By Bisola Adeyemo
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) in South Africa announced plan on importing plastic waste for recycling in order to meet the plastic industry’s needs.
DFFE Minister Barbra Creecy in a statement said that the import of plastic waste will be regulated under the outlining and mandate of the Basel Convention which addresses the movement of hazardous waste between nations.
Chief director of communications in the DFFE, Albi Modise, said all imported plastic waste are going to be recycled.
According to Creecy, South Africa’s existing systems are effective enough in “significantly reducing” plastic waste, especially plastic waste going into the ocean.
South Africa’s stance on the Convention outraged Greenpeace, which pointed to the nation being the third worst offender of plastic waste production on the continent.
The South African environment department is captured by corporate interests when it comes to the plastic issue in our country.