In February, the Department of Environmental Affairs entered into talks with industry representatives to phase out or ban single-use plastic products entirely in South Africa.
In a parliamentary Q&A session last week, Barbara Creecy, Minister of Forestry and Fisheries and Environmental Affairs, said the department is reviewing its policy on single-use plastic. The aim is to be complete by the end of this financial year.
Speaking to Business Tech, Creecy said, ‘It is a matter of public record that the management of plastics in the world generally, and in our own country, is suboptimal. Consequently, this is an important area to which we must respond if we are to protect our oceans.’
According to Creecy, the review will include discussions with the retail, pharmaceutical and cosmetics sectors and the paper and packaging industry. The talks will be focused on ways to tackle single-use plastic and disposal management.
Read: Plan to ban single-use plastic in SA gains traction
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