Plastics SA drives collaborative action for cleaner rivers and oceans ahead of World Oceans Day 2026
UNDER the theme “Catalysing Action for Our Ocean & Climate,” Plastics SA is intensifying its efforts to prevent plastic pollution from reaching South Africa’s rivers, streams and oceans through a series of collaborative river catchment projects across the country.
The United Nations’ World Oceans Day campaign calls for urgent collective action to protect ocean health and climate stability, while supporting the global target of protecting at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.
Central to Plastics SA’s approach is the belief that protecting the environment is a shared responsibility and one that starts with every individual, business, municipality and organisation playing an active role.
“It starts with me” has therefore become a powerful call to action underpinning Plastics SA’s river catchment initiatives, encouraging South Africans to take ownership of their actions and participate in efforts to ensure cleaner rivers, streams and oceans for future generations.
According to Douw Steyn, sustainability director of Plastics SA, collaboration and community ownership are critical to the long-term success of any environmental initiative. “Cleaner oceans begin with cleaner rivers, cleaner streets and cleaner communities. We cannot solve pollution in isolation. It requires collaboration across the entire value chain: government, industry, Producer Responsibility Organisations, NGOs, businesses, schools and communities all have an important role to play. Ultimately, it starts with each one of us taking responsibility for our actions,” says Steyn.
Rather than implementing standalone projects, Plastics SA’s role is to coordinate the various role-players already active within river catchments, helping align resources, expertise, infrastructure and community participation to create sustainable solutions with long-term impact.
The organisation works closely with municipalities, environmental organisations, Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), waste management companies, schools, recyclers, local businesses and community groups to assess each catchment area and identify practical interventions that can reduce waste leakage into waterways and oceans.
Plastics SA is also engaging with PROs such as Petco and Polyco, schools, local businesses and recycling partners to help improve collection volumes and strengthen recycling systems within the area.
