made safe through basic hygiene practices.

South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment (DFFE) appears paralyzed by corporate interests, failing to enact legislation that would mitigate the influx of single-use, disposable plastic into our towns, cities, and villages. Their intention to oppose the MEA in September only reinforces this notion. According to a recent article in Science, South Africa ranks as the 11th out of 20 countries responsible for mismanaging plastic waste, resulting in devastating consequences for our vulnerable citizens.

The Impact of Plastic Pollution on At-Risk Communities

Do not be mistaken; single-use plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue but also a social rights concern. Large corporations profit immensely from the use of single-use plastic packaging, which finds its way into impoverished and at-risk communities. As more developed countries limit the entry of single-use plastic waste across their borders, it is often countries in the Global South that bear the burden of this disposable plastic inundation in their rivers, seas, and landfills. Vulnerable individuals rely on the flow of single-use plastic trade to eke out a meager living. While big businesses are aware of this reality, they take minimal action to address the problem.

A recent report by the UN Environment Program (UNEP) delves into the disastrous effects of single-use plastic pollution on at-risk communities:

• Plastic production leads to deforestation and contaminates drinking water sources.
• Plastic waste endangers communities that depend on marine resources for survival.
• Women face a higher risk of health complications due to increased exposure to plastic products.

Accountability for Single-Use Plastic Waste

According to a 2020 brand audit conducted by Break Free from Plastic, the Coca Cola Company South Africa accounted for the majority (81.38%) of single-use plastic waste in our environment, primarily in the form of PET disposable plastic packaging. Furthermore, the company promotes false and misleading solutions such as recycling, which fail to effectively address the overwhelming amount of single-use plastic packaging it produces each year. Coca Cola also indirectly supports the fossil fuels industry through its extensive use of gas and oil-dependent single-use plastic packaging.

Sasol, a fossil fuel giant, manufactures various single-use plastic products, particularly low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which is commonly used as packaging material, plastic bags, and cling wrap. Millions of tons of non-biodegradable single-use LDPE are produced annually, and a significant portion ends up in rivers and oceans.

The WWF has identified SASOL and its subsidiaries as major producers of plastic raw materials in South Africa.

Unilever heavily relies on single-use packaging for its numerous consumer products. The company also engages in significant greenwashing practices to avoid addressing its contribution to the single-use plastic pollution crisis. Unilever produces 610,000 tons of single-use plastic packaging each year and plans to expand production into Asia.

Take action now to combat the adversary of disposable plastics!

A collaborative effort between Greenpeace Africa and Break Free from Plastic has initiated a campaign aimed at compelling the South African government to fulfill its constitutional duty of safeguarding its citizens. The objective is to urge the government to endorse the global plastics treaty in September. By ratifying this treaty, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) will be obligated to impose stricter restrictions on the production and importation of single-use plastic within Africa. Additionally, it will hold corporations accountable by enforcing extended producer responsibility regulations, ensuring that the source of single-use plastic is halted.

You can actively participate and support Greenpeace Africa’s endeavor to eliminate single-use plastics by raising awareness, educating others, and engaging with your community. Together, let’s work towards Africa’s liberation from the clutches of plastic pollution under the hashtag #breakfreefromplastic.

Keywords: Plastics, disposable plastics, microplastics, plastic pollution, South Africa, fossil fuel product, COVID-19, UNEP, DFFE, recycling, Sasol, Coca-Cola Company, Unilever.