Applied Geography 114 (2020) 102132

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Applied Geography
journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/apgeog

The ‘plastic waste era’; social perceptions towards single-use plastic

consumption and impacts on the marine environment in Durban,
South Africa
Melissa L. Van Rensburg a, *, S’phumelele L. Nkomo a, Timothy Dube b
a
Discipline of Geography, School of Agriculture, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa
b
Department of Earth Sciences, Institute for Water Studies, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Plastics, one of the most abundant materials defining our society, are a major source of pollution. Plastics have
Consumer behavior redefined society’s material culture and the artefacts that will be left behind. Plastic pollution in the ocean and in
Coastal environment coastal environments is a growing concern which requires immediate attention. Single-use plastic is polluting
Plastic pollution
coastal environments the world over, and this study focused on the issue within the context of Durban, South
Plastic waste
South African beaches
Africa. Advocating for behavioral changes from society remains a daunting task that requires an understanding of
consumer perceptions towards single-use of plastics. This research paper aimed to gain an understanding of the
social perceptions that beachgoers hold towards single-use plastic consumption in the coastal areas of Durban,
South Africa. The sustainability science theoretical framework underpinned the research and the study used a
mixed-methods approach to achieve the objectives. Questionnaires were used to accurately capture and reflect
the perceptions towards single-use plastic consumption by the Durban beachgoers. The results from the study
indicated that Durban beachgoers have a generally more negative perception towards single-use plastic; a high
level of awareness towards their impacts on the environment; and a strong willingness to reduce their con­
sumption of single-use plastic. Additionally, the results revealed a strong support towards potentially imple­
menting a Container Deposit System (CDS) and a plastic bag ban in Durban to reduce the number of plastic
bottles and bags polluting the coastal environment. Based on the findings, recommendations emphasized the
need to incentivize reusable shopping bags; promote increased awareness and advocacy pertaining to the
environmental concerns of single-use plastic; consider the implementation of a CDS; and further explore the
potential of a plastic bag ban in Durban. This research can contribute towards developing adequate, appropriate
strategies to address the issues of single-use plastic pollution.

1. Introduction
Plastic pollution has become a pervasive environmental issue and
has gained considerable attention in recent years (Brighty, Jones, &
Ruxton, 2017). Since the inception of plastic production on a large scale
in the 1950s the rapid growth in plastic production has been astounding,
surpassing most man-made materials (Geyer, Jambeck, & Law, 2017).
Floyd (2016) asserts that plastic pollution was initially found in the
ocean in the 1970s, but it is now becoming such a prevalent issue that if
current trends continue there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish
by the year 2050. There are many other types of pollutants entering the
ocean such as sewage, agricultural run-off, nitrogen loads and industrial
waste (United Nations, 2017). Plastic pollution is, however, the focus for
this paper due to its current ubiquitous nature. According to Plastic
Oceans Foundation (2018), more than 8 million tons of plastic from all
over the world is discarded in our oceans every year, having devastating
effects on marine life and the health of the ocean. Drastic action is
therefore needed to reduce the amount of plastic entering the ocean.
Plastic marine litter is viewed as a global issue most notably given
credit in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Lo €hr et al., 2017). SDG
14, ‘Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
for sustainable development’ (Haward, 2018, p. 2), provides a focus for
the ongoing action needed to reduce marine plastic pollution. This SDG
advocates that the solution to marine litter can be found by transitioning

