Cape Town: The City celebrated Global Recycling Day. It is observed annually on March18. The Biodiversity Management Branch hosted a collaborative beach clean-up in Hout Bay on Friday, March 27, 2026. The initiative brought together key partners that include Plastics SA, Shark Spotters and City Departments such as Solid Waste Management and Coastal Management.
As per the sources, approximately 20 bags of waste were collected during the clean-up, with convenience food containers and disposable coffee cups among the most commonly found items.
Deputy Mayor and Member of the Mayoral Committee for Spatial Planning and Environment – Alderman Eddie Andrews stated that he would like to thank all the participants who contributed to the Hout Bay Carbon Smart Beach clean-up. Pollution, particularly the plastic waste, poses a serious threat to the marine and coastal environments.
On the day, City staff and stakeholders joined hands-on clean-up efforts with focused education. Teams, supported by Solid Waste Management officials, collected and sorted waste using bags, provided by Plastics SA. While a dedicated group targeted microplastics embedded in the sand.
Following the clean-up, collected waste was sorted into recyclable and non-recyclable streams using separation bags provided by the Solid Waste Department. This process reinforced the importance of separation at source and improved participants’ understanding of what can be recycled.
Environmental education was a key component of the event. Also, Shark Spotters delivered an engaging session on the impact of microplastics on marine life and ocean ecosystems. They highlighted the direct link between environmental pollution and human wellbeing.
According to Andrews, one of the most noticeable items collected during the clean-up were convenience food containers and disposable coffee cups. Notably, very few plastic bottles were found. This is likely because these are among the most commonly recycled items and are often collected by informal waste pickers.
It is also important to recognise that the beach is cleaned twice daily by the Hout Bay Solid Waste depot. It reflected the ongoing commitment to maintain and rehabilitate the natural environment.
Along with this, the Carbon Smart Beach Clean-Up was hosted by the City of Cape Town’s Carbon Smart Skills Development Programme.
The Carbon Smart Skills Development Programme is an initiative designed to integrate sustainable, green construction practices with community empowerment. Driven by the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), the Carbon Smart Academy aims to employ members of vulnerable communities and educate them through structured tutelage over a three-year period.
Deputy Mayor Andrews said that one of the main themes was the bioaccumulation of plastics in aquatic environments. In simple terms, small items like wrappers left on the beach break down over time, are eaten by marine life and move up the food chain.
Eventually ending up on the plates. The message is simple: it is up to each and every one of us to make a difference. Even the smallest piece of litter matters, said Andrews.