This article has been supplied.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.
History of the fishing line bin project
The fishing line bin concept has a long history of success in South Africa. The programme, originally championed by Plastics SA and its industry partners, 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.
The Fishing Line Recovery and Recycling Programme was officially first launched by Plastics SA along the Gansbaai shoreline in 2010 to provide anglers with a convenient and environmentally responsible way to dispose of used fishing line. The initiative has since grown to become a proven example of 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 valuable long-term data on marine debris.