* Corresponding author: University of KwaZulu-Natal, 238 Mazisi Kunene Rd, Glenwood, 4041, South Africa
E-mail addresses: mel22vr@gmail.com (M.L. Van Rensburg), sphumelelesn@gmail.com (S.L. Nkomo), timothydube3@gmail.com (T. Dube).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2019.102132
Received 9 May 2019; Received in revised form 27 September 2019; Accepted 1 December 2019
Available online 13 December 2019
0143-6228/© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
M.L. Van Rensburg et al.
to more sustainable means of production and consumption (Lo €hr et al.,
2017). The United Nations Environment Assembly meeting held in
Nairobi, Kenya in 2017 emphasized the common heritage of the world’s
ocean which makes plastic pollution a global issue needing concerted
action by the world community to address the problem (Haward, 2018).
This means that there needs to be a global as well as a local impetus to
act to reduce marine plastic pollution and restore the health of the
oceans.
Although plastic pollution enters the ocean from several coastal
cities the world over; Santos, Friedrich, and Ivar do Sul (2008) assert
that the problem seems to be more critical in coastal cities in developing
countries where higher volumes of plastics enter the ocean. For instance,
studies conducted by Jambeck et al. (2015) in 2010 show that 20 coastal
countries are responsible for 83% of the land-based plastic which ends
up in the ocean. However, 19 out of these 20 countries are developing
countries in Asia, South America and Africa (Jambeck et al., 2015). The
primary reasons for this could be attributed to the population density,
high consumption of plastic products and the high percentage of mis­
managed plastic waste in the coastal cities of these countries (L€ ohr et al.,
2017). Additionally, coastal cities in developing countries are rapidly
urbanizing and often lack the corresponding waste management facil­
ities and infrastructure to account for the additional waste. Martín
(2015) supports this view by arguing that in most developing countries
waste management infrastructure is developing slower than the
increasing plastic waste that needs to be managed.
Plastic pollution along coastal cities in South Africa has become an
issue under the spotlight (Ryan, Perold, Osborne, & Moloney, 2018).
South Africa ranks as the 11th country (out of 192 countries) with the
highest level of mismanaged plastic waste entering the ocean (Jambeck
et al., 2015). According to Naidoo, Glassom, and Smit (2015), the
Umgeni river mouth in the coastal city of Durban has been identified as a
critical area where pollution and plastic waste accumulates and enters
into the ocean. When single-use plastic enters the ocean, it can have
adverse environmental impacts in the form of micro and macro pollution
in the coastal environment, marine life entanglement, as well as human
health risks (Stephanisa, Gim�eneza, Carpinellib, Gutierrez-Expositoa, &
Can~ adasc, 2013; McDermott, 2016; Li, Tse, & Fok, 2016). Consequently,
many efforts are being made to turn the tide on plastic pollution through
organizations such as Clean Blue Lagoon and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN)
beach cleanup teams (The Green Times, 2017). These efforts, however,
deal with the symptoms rather than the causes of plastic waste.
Many studies to date focus extensively on the quantification of
plastic waste in the global and African context but fail to consider the
underlying causes of the issue (Jambeck et al., 2015; Lebreton et al.,
2017; Lo €hr et al., 2017). This research study focuses intently on the root
causes of plastic pollution in the South African context. Floyd (2016)
argues that if a solution is to be found for the problem of plastic pollution
researchers need to focus on the source of plastic pollution, consumers.
Since consumers play a direct role in creating demand for single-use
plastics an understanding of their current perceptions and willingness
to change consumption patterns is of great significance. The value of this
study therefore lies in the fact that it fills a gap in literature by providing
an important starting point to understand the consumer perceptions
towards single-use plastic in Durban. Dismantling the unsustainable
consumption of single-use plastic is not an easy task but it is highly
dependent on the willingness of citizens to change their consumption
habits. Understanding the social perceptions of the Durban beachgoers is
therefore of the utmost importance to achieve tangible benefits in
relation to reducing the consumption of single-use plastic and the
associated environmental impacts. The aim of this research project is to
gain an insight into the current perceptions held towards single-use
plastics by consumers in Durban. The insight is used to make feasible
recommendations on how best to reduce single-use plastics and take
action based on the actual attitudes held by members of the Durban
population.
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Applied Geography 114 (2020) 102132
1.1. Study area
The study area in which questionnaires were administered was along
the Durban beachfront between UShaka beach and North beach as seen
in Fig. 1. This area was chosen because of the diverse range of people
attracted to these locations on the beachfront. The sample population
was chosen from the Durban beachgoers located between UShaka beach
and North beach. A total of 60 participants were included in the sample.
Participants were chosen based on their location in the study area be­
tween the stretch of beaches from UShaka and North beach. Since there
are three main beaches in this area, namely UShaka Beach, South Beach
and North Beach, an equal number of respondents were chosen from
each area. This was useful as it enabled the researcher to target different
members of the population within this area to gain a better under­
standing of the complex perceptions held towards single-use plastics
across demographic groups. This was the rationale behind choosing the
stretch between three beaches rather than focusing exclusively on one.
1.1.1. Map of the study area: Durban beachfront from UShaka to North
beach
2. Methodology
2.1. Sustainability science theoretical approach
The sustainability science theoretical approach underpins this
research study. The sustainability science approach is defined by Ben­
nett (2013) as an approach which seeks to understand the fundamental
character of the interactions between society and nature. Brown (2012)
states that sustainability science includes the study of sustainable con­
sumption in relation to the structure of consumeristic societies and the
sociology of materialist consumption; as well as solving the problems
unsustainable consumption creates. Sustainability science derives its
impetus from sustainable development, and it can provide a critical
framework for research on sustainability (Bennett, 2013; Kates et al.,
