The South African plastics and packaging industry has raised R45 000 for a much needed seabird hospital at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) in Cape Town.

The funds were raised during the Propak Cape Exhibition held last week and according to Douw Steyn, Sustainability Director at Plastics SA, leaders in the packaging industry and individuals did not hesitate to dig deep into their pockets for the #Ipledgesustainability campaign.

Steyn says they are proud of the funds they managed to raise in only three days, “Our sincere thanks to Nampak, Pailpac, Polyoak Packaging, Extrupet, Tetrapak, Polyco, Bené Water, SANBWA, PETCO and Gundle Plastics for pledging towards the SANCCOB Saves Seabirds Project,” he adds.

Francois Louw, Fundraising and Marketing Manager for SANCCOB, confirms that the funds raised will help them take a big step towards reaching their target of R5 million needed for the new facility.

Building a better seabird hospital 

“Our seabird centre in Table View has been in operation for 33 years and has served the needs of more than 95 000 seabirds. However, the elderly buildings and facilities are now in desperate need of renovation. We are deeply grateful for the generosity of the plastics and packaging industries this past week which will help us build a new and better seabird hospital”.

Apart from increasing SANCCOB’s capacity (they currently admit around 2000 seabird patients every year), the upgrade will also include a surgery, an Intensive Care Unit, a new X-ray room, laboratory, three new pools, an aviary, as well as several new pens and preparation areas when construction is completed at the end of 2017.

“Seabirds and penguins are often the first casualties when disasters such as oil- or pollution spills hit our coasts.  Raising funds for the SANCCOB hospital fits in with our focus and mandate of Operation Clean Sweep in which we aim to find workable solutions for all aspects of marine pollution,” Steyn concludes.