Fishing Line Bin Initiative relaunched through industry collaboration and environmental partnerships

THE SUSTAINABLE SEAS TRUST (SST), in partnership with Plastics SA, the South African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA) and Marley Pipe Systems, has relaunched and expanded its successful Fishing Line Bin Initiative following a generous donation of PVC pipes and fittings from Marley Pipe Systems in response to a call for industry support from SAPPMA.

The fishing line bin concept has a long, successful history in South Africa and has helped remove significant quantities of fishing-related waste from the environment while raising awareness about the dangers discarded fishing line poses to marine wildlife.

Launched by Plastics SA along the Gansbaai shoreline in 2010, the Fishing Line Recovery and Recycling Programme provides anglers with a way to dispose of used fishing line. It shows how simple interventions can drive meaningful environmental change. SST joined the initiative in 2022 and has since installed and monitored fishing line bins at key coastal sites in Nelson Mandela Bay, helping to prevent harmful fishing line from entering the ocean while generating long-term data on marine debris.

“Fishing line can entangle seabirds, seals, sharks and other marine species, making responsible collection and disposal essential. Constructed from durable PVC pipe components, these bins are specifically designed to withstand harsh outdoor conditions while securely containing collected waste. Their simple but effective design has made them a recognised environmental solution at coastal and community sites across the country,” explains Douw Steyn, Sustainability Director at Plastics SA.

The project’s relaunch was possible through a collaborative effort led by the South African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA), which issued a call to its members to support the initiative through donations of pipe and fitting components required for the construction of the collection bins.

Marley Pipe Systems generously donated 80 units of each of the PVC pipe and fitting components required to construct the collection structures. The donation included storage baskets, proven to be invaluable in organising components during assembly and deployment.

“We are incredibly grateful to SAPPMA for facilitating this industry partnership and to Marley Pipe Systems for their swift and generous response. This contribution enables us to continue protecting our marine environment and adapt the proven bin design for use in schools and other litter prevention initiatives,” said Dr Stacey Webb, Head of Marine and Coastal Impact Programmes at SST.

The first six structures were assembled and deployed across three primary schools in Motherwell, Gqeberha.

These units have been adapted for the collection of lollipop sticks, which SST research has identified as a significant contributor to litter leakage within school environments. This adaptation demonstrates the versatility of the bin design and its potential to address a range of litter challenges in different environments.

Building on the success of both the fishing line and school litter collection programmes, SST and its partners are now exploring opportunities to expand the Fishing Line Bin Initiative to additional locations and applications once the current school rollout phase is complete.

www.sst.org.za
www.marleypipesystems.co.za
www.plasticsinfo.co.za

www.sappma.co.za