2001). The sustainability science approach is relevant to this research
study because single-use plastic consumption is viewed as an unsus­
tainable practice which causes damage to the bio-physical, social and
economic environment. Through the lens of sustainability science, the
relatively short useful lifespan of single-use plastic products, and their
contrasting indefinite lifespan in the environment after use, is ques­
tioned in this study (Xanthos & Walker, 2017).
The sustainability science theoretical base was used to inform the
questionnaire design used in this study. In order to address the issue of
sustainability regarding the use of single-use plastic three key aspects
were focused on when formulating the questionnaire, namely (1) the
consumption habits of beachgoers, (2) the environmental awareness of
beachgoers and (3) the willingness of beachgoers to reduce their con­
sumption of single-use plastic bags and bottles. Questions were formu­
lated to cover these key aspects and questions were subdivided under
these focal areas. Understanding the relationship between the beach­
goers’ consumption of single-use plastics and their perceptions of the
impacts is viewed as a pivotal starting point to solve the issue of un­
sustainable plastic consumption.
2.2. Research approach: mixed methods
This research study employed a mixed methods research approach.
According to Creswell (2003), a mixed methods research approach is
one which focuses on collecting, analyzing and mixing both qualitative
and quantitative data into a single study. Kumar (2014) asserts that this
approach can improve the depth and accuracy of the findings because it
draws on the different strengths of each approach. The central premise
of a mixed methods approach is that it provides a better understanding
of the research problem than either approach could alone. Terrell (2012)
M.L. Van Rensburg et al.
Fig. 1. Map of the study area (Source: Google Maps, 2018).
supports this rationale by stating that no major research problem should
be studied exclusively with one approach.
The quantitative research method follows a systematic, objective
structure in the data collection process (Creswell, 2003); and in this
research study took the form of questionnaires administered to beach­
goers. Some of the key benefits of a quantitative approach is the ability
to generalize about the sample population (Johnson & Onwuegbuzie,
2004). The quantitative research approach was appropriate for this
study because it allowed the researcher to obtain a large number of
responses on the perceptions towards single-use plastic consumption
using questionnaires.
The qualitative component of this research took place through face-
to-face interviews whereby the researcher played an active role in
administering the questionnaires to the respondents. The researcher
interviewed the participants to obtain responses for the questionnaire
and filled in the responses for each participant. The option of “other”
was included as a response option for some of the questions in the
questionnaire allowing the researcher to record responses from partic­
ipants which differed from the pre-coded answers. Including this option
allowed participants to express their real opinions pertaining to a given
question thereby strengthening the understanding of responses collected
from participants. The active role of the researcher in data collection
also allowed for clarification or additional information if required by the
participants. Additionally, this method allowed for the inclusion of
illiterate participants who may have been unable to fill in the ques­
tionnaire themselves. The mixed methods approach was appropriate for
this study since it contributed to a fuller understanding of the research
problem.
2.3. Data collection
Data for this study was collected using a questionnaire as the main
research instrument. Primary data was collected through the adminis­
tration of questionnaires to beachgoers to gain an understanding of their
perceptions as consumers towards single-use plastics. The questionnaire
was the most suitable instrument to use because the information
required was quite brief and uncontroversial. The research study
required standardized data and the questionnaire allowed respondents
to quickly and easily understand the questions which allowed for
3
Applied Geography 114 (2020) 102132
efficient data collection.
The focal areas of the questionnaire were informed through the
sustainability science theoretical base and consisted of the following key
sections: (1) demographics of respondents, (2) consumption habits to­
wards plastic bags and bottles, (3) environmental impact awareness and
(4) willingness to reduce consumption of single-use plastics. The ques­
tionnaire consisted of 20 questions and used mostly closed-ended
questions which took the form of multiple-choice and Likert scale
questions. Although the questionnaire was structured some questions
included the option of “other” whereby the researcher could record
specifications made by participants which differed from the standard­
ized options. It is important to note, however, that most participants
chose responses from the standardized options in the questionnaire.
At the beginning of the questionnaire instructions were given to
inform the respondents of the purpose and description of the research.
The participants were also given a confidentiality statement to ensure
the anonymity of their responses. To ensure that the respondents were
aware of the risks and benefits associated with their participation in the
research study they were asked to voluntarily sign an informed consent
form. This signified their willingness to partake in the study and was
signed prior to their participation. The respondents were able to receive
assistance from the researcher if they had any questions or needed
clarification on any of the questions. The survey used language which
was simple and easy to understand. To avoid the participants losing
interest, survey questions were formulated to be as brief as possible.
2.4. Sampling method and size
The recruitment strategy which was used in this study was a form of
systematic sampling which was carried out within each of the three
beach areas included in the study area. Systematic sampling was used to
select 120 participants from the study location. 40 participants were
selected systematically from each of the three main beaches in study
area namely Ushaka beach, South beach and North beach, respectively.
According to Alvi (2016), systematic sampling is a form of sampling
wherein participants are selected on a random basis by using an ordering
scheme and then selecting participants at specified intervals. An interval
can be chosen in terms of time, space or order. For this research the
interval that was chosen was in terms of order. Participants were chosen
M.L. Van Rensburg et al. Applied Geography 114 (2020) 102132

