School children learn about responsible waste management
The aim of the drive is to teach school children about the need to protect the environment through recycling.
MMC for Environment Infrastructure Service Department Clr Nico de Jager visited Bertrams Junior Primary School on August 7 as part of Pikitup’s educational awareness drive.
Also read: Bennies and Jeppe rowers take silver at World Rowing Junior Championships
De Jager had an opportunity to address over 800 school children about playing a significant role in reducing waste going to Pikitup’s landfill sites through recycling.
The aim of the drive is to teach school children about the need to protect the environment through recycling.
He said he is specifically addressing them because adults were responsible for the massive tons of waste going to landfill sites including recyclable materials.
“Litter and illegally dumping waste also ends up in City’s waterways and ends up in the ocean where plastic is responsible for killing large quantities of marine life.
“If we do not recycle in large quantities, we will not have an ocean to talk about because the large quantity of plastic that ends up in our oceans kills our fish,” said de Jager.
Pikitup plans to undertake educational and awareness campaigns in schools around the city to impress upon children the importance of refraining from littering as well as for school children to be advocates of protecting the environment by discouraging community members from littering and illegally dumping waste.
The children were taught about the separation at source programme which compels residents in certain areas of the City to dispose of recyclable materials into plastic bags that Pikitup distributes in order to divert recyclable waste away from landfill sites.
Pikitup’s four landfill sites have just over four and a half years of lifespan remaining.
“Since the launch of the mandatory separation at source programme in July last year, there has been a small notable diversion of recyclable waste from landfill sites. However, more still needs to be done to ensure that large quantities of recyclable materials are not disposed of in landfill sites,” said de Jager.
Bertrams Junior principal Khanyisile Thwala appreciated the efforts of Pikitup to educate children about responsible waste management practices and also requested that such initiatives also culminate in cleaning campaigns in areas next to the school.
