{"id":275408,"date":"2025-08-26T17:15:19","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T15:15:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/?p=275408"},"modified":"2025-08-26T17:15:22","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T15:15:22","slug":"save-a-fishie-calls-public-to-sign-petition-to-ban-plastic-lollipop-sticks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/save-a-fishie-calls-public-to-sign-petition-to-ban-plastic-lollipop-sticks\/","title":{"rendered":"Save a Fishie calls public to sign petition to ban plastic lollipop sticks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Environmentalist group, Save a Fishie is calling for a ban on plastic lollipop sticks after thousands were discovered over the past few months during beach clean-ups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Plastic pollution continues to plague Cape Town’s beaches, with one small yet persistent item now in the spotlight: plastic lollipop sticks,” says Zo\u00eb Prinsloo, founder of Save a Fishie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Save a Fishie has launched a campaign demanding a ban on these products, citing their dangers to marine life, seabirds, and ecosystems.
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Petition for change<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Save a Fishie has launched a petition urging urgent action to ban plastic-stemmed lollipops in South Africa. The campaign emphasises that this small shift could mark a significant victory in reducing coastal pollution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This is one of the easiest environmental victories we can win,” Prinsloo stresses. “If we can’t ban plastic lollipop sticks\u2014when safe alternatives are already available\u2014how can we expect to address bigger plastic challenges?”
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A familiar sight on local beaches<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From Melkbosstrand and Bloubergstrand to Sunset Beach and Milnerton, residents and clean-up volunteers know the scene all too well: after heavy rains or storms, plastic debris litters the shoreline. Among bottle caps, polystyrene, and straws, lollipop sticks are a stubborn and recurring find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, TygerBurger has reported extensively on how these items, flushed through stormwater drains and rivers, wash ashore in large numbers after winter downpours. While unsightly, the danger goes far deeper than appearance\u2014posing real threats to ocean health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Plastic lollipop sticks are one of the most common items we collect during clean-ups,” says Prinsloo. “They don’t break down, they end up in the food chain, and they’re completely unnecessary because safer alternatives already exist.”
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The hidden dangers of plastic sticks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These small plastic stems, often overlooked, are far from harmless, Prinsloo says. Rigid and sharp, they can injure or choke seabirds and marine animals. Over time, they fragment into microplastics that enter the food web, potentially affecting human health as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Every stick we find is another reminder of how deep the plastic crisis has become,” Prinsloo says. “If we cannot phase out such a simple, replaceable product, then what hope do we have for tackling the larger plastic problem?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike many environmental challenges that require new innovations or major investment, this issue has an immediate fix: paper lollipop sticks. Widely available and just as effective for holding sweets, paper options are biodegradable and far less harmful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There is absolutely no reason for plastic sticks to still be on our shelves,” Prinsloo explains. “Paper sticks work perfectly, they’re affordable, and they don’t destroy the environment.”
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Who needs to act?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Save a Fishie’s campaign identifies clear responsibilities for change:<\/p>\n\n\n\n