Tangible solutions to marine plastic pollution

Plastic pollution is one of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time. Its far-reaching consequences have prompted global action, with the United Nations setting the Sustainable Development Goal N°14: to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, including plastics, by 2025.

When we offered our clients gift donations at the end of the year to help set up 3 impactfull projects, we wanted to include an initiative to protect the ocean. One of the projects to be supported was the protection of the coastline of the Sea Point promenade in Cape Town, which is managed by Pristine Earth Collective.
And it’s thanks to the choice of our customers that we can today bear witness to this action!

Pristine Earth Collective, a resourceful partner

Created in 2019, Pristine Earth Collective is an NGO founded by Brett Jordaan and George Van der Schyff, two Cape Town residents and ocean enthusiasts.

The NGO’s goal is to accelerate impactful solutions to the marine plastics crisis by:

• finding innovative solutions to intercept plastic before it enters our oceans,
• working with communities worst affected by plastic pollution.

“The Pristine Pathways Litter Net Project” is one of their innovative projects. It started in August 2022 in Sea Point, a coastal suburb of Cape Town. Its objectives are both environmental and social.

Reduce plastic waste at Sea Point

In Cape Town, stormwater drains along the Atlantic coast feed onto the beach and into the ocean. Notorious for their violent winds and heavy winter rains, these drains collect streams of waste that end up in the ocean.

Situated along the Atlantic Seaboard, Sea Point is a popular destination for Capetonians and tourists. This picturesque neighbourhood is known for its promenade, stretching along the coastline.

By strategically installing five litter nets along these stormwater drains on the Sea Point Promenade, Pristine  Earth Collective can effectively:

1. trap and collect macro plastic and other debris,
2. safeguard the marine ecosystem,
3. maintain the visual appeal of this touristic area.

The team in the heart of the project

Alakhe and Phakamisa play a critical role in efforts to combat plastic pollution by performing essential tasks, such as:

• maintaining cleanliness and effectiveness of the five nets,
• manually cleaning the surrounding beaches of micro-plastic which bypass the nets.

Both have a passion for the environment, and have been involved with the project since its inception and are extremely knowledgeable.

Thanks to them, 1,238 bags containing plastic and other objects have been collected in the Sea Point area before reaching the Atlantic Ocean, since August 2022.

Recently, they have participated in a 6-week net-making course in Cape Town to empower themselves with the skills needed to internally repair and maintain the nets, thereby ensuring the uninterrupted pursuit of their mission.

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Aware of this challenge, Odity teams in Cape Town will soon be joining the association to help collect plastic waste.
We look forward to sharing photos of this collaborative initiative with you!