Media Release: Planet vs. Plastics: Protecting the Garden Route’s Natural Systems and Biodiversity – Theme: “Planet vs. Plastics”

22 April 2026

Globally, more than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced each year, with an estimated 11 million tonnes entering the ocean annually threatening marine life, ecosystems, and biodiversity worldwide. As the world commemorates Earth Day on 22 April 2026, under the theme “Planet vs. Plastics”, this global crisis hits close to home in the Garden Route, where plastic pollution endangers sea turtles, marine birds, estuaries and the rich biodiversity that defines our coastline.

According to Dr Nina Viljoen, GRDM Head: Environmental Management, “plastic is the polar opposite of organic materials, it does not disappear, it accumulates”.

“The Garden Route District’s beaches, lagoons and indigenous fynbos are more than scenic landscapes; they are critical habitats that support the interconnected web of life. Plastic pollution, however, places these natural systems at risk,” said Viljoen.

Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystems

The effects of discarded plastics on wildlife in the Garden Route District are both direct and severe. Discarded fishing lines are major causes of death for seabirds and marine mammals, as it creates strong, non-biodegradable, near-invisible traps that remain in the environment for hundreds of years.

“Coastal birds such as gannets, terns, and gulls become entangled in discarded line and plastic fragments while feeding or nesting, reducing their breeding success and survival rates.”

Dr Viljoen says sea turtles often digest plastic bags, mistaking them for jellyfish, which leads to internal injury, starvation, and death. “Microplastics accumulate in estuaries such as Knysna, Wilderness and Swartvlei, disrupting the food chain that supports fish, crabs, mussels and the many species that depend on them”.

The Environmental Impact of Plastics

Plastics persists in the environment for decades, breaking down into smaller fragments that spread through coastal waters, estuaries and soil. In the Garden Route District, this results in direct harm to wildlife and long-term pressure on the natural systems that sustain biodiversity. Plastic accumulates in habitats where turtles’ nest, birds feed, and fish spawn.

Lightweight fragments are carried by wind and tides into remote stretches of coastline and fynbos, while microplastics settle in sediment, where they persist for generations.

Water Quality and Human Health Concerns

As plastics spread in rivers and estuaries, they enter the food web through filter feeders such as mussels and oysters, moving upwards through species that rely on these organisms.

Toxic additives from plastics also leach into waterways, affecting aquatic life and weakening the resilience of estuarine habitats that are already under pressure.

This contamination of water and food webs raises broader concerns for ecosystem and human health. When microplastics and associated chemical pollutants build up in fish and shellfish, such as mussels and oysters harvested along the Garden Route District’s coast, they enter the human food chain.

“Studies have linked these pollutants to hormone disruption and inflammation in wildlife, signalling a risk to the natural resources that communities depend on for food and livelihoods,” said Dr Viljoen.

These impacts extend beyond individual animals to entire ecological communities. As key species decline or change their behaviour, the balance of estuarine and coastal ecosystems is altered. Predator-prey relationships are disrupted, breeding grounds become less viable, and the resilience of habitats such as tidal flats and seagrass beds – which act as nurseries for marine life – is reduced. The loss is not only of species, but of the ecological functions that keep the Garden Route District’s natural systems healthy.

Looking Ahead

Earth Day 2026 serves as a reminder that the fight against plastic pollution is about protecting ecosystems, safeguarding the water resources that wildlife depends on, and preserving the biodiversity that makes the Garden Route District unique. The health of the Garden Route District’s environment is directly linked to the well-being of its communities. By reducing plastic pollution, we protect not only nature, but our shared future.

Join a clean-up event by contacting the GRDM Waste Management Section:

Ms Innocentia Sikweyiya, District Waste Management Officer
Email: Innocentia@edendm.co.za
Tel: +27 (0)44 693 0006

-END-