Ehlanzeni District Municipality receives 80 bins to beat plastic pollution

“Beat Plastic Pollution.” This is 2023’s World Environment Day’s theme.

On a quest to raise awareness, the Ehlanzeni District Municipality (EDM), in collaboration with various stakeholders, commemorated the day at the Disaster Management Centre on June 8.

World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 annually to raise awareness and to encourage action for the protection of our planet.

The EDM’s executive mayor, Cllr Jesta Sidell, said based on the challenges the district is currently facing, it is evident that illegal dumpsites are mushrooming everywhere, which poses a threat to the environment and human beings.

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“As the proactive district, we, therefore, initiated this event to ensure that we address these challenges in order to protect our environment from degradation. Some communities in EDM are not fully aware of the environmental management functions and legislations that govern the environment, to ensure the balance. The district also witnessed a gap in stakeholder participation in environmental initiatives.”

Sidell said following the current theme, some of the perceived planned activities will include curbing the spread of illegal dumping of waste in unauthorised areas.

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“The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, the Provincial Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs, and Tshikovha Green and Climate Change Advocates are identified as some of the key stakeholders with whom to partner to improve waste management in the EDM.”

Sidell said given the persistent nature of plastic and its toxicity, plastic pollution is a significant threat to biodiversity, ecosystems, animals and plant species.
On the day, EDM received about 80 bins from Unica Plastics.