Reusable refuse bags aid beach clean ups
By reusing bags Waste Action Tribe reduces the need to recycle as often.
LINDSAY Hopkins, a Durban North resident and founder of environmental organisation, Waste Action Tribe, has got clean beaches in the bag as she collects reusable woven bags to use at beach clean ups. She said the bags are ideal for collecting litter because they are reusable and withstand more wear and tear than plastic counterparts.
By reusing bags, Hopkins reduces the need to recycle as often.
“These bags, we can just keep using and using. The only time we discard them is if one gets contaminated, if something spills and then we would rather, unfortunately throw it away. The yellow bags are also great because they are made from recycled plastic, so if we get them into a recycling unit, they are going back to where they came from, but the white weave bags are a lot more hardy, especially on the beach, where we are picking up sharp objects at times,” she said.
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Hopkins has collected between 500 to 1000 bags from locals SPAR supermarkets since she spotted them at the Kensington SPAR and struck up a conversation with manager, Abdallah Fazili.
Fazili said the bags, a SPAR design, are used to deliver frozen chicken to the shop.
“Per week, we receive more than 150 bags,” he said.
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He has been collecting the bags for about two months and setting them aside for Hopkins who collects ahead of beach clean ups. Hopkins encouraged the community to make use of reusable bags.
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