on a random basis using systematic sampling whereby every 5th person participants (56%) had obtained a tertiary level education. Moreover, 47
who walked past the researcher (in the relevant stretch of beach) were participants (39%) had a secondary level education. Since majority of
asked to participate in the study. This thereby reduced the bias in the the participants were moderately to highly educated this would imply
selection of participants for the study. that the Durban beachgoers are actually moderately to highly educated
The data collected in the study was analyzed using the Statistical or it may imply that a niche portion of the population was more willing
Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. This system allowed to participate in the survey. Some studies have shown that higher edu­
the researcher to analyze and transform the raw data collected to cation levels correspond to a more extensive awareness and concern
examine trends within the dataset. The findings were then presented towards environmental issues (Anderson, Wentzel, Romani, & Phillips,
using graphs, pie charts and tables to illustrate the results of the data 2010, pp. 10–709; Dunlap & Marshall, 2007; Wilmot, 2015). It remains
collection. difficult to ascertain whether this factor influenced the results of the
study hence it has been acknowledged as a potential limitation.
3. Results and discussion
3.2. Consumption habits
3.1. Demographics of respondents
This objective strived to determine and assess the consumer attitudes
There were a total of 120 respondents who participated in the towards the use of single-use plastic bags and bottles. The consumption
questionnaire process. All 120 respondents were South African citizens. habits were assessed in terms of plastic bag and bottle consumption, the
Information pertaining to the demographics of the sample population reuse of plastic bags and the use of reusable shopping bags and bottles. A
was collected to gain a clear understanding of the sample population key finding in relation to this objective was that there was a fairly low
characteristics. Creswell (2003) asserts that it is important to understand consumption of plastic bags since the largest portion of the respondents
the characteristics and demographics of the sample population in a (48%) bought less than 5 per week (Fig. 2). This trend is significant
research study because it is an influential factor impacting the willing­ considering that the other proportions were markedly lower in com­
ness of participants to respond and, more importantly, it can impact how parison. In an Indonesian based study, a notably higher number of
the participants respond to the chosen questions. The questionnaire in plastic bags were consumed by respondents in comparison to the find­
this study focused on four characteristics of the sample population; ings in this study (Martín, 2015). This therefore suggests that Durban
namely their gender, race, age and education level; the results of which beachgoers in general consume a fairly low number of plastic bags per
can be seen in Table 1. week.
There was a fairly equal representation of male (52%) and female Although the different uses of plastic bags were not explored in-
(48%) respondents in the questionnaire process. The race with the depth, 51% of the Durban beachgoers affirmed that they reused plas­
highest number of respondents were black (47%), followed by whites tic bags at least once before discarding them (42% reused all of them and
(28%), indians (18%), and coloureds (7%), respectively. Respondents 9% reused as bin liners) (Fig. 3). This trend is much higher than global
between the age of 20–30 years old had the highest response rate with averages since Business Insider (2018) state that only 5% of people
36%, whilst respondents younger than 20 years of age and respondents worldwide reuse their plastic shopping bags. Reusing plastic bags is
between the age of 41–50 years old represent the lowest response group. significant because it has a positive impact in lowering the environ­
More than half of the respondents have a tertiary education which in­ mental footprint of individuals, as asserted by UNEP (2018). It does not,
dicates that the general education level of respondents is relatively high. however, mean plastic bags will not end up in a landfill, incinerated or as
This is considered an influential factor in the results as a higher level of pollution in the natural environment after use. Reusing plastic bags
education may influence the types of responses given by the many times is one of the ways in which the Durban population can
participants. improve the plastic pollution situation in the interim, but it is not a
long-term solution.
3.1.1. Limitation of sample population Understanding consumer behavior towards reusable bags was
It is important to acknowledge limitations relating to the de­ another important factor considered within this study. This is because
mographic of the sample population. A key finding was that a large when consumers use reusable bags, they reduce their reliance on single-
proportion of the sample had a high education level since 67 use plastic bags. Regarding reusable shopping bags, more than three
quarters of the respondents stated that they used reusable shopping bags
Table 1 to some degree or another but only 34% claimed to use them on every
Demographic profiles of the study participants. shopping occasion (Fig. 4). The most prevalent reason why respondents
did not use reusable shopping bags was because they forget to bring
Demographic Categories Frequency Percentage (%)
variable them to the supermarket (see Fig. 5). This finding is consistent with the
Waste and Resources Action Program ((WRAP 2014)), which states the
Citizenship South African 120 100
Gender Male 62 52
Female 58 48
Race Black 56 47
White 34 28
Indian 22 18
Coloured 8 7
Age <20 7 6
20–30 43 36
31–40 24 20
41–50 16 13
>50 30 25
Education level No studies 0 0
Primary level education 5 4
Secondary level 47 39
education
Tertiary level education 67 56
Other 1 1

Fig. 2. Number of plastic bags bought per week.

4
M.L. Van Rensburg et al.
Fig. 3. Plastic bag usage.
Fig. 4. Reusable shopping bags usage.
primary reason consumers fail to use reusable bags is because they forget
them at home and end up purchasing single-use plastic bags. In
Thailand, offering discounts on purchases to consumers who remember
their reusable bags has been identified as an effective strategy to
incentivize the use of reusable bags (UNEP, 2018). This type of strategy
could be adopted within the context of Durban.
In a similar manner used to ascertain whether the Durban beachgoers
used reusable shopping bags; respondents were asked whether they use
reusable water bottles. An unexpected 70% of the population affirmed
that they use reusable bottles (Fig. 6). This finding may be explained by
the possible misinterpretation of the meaning of reusable bottles by
respondents. Some respondents understood the question as “do you
reuse bottles” rather than “do you use reusable bottles”. This is an
important difference because “reusable bottles” need to be understood
in terms of durable bottles that can be reused indefinitely rather than
single-use plastic bottles that are used many times. Moreover, Cooper
(2011) asserts it is not recommended that single-use plastic bottles are
used multiple times since they have higher risks associated with leach­
ing of harmful chemicals. The adverse effects of harmful compounds
Fig. 5. Reasons for not using reusable bags.
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Applied Geography 114 (2020) 102132
Fig. 6. Reusable drinking bottles usage.
leaching from plastic drinking containers has been well documented
(Fan et al., 2014; Le, Carlson, Chua, & Belcher, 2008; Maia et al., 2010).
This limitation was overcome through clarification provided by the
researcher, but it remains unclear which of the two options were un­
derstood by the respondents. This has been acknowledged as a limitation
due to the possibility of misinterpreting the results since an unexpect­
edly high portion of the population claimed to use reusable drinking
bottles.
The researcher found that in general, consumption habits of the
Durban beachgoers elicited a more negative perception towards single-
use plastic. This conclusion is made in light of the discussed trends since
plastic bag consumption is fairly low; just over 40% of the respondents
make an effort to reuse plastic bags; a high proportion of respondents
make use of reusable shopping bags and bottles to some extent; and the
material preference of beverages is in favour of glass over plastic
(Fig. 7). On the other hand, it is also important to note that based on
their habits a moderate portion of the sample population elicited a more
positive perception towards single-use plastic. The positive perceptions
towards single-use plastic can possibly be explained by the favourable
characteristics of single-use plastic items because they functional,
lightweight, cheap and hygienic which make them desirable by many
consumers (Martín, 2015).
Whether the motivation for the generally more negative perception
towards single-use plastic is due to environmental concerns is unclear.
d’Astous and Legendre (2009) state that if consumers are aware and
concerned enough about environmental impacts, they may reduce their
consumption of single-use plastic. This potential link will be explored in
the following section on the consumer awareness towards environ­
mental impacts.
3.3. Awareness of environmental impacts
This objective pursued an understanding of the awareness held by
the Durban beachgoers towards the impacts caused by single-use plastic.
The extent of awareness held by the beachgoers was assessed in terms of
their understanding of the harm caused by single-use plastic; the
severity of the issue and the platforms through which they became
Fig. 7. Material preference for beverages.
M.L. Van Rensburg et al. Applied Geography 114 (2020) 102132

