Richardsbay harbor is a relatively small town in Northern KwaZulu-Natal South Africa. It has a modest population size of mixed peri-urban urban areas. There are a number of industries in RichardsBay, which also makes it an industrial area. our resutls showed that in terms of quantity, a total of 131 kg was collected with 41% being plastic and 59 % being other types of debris. One interesting thing about the debris composition in RichardsBay Harbour, however, was that Glass contributed more than 20 % of the total amount of debris collected.
It was interesting to see the abundant glass beverage bottles as these have high value attached to them and are readily recyclable. Other significant contributors included paper and clothing, which can also be recycled or even up-cycled at source. It is important to note that the bulk of the debris was recyclable i.e. 20% glass, 40% plastic, and 20 % paper & clothing. With proper waste management and increased awareness of recyclables and alternative choices, more than 80 % of debris will be eliminated in Richards Bay.
There are already effective recycling establishments in South Africa including Mpact and PETCO. While some of these establishments are accessible to the public, there is generally not much awareness on the ground on the value attached to these recyclables. Glass, in particular, is one of the high-value end products in the recycling industry and recyclers generally make substantial revenue selling glass.
Perhaps there is a niche for smaller recycling companies to be established to mitigate between recyclers on the ground and large recycling establishments. Either way, education and awareness remain a barrier in combatting the extent of ocean pollution in Richards Bay.
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