Plastics SA announced the winners of the 2023 Caroline Reid Awards and officially launched Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week 2023 as part of the 2nd Annual Mandela Day activities which took place on 18 July 2023 at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg.

The event, organised by Clean City SA (an award-winning community-based non-profit company), built upon the success of the inaugural event in 2022 which drew the participation of 16 organizations and 316 individuals. This year, more than 200 participants dedicated their time and energy to serving the community by clean-ups, planting of indigenous trees, vegetables, and herbs at Constitution Hill and 3 Kotze Street, benefitting the Home for Displaced Persons.

The Corporate winners of the 2023 Caroline Reid Awards were Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Environment (DFFE), Pick n Pay, PETCO, Coca-Cola, POLYCO, SAVA, Sasol, Tuffy, PAMSA, The Glass Recycling Company, Packaging SA, Kelpak, The Dow Chemical Company, and Safripol in recognition of their long-standing commitment and support to Plastics SA’s clean-up and recycling activities.  Several community groups were also acknowledged for their exceptional contributions to environmental preservation and community engagement, namely Alexandra Water Warriors, Kwalata Game Reserve, Helderberg Ocean Awareness, Lovemore Foundation, Soulbent Project, Mosselbank River Conservation Team, David Beckett, Benjamin Kriel, Green School Cape Town, Shark Spotters, and Friends of the Liesbeeck.

“We launched the Caroline Reid Award in 2019 to recognize and reward excellence in South Africa by individuals and organisations who have made significant contributions to waterways, marine, and coastal clean-up initiatives in memory of a fearless and passionate conservation warrior who was also a very dear friend of the industry,” explains Douw Steyn, Sustainability Director at Plastics SA. 

Steyn also announced that this year’s Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week will take place from 11-16 September 2023. He emphasized the significance of clean-up events, community involvement, and a proactive approach to combatting plastic litter. He underscored the importance of ongoing education about recycling and effective waste management to foster a sustainable environment and neighbourhoods.

“Today’s event and the active participation by organisations such as Jo’burg City Parks, Pikitup, Inner City Partnership, Constitution Hill and Joburg a World Class African City serves as a testament to the power of collective action and community engagement. Working together like this, we are propelling South Africa towards a greener and more sustainable future,” Steyn said.

Dalu Cele, Founder and CEO of Clean City SA, said: “Clean-Up & Recycle SA Week holds a special place in our hearts as we join forces with many organizations to create positive change in the communities of inner-city Johannesburg. We want to inspire communities to keep up the good work of keeping their neighbourhoods clean. Everyone can make a difference every day by picking up trash and recycling. Our  partnership with Plastics SA and the other organisations who participated today, amplifies our efforts to promote a circular economy, waste reduction, re-use, and recycling as the preferred waste management options. Together, we are making a real difference!”