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Establish Plastic Policy for my Country |
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by Rosa Domingos | 03-10-2018 19:02
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The environmental laws of South Africa collectively known as the NEMA act serve as provide the right to every person for a non-harmful environment and simultaneously mandates the government to protect the environment (Enviro Editor, 2010). But specific policies have not been put in place for the dire pollution taking place in rural areas (specifically) and cities. If given the opportunity, I would like to establish a policy that would ban single-use plastic and paper. Too many times, we are addressed with paper and plastic lying around our streets, parks, stadiums, etc. but we hardly have a legalised framework to cater for these mobile single use materials. Currently, NGOs host a number of clean-up campaigns, where they would call on the masses to participate in cleaning up a river (that's how bad the situation really is) or park withing their communities and hold up rallys in an effort to address the issue.  Single-use palstic (Enviro Editor, 2010). But the problem is not with this pollution itself, but by lack of enforcement, and lack of governance within our country to rightly put up strict policies on matters of the environment. The polluter pays principle can only take a country so far, it may even happen that the polluter won't be able to honour the fine due to it being too high.  Paper pollution (10 Interesting Littering Facts, 2012) A behavioural shift needs to take place. One where the people are made aware of the circumstance they are in and how polluting will further worsen their situation. What good are the International Coastal Clean-up Day (19 September), Clean-up and Recycle SA week (11 - 17 September) and World Clean-up Day (15 September 2018) if they are only shown importance for one week or a day (Dept' of Environmetal Affairs, 2017)?  International Coastal Clean Up Day (Dept' of Environmetal Affairs, 2017) The message should be set every week. Awareness and clean-up programmes should be the order of the day, everyday! Hence the second policy ( apart from the zero food waste from the previous report) I would like to establish is Zero Plastic and Paper selling and usage. Reference list Enviro Editor. 2010. NEMA – South Africa National Environmental Management Act – Legislation and Environmental Acts. [Online]. Available: https://www.environment.co.za/environmental-laws-and-legislation-in-south-africa/nema-south-africa-national-environmental-management-act-legislation-and-environmental-acts.html. June 3, 2010. Accessed: October 3, 2018. Clean-up and Recycle SA Week. 2017. Department of Environmental Affairs. [Online]. Available: https://www.environment.gov.za/mediarelease/internationalcoastalcleanupday. 2017. Accessed: October 3, 2018. Images 10 Interesting Littering Facts. 2012. DAILY WORLD FACTS: Interesting Facts around the world. [Online]. Available: http://www.dailyworldfacts.com/littering-facts/. March 12, 2012. Accessed: October 3, 2018. Enviro Editor. 2010. NEMA – South Africa National Environmental Management Act – Legislation and Environmental Acts. [Online]. Available: https://www.environment.co.za/environmental-laws-and-legislation-in-south-africa/nema-south-africa-national-environmental-management-act-legislation-and-environmental-acts.html. June 3, 2010. Accessed: October 3, 2018. Clean-up and Recycle SA Week. 2017. Department of Environmental Affairs. [Online]. Available: https://www.environment.gov.za/mediarelease/internationalcoastalcleanupday. 2017. Accessed: October 3, 2018. |
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15 Comments
Greetings Rosa
I hope you are doing well
Thank you so much for this report
Keep writing
Green cheers
Regards
Sus
Posted 15-03-2020 16:38
:) Thanks Joon. Will do!
Posted 08-10-2018 00:26
Hey there Bonface!
You're right! Just like how the Nation of Uganda put a ban on the use of plastic. So should the Nation of South Africa.
Thank you!
Posted 08-10-2018 00:25
Good to see your feedback! Keep up with your work :)
Posted 07-10-2018 23:42
Yea, single-use should just be banned.
Posted 07-10-2018 19:01
Hi Joon!
Yes, I truely believe that a drive should be envoked. And objectives recognised. An implementation process is the main problem when it comes policies and that is what we need to sort out.
Thank you
Posted 07-10-2018 02:01
Hi Gyeongrin!
Truely, reuseable material can go a long way in saving our environment. And people should release that it is everyone's responsibility to keep their environment clean.
Thank you Gyeongrin!
Posted 07-10-2018 01:55
Hello Rosa, I saw your feedback on different ambassador's report concerning waste management system. As you said there, precise campaigns specified at each individual objectives may help policies get more polished and better off!
Thanks for your report :)
Posted 07-10-2018 00:00
Hello Rosa
The use of plastics and papers are getting way above a tolerable amount.
These excessive use of resources should be monitored voluntarily and if possible would be better to shift to products that could be overused more than once.
And where you said that these acts 'should be the order of the day, everyday!' is very true!
Thanks for the report :)
Posted 06-10-2018 23:43
Hey there Deepak!
Many countries have exisiting rigid policies, but the enforcement and and implementation unit is absent. I also hope that the Nation of Nepal also looks towards their plastic policy to eradicate pollution.
Thank you!
Posted 05-10-2018 20:35
Making policy is one thing and implementation is next,
Problem in developing countries is that they cannot exhibit existing policies.
I hope Like Nepal and other developing countries make strong policy and implementation so that we can minimise plastics pollution.
Thank you for your report.
Posted 05-10-2018 17:51
Hi Israel,
True. You grasped my reasoning just right. poor governance, implementation and maintenance have been the very growth of pollution these days. As you mentioned, government should also strong go for taxing high prices on plastics. That might be the only way manufactures will divert from the use of plastic,
Posted 04-10-2018 16:02
Rosa, your proposed policies are very impressive. What I have understood is that many of these policies have been existing as you have also said, but the implementation and supervision of those policies have been very poor. If governments can revise their environmental policies with aim of making a change, you will see that those policies are more powerful than they have been addressed.
Answering Nikolay's question, one of the best ways to reduce plastic producion to place a charge on the company or increasing the tax such company pays. Soonest, you will see companies using other eco-friendly materials to package their products.
Thank for your report Rosa.
Posted 03-10-2018 23:15
Hi Nikolay.
To that question, I would suggest that a deadline to discontinue the manufacturing of single use plastic and paper be initiated. It should be a three months deadline or at most six months.
There are going to be some limitations to this, with regards to schools and work-places that need paper in the form of books, sheets for printing and so on and so forth. But the main aim is to reduced and ultimately eradicate the presence of single use plastic in the form of packaging, because once you unwrap a product, you don't think twice about the piece of material, instead you throw it away.
Also, setting up a recycling house in the workplace and schools are important. A few schools and work areas are doing it now but that does not suffice.
Posted 03-10-2018 21:21
Roza, hi! I really like the measures you proposed, I fully support them. I have a question. How do you think you can influence the companies that produce plastic? After all, until we reduce the production of plastic, the problem of pollution of the planet with plastic will not be solved.
Posted 03-10-2018 20:58