---
title: "Game changing the War on Waste"
description: "Every single person who joins the War on Waste is a hero. They’re on the frontline, reducing, recycling, reusing, and repurposing. Making a difference."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Sponsored Content"
author: "Safripol"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/safripol/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-02-27-game-changing-the-war-on-waste/"
published: "2023-02-27T09:11:24"
updated: "2023-02-27T09:17:01"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 455
---

# Game changing the War on Waste

> Every single person who joins the War on Waste is a hero. They’re on the frontline, reducing, recycling, reusing, and repurposing. Making a difference.

By Safripol · Published 27 February 2023, 11:11 SAST · Updated 27 February 2023, 11:17 SAST

## Key points
- Safripol is leading the way in South Africa's fight against plastic waste. Through their "War on Waste" campaign, they are encouraging a change of mindset and educating citizens on the value of plastic. They have partnered with NGO's and local communities to develop innovative solutions such as Litter Booms, separation at source, and sponsored recycling bins. These initiatives have resulted in the recovery of 6.6 tons of plastic waste from KZN river catchment areas alone! Safripol were also recently honoured for their efforts with a PETCO award for "Recycling Partnership Gamechanger". It's clear that Safripol is doing their part to reduce pollution and make South Africa a greener, cleaner place.
- Safripol is leading the fight against plastic pollution with innovative tactics and strategies
- They are actively engaging in initiatives to reduce single-use plastics, rethinking plastic use and encouraging waste collection and recycling
- In KZN, they have implemented Litter Booms to collect floating plastic waste, distributed recycling bags and sponsored waste recycling bins nationwide
- Recently recognised as “Recycling Partnership Gamechanger” at the 2022 PETCO awards DM

## Content

They can use some support. Safripol is right there in the efforts to reduce pollution. Leading from the front with an array of tactics and strategies to move South Africa along the road to victory. In fact, Safripol’s involvement is game-changing. A polymer manufacturer doing the previously unthinkable and motivating for a reduction in the use of single-use plastics like plastic straws (they even put up a giant plastic straw in Emmarentia dam to draw attention to the fact that plastic straws don’t belong in the environment).

At the same time, Safripol believes that the ‘war’ can only be won through a change of mindset. Rethinking the context of plastic in the modern world.

Safripol’s logic is simple. Plastic waste only becomes pollution when it ends up where it’s not meant to be. In our oceans, in our rivers, in our environment. It shouldn’t even be in our landfills. Plastic waste has value. It can be reused, repurposed, and recycled.

Safripol launched the War on Waste to educate and to create better awareness of the issues. But they don’t stop there. They put their minds and money into coming up with innovative solutions to the problem. Partnering with NGO’s, government, waste reclaimers, and local communities, they embarked on a series of sustainability initiatives to advance waste collection and recycling across South Africa.

[YouTube video: "YouTube video player"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOSwqCrp1Ig)

In KZN, in partnership with Green Corridors, they implemented Litter Booms in 21 river catchment areas to collect floating plastic waste and prevent it from reaching the sea. Around 6.6 tons of plastic waste was recovered in the last few months alone.

On all their own facilities, they have implemented ‘separation at source’, making the process of diverting plastic for recycling much more efficient. 47,000 recycling bags were also distributed to employees for the home collection of plastic waste.

Waste recycling bins and bags have been sponsored nationwide in a huge boost to recycling efforts.

**Support for buy-back centres continued with**Safripol providing further support to Bophelo buy-back centre and equipping it with a generator to enable it to be fully operational and to increase its collection volumes, and revenue earning potential.

With partners, Safripol arranged clean-up operations at Vaal river, uMngeni Blue Lagoon and Parys, resulting in the recovery of over a ton of plastic waste.

Avashnee Chetty, Sustainability Manager at Safripol, talking about the success of the sustainability drives, had this to say “ .., all of this and the impact that we’ve achieved over the past year is only possible because of the partners”.

In their ongoing fight against waste, with efforts that seem to deliver more and more success, Safripol were proud to receive acknowledgment when they were named as  “Recycling Partnership Gamechanger” at the 2022 PETCO awards. **DM**

[YouTube video: "YouTube video player"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWuPdtgYBhM)