#WorldEnvironmentDay: New recycling initiative to minimise South Africa's impact on Antarctica
The project is being run in partnership with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and Innocence and Sons Recycling, and will see this waste brought back aboard the SA Agulhas II, South Africa's polar supply and research vessel (see pictures here).
All waste generated at the South African National Antarctic Programme (Sanap) research stations is carefully sorted at source into recyclables (plastics, glass, paper, cans), general waste, organic waste, hazardous materials, and sewage (treated separately). In line with the Madrid Protocol on Environmental Protection, no waste is dumped or discarded in these sensitive ecosystems.
Once securely packaged, the waste is shipped back to Cape Town Harbour aboard the SA Agulhas II, where its journey continues into South Africa's recycling economy.
Recycling without borders
'This project proves that even in the most remote and fragile environments, meaningful action to #BeatPlasticPollution is possible,' said Patricia Pillay, CEO of Polyco. 'It's a powerful demonstration of circularity in action showing that no place is too far, and no effort too small, when it comes to protecting our planet.'
The project also includes a novel approach to food waste: frozen kitchen scraps from the polar stations are being repurposed as animal feed, further reducing landfill disposal and expanding the range of waste streams recovered.
Polyco's project partner, Innocence and Sons Recycling, processes these materials using innovative mobile recycling tools like the Packa-Ching trailer. Once offloaded, recyclables are weighed, sorted, and fed back into the circular economy supporting job creation, reducing pollution, and enabling local environmental impact.
'This is recycling without borders,' added Innocence Smit, founder of Innocence and Sons. 'We're turning waste into worth and showing that even plastic from Antarctica can support livelihoods and drive sustainability here in South Africa.'
Syndigate.info).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Business
an hour ago
- Gulf Business
From café to empire: Natasha Sideris on Tashas Group's Middle East rise
When Natasha Sideris opened the first tashas restaurant in Johannesburg's Atholl Square in 2005, she never imagined it would grow into an international dining empire. Now based in Dubai, Sideris is leading one of the most ambitious expansions in global hospitality, taking her boutique approach to dining far beyond her native South Africa. Today, Tashas Group operates 40 restaurants across five countries. Of these, 18 are located in South Africa, 17 in the UAE, 3 in Saudi Arabia, 1 in Bahrain, and 1 in the UK. With 15 additional openings scheduled in the next 18 months, the group is on track for continued expansion across its core markets. 'I always said I would never go into the food business,' Sideris laughs, recalling her childhood. 'My father was a restaurateur, and I saw how hard it was. The only day we spent with him was Mondays, when restaurants closed in South Africa. He'd take us to The Doll's House for steak rolls and milkshakes. But otherwise, he was always working.' While studying psychology at university, her father convinced her to help out at his busy Fishmonger restaurant in Rivonia, a suburb in northern Johannesburg. 'I'd go to lectures during the day, my apron in the boot of the car. Then I'd work from four in the afternoon until one or two in the morning,' she recalls. 'I fell in love with the adrenaline and the customer interaction.' 'Working in restaurants combines everything I love: people, interiors, the way spaces make you feel, and of course, food. Growing up in a Greek household, food was always at the centre of everything.' The birth of tashas After years working with her father and running several restaurants, including a successful turnaround of a Nino's outlet, an opportunity came knocking. A landlord who admired her work offered her a site if she created her own brand. Sideris brainstormed dozens of names before finally agreeing to name it after herself. 'The landlord kept saying, 'Call it tashas.' I was hesitant, but eventually I said, 'OK, let's go for it.'' From its very first day, tashas in Johannesburg's upmarket Atholl Square was packed. That restaurant opening marked the beginning of the tashas journey and, by 2008, just three years later, Sideris sold a majority 51 per cent stake to JSE-listed food group Famous Brands. 'It was a good deal at the time,' she explains. 'I had two restaurants. They offered corporate governance, admin systems, procurement.' The partnership proved valuable in the early years, but eventually, Sideris realised she was doing all the heavy lifting. 'I was driving everything myself, especially once I moved to Dubai,' she says. COVID-19 provided an unexpected opportunity. 'It was devastating globally, but for me, it allowed me to renegotiate and buy the business back. Now, it's just myself, my brother Savva Sideris, and a minority partner who own the group.' The Dubai move In 2014, Sideris made the bold decision to open in Dubai – a move that would fuel international growth. 'South Africa was saturated. The UK and US had too many barriers to entry. Dubai made sense: close to South Africa, culturally familiar, with an incredible hospitality scene. Greeks and Arabs share a love for family, food, and generosity.' That move has proven transformative, given the global expansion her business has experienced. While many brands lose their identity as they grow, Sideris insists on maintaining what she calls 'boutique at scale.' 'Every venue we open feels as carefully crafted as the first. We want customers to feel a genuine sense of place and hospitality wherever they visit,' she says. That commitment includes maintaining South African staff culture even as the business grows internationally. 'When we opened our first store in Galleria Mall here in Dubai, I insisted that 70 per cent of the staff had to be South African. Today we aim for 25 per cent, but South Africans and Zimbabweans are still a core part of our DNA.' Pictured: Avli by tashas in DIFC reflects Natasha Sideris's expanding portfolio and premium positioning in the UAE's culinary scene. A new phase of growth The next phase of growth will take the group deeper into international markets. Luxury concepts such as Flamingo Room by tashas, Avli by tashas (now open in both Dubai and Bahrain), and Bungalo34 are being positioned for major cities and beach destinations across Europe, the US, and Asia. Meanwhile, the casual dining formats, especially NALA and tashas, are slated for broad expansion via franchising globally. New concepts launching this year include Arlecchino by tashas , a premium casual Italian offering, and Café Sofi , an ode to Sideris' late mother, opening in Cape Town. The group's expansion strategy balances flagship-owned venues with selective franchising. Sideris remains intimately involved in interiors, food, drinks and branding. 'I'm not involved in admin or training day-to-day: my teams are excellent at that,' she says. 'But I still sign off on every interior design, every dish, every beverage, every piece of marketing. It's my passion.' 'In the beginning, it was partly about money and partly for the love of it,' she reflects. 'Now, it's about legacy and creating opportunities for our people. We're building an ESOP (employee share ownership programme) because I want those who have been with us to benefit long-term.' She sums it up simply: 'I want people to say we created something special, that we made a difference in people's lives.'
The National
5 hours ago
- The National
Brics leaders meet under pressure from tariffs, oil shocks and climate rifts
When the leaders of the Brics group of developing countries gather on Sunday for their 17th annual summit, the backdrop is one of the most geopolitically volatile the bloc has faced in years, with trade tension, regional conflicts and energy instability all converging at once. Three forces will shape the mood in the room at the two day summit. First, US President Donald Trump's 'liberation day' tariff blitz, which has landed across the Brics. China struck a trade truce with the US recently, reducing steep levies. But India still faces duties of up to 27 per cent on exports bound for the US, while South Africa is grappling with a 31 per cent levy. Brazil has been hit with a 10 per cent baseline tariff. While these measures were paused for 90-days, that window closes on July 9, so the threat of fresh trade disruption looms large. Wars and oil Second, there's the instability in the Middle East, following a 12-day war between Israel and Iran. Oil markets have already felt the impact: Brent, the benchmark for two thirds of the world's oil, surged nearly 12 per cent after Israel's mid-June strike, driven by fears that further escalation could disrupt ships carrying oil through the Strait of Hormuz. Prices have since cooled, but the stakes remain high. Any new conflict would hit oil importers, such as China and India, while a plunge would hit revenue for major Brics producers such as Russia and Brazil. That brings us to the third pressure point: the upcoming Opec+ meeting in Vienna on July 10. Russia remains a key player in the oil cartel, shaping production policy in tandem with Saudi Arabia, which is not a Brics member. Brazil joined Opec+ last year, although without binding production targets, while India and China (as major importers) closely watch the cartel's quota decisions, which influence global prices. Yet in practice, most Brics members are still price-takers rather than setters, highlighting the bloc's internal imbalance and its limited influence over global energy governance. Climate policy adds another layer of friction. While the EU continues to press for faster emissions cuts, the US has retreated from climate leadership under Mr Trump. Within Brics, positions vary: Russia is intent on protecting its fossil fuel revenue, while Brazil, India and China favour a more gradual transition that aligns with their development needs. Diverging views on climate policy point to a broader issue facing Brics: as the bloc positions itself as a champion of a more 'balanced' or 'multipolar' global order, how much actual influence does it have? Global impact Comparisons with the G7 — the bloc of industrialised nations that continues to shape global policy — are hard to avoid, given Brics' efforts to position itself as a voice for emerging economies. Yet, the group has struggled to match the G7's coherence or influence on the global stage. For example: China generates about 70 per cent of the original bloc's economic output, meaning the now expanded group (which includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE) lacks the scale and co-ordination needed to match the G7 in any meaningful way. Divisions within the bloc are not confined to economics either; they extend into diplomacy and security as well. The Middle East remains a key source of tension. Russia has taken a more assertive diplomatic line in support of Iran, particularly during its recent standoff with Israel. But other Brics members, especially India and Brazil, are likely to proceed with caution, unwilling to risk damaging relationships with the US and other western partners that are vital to their economic interests. With such differing interests, a unified stance on geopolitical crises, economic coordination, or energy policy remains unlikely. The summit is likely to deliver broad, cautious statements rather than any meaningful joint strategy. De-dollarisation? That same fragmentation is reflected in Brics' push to move away from dollar dependence — not by replacing the US currency altogether, but by reducing exposure to western-controlled financial systems. The broader aim of so-called de-dollarisation is to create alternative frameworks for trade and reserves that are less vulnerable to sanctions and less reliant on payment networks like SWIFT. However, de-dollarisation remains a distant goal. China 's renminbi is still closely managed against the greenback, the Russian rouble lacks stability, and currencies such as the Brazilian real and South African rand have little international traction. The idea of a shared BRICS currency has been raised by some leaders, but it remains more symbolic than substantive. With no common fiscal framework or monetary co-ordination among members, even developing a unified trading platform would face big obstacles. One area where Brics countries can make meaningful progress is at home. As global co-operation weakens, the way countries compete is changing. Strength now comes not only from what they sell abroad, but from the institutions they build and the connections they maintain with nearby markets. In a fragmented world, countries that combine domestic strength with access to nearby markets are holding up best. Switzerland tops the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking not only for its internal stability, but because it trades freely with the EU next door. Singapore, too, thrives not in isolation but by anchoring itself in South-East Asia's regional economy. For Brics, the deeper challenge is coherence. In a world drifting towards bilateralism, the group's ability to act with one voice remains in doubt. These tensions are not theoretical. The Iran crisis will test its diplomatic unity. Trump's tariffs will test its economic resolve. Opec+ will test its energy coordination. The Brics summit arrives, then, with limited expectations. The real test is not the declarations made this weekend, but the degree to which these countries can shape — rather than simply react to — the emerging world order.
Zawya
18 hours ago
- Zawya
bp South Africa Enhances Fuel Distribution Through Retail Site Upgrades
bp South Africa – a subsidiary of global energy major bp – is undergoing a strategic transformation to modernize its services, infrastructure and customer experience across the country. In May 2025, the company launched a comprehensive nationwide upgrade of its existing service stations and announced plans to construct 40 new retail sites equipped with expanded offerings, including electric vehicle charging stations and a low-carbon battery rental service. These efforts underscore bp South Africa's commitment to driving innovation while addressing energy poverty and decarbonization. As part of this strategic evolution, bp South Africa returns to African Energy Week (AEW) 2025: Invest in African Energies as a Platinum Partner, reaffirming its commitment to Africa's energy future. Held under the theme Positioning Africa as the Global Energy Champion, AEW: Invest in African Energies serves as the continent's premier platform for high-level dialogue, deal-making and partnership-building. The event brings together key stakeholders to accelerate progress toward a just and inclusive energy transition. AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit for more information about this exciting event. In line with its growth strategy, bp South Africa is enhancing fuel logistics through partnerships with DP World and Makwande Supply&Distribution, ensuring more efficient and cost-effective delivery of petroleum products nationwide. The company signed an agreement with the two logistics firms in 2024, enabling bp South Africa to outsource highly-specialized, non-core functions These initiatives aim to improve fuel accessibility and operational resilience across urban and rural markets. Beyond infrastructure, bp South Africa is deeply invested in local economic development, gender empowerment and inclusive growth. The company places a strong emphasis on diversity, with various programs being implemented to empower local businesses, enhance skills development and outreach. Notably, through a R58 million partnership with the Small Enterprise Finance Agency, bp South Africa is supporting black-owned SMEs with funding and technical skills to operate service stations, contributing to broader economic empowerment. A cooperation agreement was signed in 2023, aimed at supporting black-owned businesses across the country's fuel retain space. bp in Africa These efforts align with the broader goals of the larger bp group to advance energy projects in Africa. Driven by a commitment to innovation and inclusive growth, bp is scaling up its operations across the continent through strategic investments and partnerships. In Angola, the company merged its assets with those of energy major Eni in 2022, creating Azule Energy – the country's largest independent equity producer of oil and gas. Azule Energy targets 250,000 barrels per day in Angola, with several projects coming online in the coming months. These include the Agogo Integrated West Hub Development and Angola's first non-associated gas project. In the MSGBC region, bp leads the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG project – situated on the maritime border of Senegal and Mauritania. The project achieved first gas flow in January 2025. The company also plays a major role in North Africa's gas sector. Notably, in February 2025, bp went onstream with the second-phase development of the Raven field, offshore Egypt. In Libya, the company is driving a multi-well drilling campaign following its return to the country in 2024. These investments underscore bp's commitment to Africa. 'bp South Africa has played a foundational role in shaping the country's energy sector for over 100 years. As the energy landscape evolves, the company's inclusive approach, focus on innovation and support for women and entrepreneurs will continue playing an instrumental part in driving sustainable solutions,' said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