informed of such issues. This assessment was made considering the Table 2
consumption habits mentioned in section 3.2 to ascertain whether there The environmental harm of single-use plastic.
is a link between environmental consciousness and negative perceptions How is single-use plastic harming the environment?
towards single-use plastic.
Type of impact Frequency
A key finding was that majority of respondents believe single-use Polluting rivers 73
plastic can cause harm in the environment (Fig. 8). This indicates that Polluting streets 74
most of the respondents were aware that single-use plastic can harm the Polluting oceans 80
environment in some way or another. In South Africa, plastic pollution is I don’t know 5
Other: (Harming marine life, 5
most commonly cited as harming rivers, the ocean and organisms within Killing turtles) 2
marine ecosystems (Naidoo, 2014; Ryan et al., 2016). In addition, Total 239
globally rivers and the ocean are commonly cited environments expe­
riencing the plight from plastic pollution (Jambeck et al., 2015; Li et al.,
2016). The contamination of rivers and the ocean is therefore prevalent
at a global and a local scale. The findings from this study show that the
Durban beachgoers were able to specify the predominant environments
being harmed by single-use plastic, namely in rivers and the ocean as
seen in Table 2. This suggests that majority of beachgoers are aware of
the harm caused in these environments. Although streets are less
commonly cited as areas where harm can be caused by plastic, litter
within cities like Durban can make its way into waterways if mis­
managed which can contribute to plastic waste in rivers and the ocean.
Majority of the respondents affirmed that they believe the issue of
single-use plastic in the natural environment is either severe 14 (12%) or
very severe 83 (69%) (Fig. 9). This understanding is quite significant as
it suggests that the Durban beachgoers are aware of the severity of
plastic pollution. These findings are consistent with studies reviewed in
Fig. 9. Perceptions towards severity of environmental harm.
the African context which also show that community members have a
high level of awareness towards the environmental devastation caused
by plastic pollution (Madara and Namago, 2016; Negussie & Mustefa,
2017). This awareness is crucial to help promote behavioral change
within individuals in Durban.
The main platforms through which Durban beachgoers gain knowl­
edge about these issues is through social media (27%); followed by own
experience (25%) and newspapers (16%), respectively. This finding
opposes the results of a similar study conducted in Ethiopia where
television and radio were the most popular information dissemination
platforms (Negussie & Mustefa, 2017). This contradiction is not neces­
sarily significant since it is likely to simply reflect the divergence in
media types across different countries. What is significant is remaining
cognizant of the value of being aware of the most frequently used in­
formation dissemination platforms in the Durban context. Being
informed of this is important so that the most effective channels iden­ Fig. 10. Platform of awareness.
tified in Fig. 10 can be exploited in the future to increase the environ­
mental awareness regarding single-use plastic pollution in Durban.
an individual’s perception towards an environmental issue (Wilmot,
The high level of environmental awareness held by the Durban
2015). Using this rationale, Durban beachgoers are likely to be exposed
beachgoers contradicts the findings of Anderson et al. (2010, pp.
to the prevalence of plastic pollution in the coastal environment which
10–709) who state that the South African population does not have high
may influence their environmental awareness. This is supported by the
levels of environmental concerns and awareness towards environmental
finding in this study indicating 25% of the beachgoers became aware of
issues. This disparity may be explained by the fact that geographical
plastic pollution through own experience.
proximity and direct contact with an environmental problem influences
It can thus be concluded from this discussion that the Durban
beachgoers have a relatively high awareness of the environmental im­
pacts associated with single-use plastic. Furthermore, awareness of these
impacts may raise the environmental consciousness of Durban beach­
goers and potentially played a role in influencing their negative per­
ceptions towards single-use plastic.

3.4. Willingness to reduce consumption

This objective sought to understand the willingness of the Durban

Fig. 8. Environmental impacts awareness.
beachgoers to reduce their consumption of single-use plastic and
determine whether they would partake in and support strategies to help
minimize the plight of plastic pollution in the natural environment.
The Durban beachgoers demonstrated a strong willingness to reduce
their own consumption. This is evident since 90% of the respondents
would like to reduce their own consumption of single-use plastic items

6
M.L. Van Rensburg et al. Applied Geography 114 (2020) 102132

(Fig. 11); and 91% of the respondents would like to see supermarkets
and restaurants in Durban follow suit (Fig. 12). These findings are sig­
nificant but need to be understood remaining cognizant of the attitude-
behavior gap discussed by d’Astous and Legendre (2009). The
attitude-behavior gap states that the intentions or attitudes of consumers
do not always translate into actions (d’Astrous and Legendre, 2009). For
instance, although a large proportion of respondents in this study held
the view that they would like to reduce their consumption; this will not
necessarily translate into a behavioral change by consumers. This is one
of the reasons this research study asserts that there is a need to actively
incentivize more responsible consumer behavior through strategies like
the Container Deposit System (CDS) discussed in the recommendations.
Another key finding was the perception that a plastic bag ban is the
most effective way to reduce plastic bag usage and waste; obtaining 43%
of the overall responses (Fig. 13). This finding aligns with other studies
carried out in the African context which stipulate that there is a growing Fig. 12. Desire for institutional change.
public support for plastic bag bans, especially amongst community
members who have a high level of environmental awareness (Madara
and Namago, 2016; Negussie & Mustefa, 2017). This suggests that in­
dividuals with an acute awareness of environmental impacts may be
more likely to favour a plastic bag ban.
There was also a higher support in favour of a plastic bag ban
compared to voluntary actions or increasing the cost of plastic bags.
Finding low support from the Durban beachgoers for increasing the cost
of plastic bags is reinforced by the literature which states that increasing
the levy on plastic bags in South Africa has proved to be largely ineffi­
cient in reducing the demand for them (Dikgang, Leiman, & Visser,
2012; Hasson, Leiman, & Visser, 2007; Ryan, 2017). Moreover, since the
bag levy has revealed itself to be largely unsuccessful in decreasing
pollution from plastic bags in South Africa; a more realistic approach
might be the implementation of a plastic bag ban (McLellan, 2014).
Fig. 13. Strategies to reduce single-use plastic bag consumption.
There is ample evidence suggesting the benefits of employing a plastic
bag ban within a country, for example, Rwanda is cited as one of the
cleanest countries because of the ban (Madigele & Mogomotsi, 2017;
Xanthos & Walker, 2017). Since the Durban beachgoers appear to be in
favour of a plastic bag ban this avenue warrants further investigation.
There was a strong support (71%) by the Durban beachgoers towards
the implementation of a waste reduction strategy, i.e. Container Deposit
System (CDS) in Durban (Fig. 14). This finding diverges from a similar
study conducted in Indonesia by Martín (2015) which found there was
negligible public support towards a CDS. Due to a lack of comparable
studies in the South African context this disparity may best be attributed
to differences in the prevailing local circumstances in each country.
Whilst acknowledging that this type of system may not directly reduce
the consumption of single-use plastic bottles; it would, however, in­
crease recycling rates and reduce the risk of them polluting the marine
Fig. 14. Acceptance of a return-bottle system.
environment (Davies, 2017). This finding is supported by the (UNEP,
2018) which identify a CDS as a potential strategy to reduce plastic
waste in developing countries. Furthermore, the recommendations will
elaborate on the viability of a CDS in the context of Durban, South
Africa.
These findings indicate that members of the Durban beachgoers are
potentially in favour of a plastic bag ban to reduce plastic bag usage. The
findings also reveal that the sample population is not only willing to
reduce their own consumption of single-use plastic bags and bottles, but
they are also willing to participate in strategies like CDS. The apparent
willingness is, however, heavily dependent on whether the attitudes
held by the sample population manifest into actions.

3.5. Significance in terms of sustainability

Fig. 11. Willingness to reduce consumption.
The key findings identified in this discussion infer that the Durban
beachgoers view the consumption of single-use plastic as an unsustain­
able practice. This is in alignment with the sustainability science
approach which stipulates that materialist consumption has caused
many of the problems between society and nature (Bennett, 2013). The

7
M.L. Van Rensburg et al.
sustainability science framework allowed this study to interrogate the
underlying causes of plastic pollution by focusing on the perceptions
held by Durban beachgoers (Brown, 2012). This focus is supported by
the UNEP (2018) who state in a recent report on Single-use plastics: A
Roadmap to Sustainability that there is a need to focus on the root causes
of the problem which is inherent in the need to change the consumption
habits of consumers. This issue does, however, need to be tackled in
conjunction with other facets of the problem including the improvement
waste management; providing financial incentives to manufacturers as
well as enacting stronger policies to allow for a more circular mode of
plastic production (UNEP, 2018).
This research study focused intently on the root causes of plastic
pollution and fills a gap in literature within the South African context.
The value of this study lies in the fact that it provides an important
starting point to understand the consumer perceptions towards single-
use plastic in Durban. Dismantling the unsustainable consumption of
single-use plastic in not an easy task but it is highly dependent on the
willingness of citizens to change their consumption habits. Under­
standing the social perceptions of the Durban beachgoers is therefore of
utmost importance to achieve tangible benefits in relation to reducing
the consumption of single-use plastic.
4. Conclusion and recommendations
This study found there to be a generally more negative perception
towards single-use plastic and a relatively high awareness of the envi­
ronmental impacts caused by them. Strategies such as incentivizing the
use of reusable bags, promoting education and awareness, implementing
a CDS and a plastic bag ban should be considered in Durban to reduce
single-use plastic consumption and pollution. This research holds value
as a starting point for developing adequate, tailored strategies to address
the issues of single-use plastic pollution, based on the actual perceptions
held by Durban beachgoers. This reduction in consumption, and hence
the use of alternatives, is important to lessen the impact of plastic
pollution in the coastal environment in Durban, South Africa.
Recommendations are made in relation to the findings of this
research paper. Many of the solutions are practical and could play a role
in reducing the consumption of single-use plastic and additionally
minimize the prevalence of plastic in coastal areas of Durban. Focal
areas include incentivizing the use of reusable shopping bags; utilizing
popular media platforms to raise awareness of plastic pollution, pro­
moting a CDS; and further investigating the potential of a plastic bag ban
in Durban.
Based on this research, it is highly recommended that more initia­
tives are developed to boost the use of reusable shopping bags in Dur­
ban. Recycling rates in Durban, and South Africa in general are low
(Godfrey & Oelofse, 2017). Withstanding this, plastic bags have a poor
recycling potential in South Africa because of the calcium carbonate
additive which is used as a filler to make them cheaper but adds to
difficulties in the recycling process (Hahladakis, Velis, Weber, Iacovi­
dou, & Purnell, 2018). It is therefore recommended that the focus is
shifted from recycling to reducing and reusing, since this option could
offer more practical and successful solutions in reducing plastic bag
waste in the given context.
Efforts should be made to offer economic incentives to customers for
using reusable shopping bags. Since this research study identified the
main reason for customers not using reusable bags being because they
forget them; offering incentives to consumers in Durban may provoke a
behavioral change which reduces the consumption of single-use plastic
bags. According to Homonoff (2018), effective incentives may be in the
form of offering loyalty points or discounts on total purchases when
using reusable shopping bags in store. Reusable bags or “bags for life”
additionally allow consumption practices to move away from a linear
and towards a circular model of consumption.
Awareness raising pertaining to the environmental issues associated
with single-use plastics should be promoted through the most popular
8
Applied Geography 114 (2020) 102132
platforms identified in this study. For instance, social media and news­
papers should be used more wisely to inform and draw attention to
pertinent environmental issues. Mass education is important as it plays a
role in driving the local community in Durban towards more sustainable
consumption practices. This aligns strongly with the National Waste
Management Strategy (NWMS) in South Africa which stipulates educa­
tion, advocacy and awareness as key to promoting general awareness for
waste issues and support for initiatives in relation to littering (DEA,
2011).
A good example of an awareness raising campaign which has been
promoted using social media and newspapers like the Sunday Tribune; is
the Plastic Detox challenge which was run throughout the month of
October 2018. According to Gibbings (2018, p. 8), this campaign chal­
lenged “individuals and businesses to change their single-use plastic
habit” throughout the month of October. This initiative offered an online
platform which educated and supported individuals who signed up;
allowed them to commit to reducing the use of single-use plastic items;
and calculated the quantity of single-use items saved based on the
number of signees. This example illustrates the type of initiatives which
should be encouraged and promoted using popular media platforms to
educate individuals and create awareness regarding single-use plastic
consumption in Durban.
The results of this study indicate that it may be viable to implement a
CDS in the city of Durban. This is because the Durban community
members strongly favour the idea of implementing a CDS. It reveals the
potentially high level of participation and support which could occur if
this type of system were in place. Martín (2015) asserts that there is
potential to increase the level of participation in CDS if communities are
informed of the benefits and incentives are diversified by, for example,
providing discounts to the total cost of purchase. The potential benefits
of a CDS in Durban are three-fold; it could reduce the number of plastic
bottles polluting the environment by adding value back to waste; it
could boost the recycling sector; and lastly it could provide economic
incentives to vulnerable or poor communities by allowing them to earn a
return for collecting waste items (UNEP, 2018).
Lastly, this research recommends further investigation into the
viability of a plastic bag ban in Durban, South Africa. This research
indicated a potentially strong support from community members in
favour of a ban, in the bid to reduce plastic bag consumption. This re­
veals that a plastic bag ban could be viable in the city of Durban. The
researcher thus suggests that a plastic bag ban is explored in greater
depth as a potential legislative avenue to reduce the consumption of
single-use plastic bags. Since taxation on plastic bags has proven to be
largely unsuccessful in reducing plastic bag consumption and pollution
(McLellan, 2014), this avenue could potentially offer greater success by
dealing with plastic bags at their source. Moreover, as contended by
Wilson (2011), banning plastic bags can also become a powerful edu­
cation tool and a gateway to provoke greater change within individuals
towards the many other single-use plastics that exist. One of the biggest
challenges associated with a plastic bag ban is the absence of alterna­
tives which are cost-effective (UNEP, 2018). It is therefore also recom­
mended that a corresponding analysis of viable alternatives to plastic
bags are researched in the Durban context.
Funding
The financial assistance of the National Research Foundation (NRF)
towards this research is hereby acknowledged. Opinions expressed and
conclusions arrived at, are those of the authors and are not necessarily
attributed to the NRF.
The funding source did not play a role in the study design; in the
collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the
report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication.
Furthermore, the funding source did not have any direct involvement in
the compilation of the manuscript.
M.L. Van Rensburg et al.
Declaration of competing interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are
responsible for the content and writing of this article.
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