IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i2p779-d722176.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Health and Environmental Impact of Plastic Waste Disposal in South African Townships: A Review

Author

Listed:
  • Adeleye Ayoade Adeniran

    (Department of Construction Management, School of Built Environment, EBEIT, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth 6001, South Africa)

  • Winston Shakantu

    (Department of Construction Management, School of Built Environment, EBEIT, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth 6001, South Africa)

Abstract

Twenty-first century human behaviour continues to escalate activities that result in environmental damage. This calls for environmentally friendly solutions, such as waste recycling and handling, to deal with the increased amount of waste, especially plastics. The plastic materials manufacturing sector is booming, particularly packaging; while only a fraction of its waste is recycled, another fraction is destroyed, and the larger part continues to pollute the environment. In addition to other waste disposal activities, destroying plastic or incineration (which could be for energy recovery) is usually subjected to strict legal requirements because of its effect on the environment. However plastic is destroyed or disposed of, it poses a serious challenge in both the short term and the long term to humans and their natural environment if the process is not efficiently managed. This article describes how a growing amount of plastic waste is disposed of haphazardly in South African townships, while most of the inhabitants are not aware or do not care about the adverse environmental and health effects of these actions. This article examines the environmental and health effects of poor plastic disposal in South African townships as it is in other developing countries to sensitise the citizens to the significance of reducing plastic waste quantities, which will downplay their impact on human health and the environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Adeleye Ayoade Adeniran & Winston Shakantu, 2022. "The Health and Environmental Impact of Plastic Waste Disposal in South African Townships: A Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-11, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:2:p:779-:d:722176
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/2/779/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/2/779/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zvanaka S. Mazhandu & Edison Muzenda & Tirivaviri A. Mamvura & Mohamed Belaid & Trust Nhubu, 2020. "Integrated and Consolidated Review of Plastic Waste Management and Bio-Based Biodegradable Plastics: Challenges and Opportunities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-57, October.
    2. Jiajia Zheng & Sangwon Suh, 2019. "Strategies to reduce the global carbon footprint of plastics," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(5), pages 374-378, May.
    3. Mupindu Wiseman & Mangizvo Remigios Vurayayi, 2012. "The Incidence of Plastic Debris along Tyume River in Alice, South Africa," International Journal of Asian Social Science, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 2(10), pages 1801-1814.
    4. Cheryl Qian Ying Yong & Suresh Valiyaveettil & Bor Luen Tang, 2020. "Toxicity of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Mammalian Systems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-24, February.
    5. Mupindu Wiseman & Mangizvo Remigios Vurayayi, 2012. "The Incidence of Plastic Debris along Tyume River in Alice, South Africa," International Journal of Asian Social Science, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 2(10), pages 1801-1814, October.
    6. Dikgang, Johane & Leiman, Anthony & Visser, Martine, 2012. "Analysis of the plastic-bag levy in South Africa," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 59-65.
    7. Aleksandra Fucic & Karen S. Galea & Radu Corneliu Duca & Mounia El Yamani & Nadine Frery & Lode Godderis & Thórhallur Ingi Halldorsson & Ivo Iavicoli & Sophie Ndaw & Edna Ribeiro & Susana Viegas & Han, 2018. "Potential Health Risk of Endocrine Disruptors in Construction Sector and Plastics Industry: A New Paradigm in Occupational Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-11, June.
    8. Jiajia Zheng & Sangwon Suh, 2019. "Publisher Correction: Strategies to reduce the global carbon footprint of plastics," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(7), pages 567-567, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kkathutshelo Mercy Makhitha, 2025. "South African Township Consumers’ Recycling Engagement and Their Actual Recycling Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-28, May.
    2. Xolisiwe Sinalo Grangxabe & Thabang Maphanga & Benett Siyabonga Madonsela & Babalwa Gqomfa & Takalani Terry Phungela & Karabo Concelia Malakane & Kgabo Humphrey Thamaga & Daniel Angwenyi, 2023. "The Escalation of Informal Settlement and the High Levels of Illegal Dumping Post-Apartheid: Systematic Review," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-15, September.
    3. Asheena Singh-Pillay & Jayaluxmi Naidoo, 2024. "Trainee Teachers’ Shift towards Sustainable Actions in Their Daily Routine," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-13, October.
    4. Asheena Singh-Pillay, 2023. "Pre-Service Teachers’ Experience of Learning about Sustainability in Technology Education in South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-13, January.
    5. Longina Madej-Kiełbik & Jagoda Jóźwik-Pruska & Radosław Dziuba & Karolina Gzyra-Jagieła & Nina Tarzyńska, 2024. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Amount of Plastic Waste and Alternative Materials in the Context of the Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-22, February.
