South Africa's Plastic Waste Efforts: Levy Failure and 30th Clean‑Up Week

South Africa ranks among the world’s top contributors to marine plastic pollution. A 2004 plastic carrier‑bag levy intended to curb single‑use bags has largely failed: retailers shifted the cost to consumers, funds were redirected to the national treasury, and billions of bags continue to litter rivers and coastlines, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities.

Plastics SA is marking the 30th anniversary of the national Clean‑Up & Recycle SA Week, scheduled for 14‑20 September 2026 under the theme “It Starts With Me”. The campaign, supported by producer‑responsibility organisations, government bodies, NGOs and schools, will distribute 500,000 bright‑yellow clean‑up bags and mobilise thousands of volunteers to remove litter from neighbourhoods, rivers and beaches. "The first Clean‑Up & Recycle SA Week took place in 1996 and was built on the simple belief that ordinary South Africans could make an extraordinary difference," said Douw Steyn, Sustainability Director at Plastics SA.