All hands on deck to tackle plastic pollution
17 December 2025
Tackling plastic pollution is a global challenge. To help promote local solutions, the Plastic Odyssey has teamed up with the City of Cape Town to host their travelling exhibition at the dome in the Green Point Park. Cape Town is their 42nd stop on their four-year maritime expedition. The informative exhibition is open to the public until Friday, 19 December 2025.
The City’s Urban Waste Management Directorate and Environmental Management Department are working together to host the Plastic Odyssey exhibition.
Plastic Odyssey
Plastic Odyssey is a four-year global expedition identifying and sharing low-cost, easily replicable plastic recycling solutions, building a worldwide network of recycling entrepreneurs, and promoting sustainable practices. It also showcases and exchanges ideas for zero-plastic alternatives, sharing approaches from around the world to reduce plastic pollution at its source.
They docked at the Waterfront Marina on Tuesday, 9 December and leave on 22 December. They are three years into their four-year mission, and Cape Town marks the 42nd stop around the globe.
Designed as a floating laboratory, Plastic Odyssey is equipped with an onboard micro-recycling plant, enabling training sessions, awareness campaigns, and project incubation in collaboration with numerous local partners. With a crew of around 20 members, the ship also serves as an experimental ground for a zero-waste lifestyle and promotes innovative and alternative solutions to plastic.
During their stay, they are working with various groups:
Local entrepreneurs spend three days on board exchanging skills and experiences in innovative recycling, learning from each other and exploring new approaches together
Children and youth are participating in educational tours of the ship and the nomadic exhibition, exploring plastic alternatives and hands-on activities with the crew
Local community organisations collaborate to explore and learn from Cape Town’s circular economy and recycling programmes, sharing insights and practices
‘Our mission is to collaborate with communities and entrepreneurs in transforming plastic waste into valuable resources and economic opportunities, as well as promoting alternative options to single use plastics products,’ said Sarah Domergue from Plastic Odyssey.
Nomadic exhibition
Children’s homes had the opportunity to tour the ship. They were then welcomed by the City’s Environmental Management Department at their newly constructed beautiful ‘Dome’ venue at Green Point Park, where the children participated in the fun exhibition and education programme focussing on transforming plastic waste into valuable resources.
Here the public will see and discover a variety of ‘treasure chests’, where the world of plastic alternatives can be explored, as well as details of the ship and the expedition. The City’s Smart Living exhibition can also be viewed at the same time.
Visit the exhibition from 10:00 to 16:00 until Friday, 19 December 2025.
Cape Town’s mission to reduce waste
‘The City welcomes the Plastic Odyssey crew and vessel to Cape Town. They are raising awareness on the importance of preventing and reducing plastic pollution to protect our environment. This message is in line with the City’s drive to urge communities to primarily reduce their waste, reuse or recycle where possible, all aimed at diverting waste from landfill with the long-term goal of protecting our environment.
‘The City’s Urban Waste Management Directorate has actioned various innovative programmes to make recycling and reducing waste easier and accessible to our communities. This includes our Think Twice programme, City drop off facilities, organic food waste projects and Swop Shop. Let’s all work together to tackle plastic pollution so that we protect our environment, including our ocean today, for future generations. We can start today by putting our waste and recyclables in the right place,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Alderman Grant Twigg.
For more information, visit the Plastic Odyssey website.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