    6. Katleho Keneuwe Khoaele & Oluwatoyin Joseph Gbadeyan & Viren Chunilall & Bruce Sithole, 2023. "The Devastation of Waste Plastic on the Environment and Remediation Processes: A Critical Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-14, March.
    7. Asheena Singh-Pillay, 2025. "Technology Student Teachers Address Energy and Environmental Concerns on Plastic Usage and Disposal Through Experiential Challenge-Based Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-14, April.
    8. Benjamin Gazeau & Roberto Minunno & Atiq Zaman & Faiz Shaikh, 2024. "Elevating Recycling Standards: Global Requirements for Plastic Traceability and Quality Testing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-16, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mohammad Alaghemandi, 2024. "Sustainable Solutions Through Innovative Plastic Waste Recycling Technologies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-37, November.
    2. Patria, Raffel Dharma & Rehman, Shazia & Yuen, Chun-Bong & Lee, Duu-Jong & Vuppaladadiyam, Arun K. & Leu, Shao-Yuan, 2024. "Energy-environment-economic (3E) hub for sustainable plastic management – Upgraded recycling, chemical valorization, and bioplastics," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 357(C).
    3. Konrad, Kai A. & Lommerud, Kjell Erik, 2021. "Effective climate policy needs non-combustion uses for hydrocarbons," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    4. N. O. Kapustin & D. A. Grushevenko, 2023. "Assessment of Long-Term Prospects for Demand in the Plastics Market in the Face of Industry Transformation," Studies on Russian Economic Development, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 243-253, April.
    5. Gilbert Moyen Massa & Vasiliki-Maria Archodoulaki, 2024. "An Imported Environmental Crisis: Plastic Mismanagement in Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-18, January.
    6. David Duindam, 2022. "Transitioning to Sustainable Healthcare: Decarbonising Healthcare Clinics, a Literature Review," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-20, December.
    7. Jin, Enze & Jabarivelisdeh, Banafsheh & Schoeneberger, Carrie & Chamanara, Sanaz & Dunn, Jennifer B. & Christopher, Phillip & Masanet, Eric, 2024. "Critical review of technologies, data, and scenario elements in net-zero pathway modeling for the chemical industry," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    8. Nechumi Malovicki-Yaffe & Boaz Hameiri & Leah Bloy & Ram Fishman, 2025. "Environmental taxation triggers persistent psychological resistance to climate policy," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 58(1), pages 145-159, March.
    9. Chrysanthos Maraveas, 2020. "Environmental Sustainability of Plastic in Agriculture," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-15, July.
    10. R. Basuhi & Karan Bhuwalka & Richard Roth & Elsa A. Olivetti, 2024. "Evaluating strategies to increase PET bottle recycling in the United States," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 28(4), pages 916-927, August.
    11. Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír & Fan, Yee Van & Tan, Raymond R. & Jiang, Peng, 2020. "Minimising the present and future plastic waste, energy and environmental footprints related to COVID-19," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    12. Erfan Oliaei & Peter Olsén & Tom Lindström & Lars A. Berglund, 2022. "Highly reinforced and degradable lignocellulose biocomposites by polymerization of new polyester oligomers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    13. Michael Odei Erdiaw‐Kwasie & Kofi Kusi Owusu‐Ansah & Matthew Abunyewah, 2024. "Amplifying circular technological innovation for low greenhouse emissions: Empirical evidence from 30 advanced and emerging economies," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(4), pages 3708-3721, August.
    14. Priyadarshi Roy Chowdhury & Himani Medhi & Krishna G. Bhattacharyya & Chaudhery Mustansar Hussain, 2023. "Impacts of emerging and novel plastic waste variants on marine and coastal ecosystems: Challenges and implications on the circular economy," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(5), September.
    15. World Bank, 2023. "Tackling Plastics Pollution," World Bank Publications - Reports 40458, The World Bank Group.
    16. Sijing Zhang & Jingxiang Wang & Dewen Su & Xiao Xiao, 2025. "Facile visible-light upcycling of diverse waste plastics using a single organocatalyst with minimal loadings," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-11, December.
    17. Livia Cabernard & Stephan Pfister & Christopher Oberschelp & Stefanie Hellweg, 2022. "Growing environmental footprint of plastics driven by coal combustion," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(2), pages 139-148, February.
    18. Halayit Abrha & Jonnathan Cabrera & Yexin Dai & Muhammad Irfan & Abrham Toma & Shipu Jiao & Xianhua Liu, 2022. "Bio-Based Plastics Production, Impact and End of Life: A Literature Review and Content Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-20, April.
    19. Quan-Hoang Vuong & Manh-Tung Ho & Hong-Kong To Nguyen & Minh-Hoang Nguyen, 2019. "The trilemma of sustainable industrial growth: evidence from a piloting OECD’s Green city," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 1-14, December.
    20. Bauer, Fredric & Fontenit, Germain, 2021. "Plastic dinosaurs – Digging deep into the accelerating carbon lock-in of plastics," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:2:p:779-:d:722176. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.