Cato Manor recycling depot launched

A NEW recycling facility in the Cato Manor area was officially opened on Friday.

Barbara Thompson, Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs, Dr Andrew Venter, CEO of Wildlands, Mntu Nduvane from Engen, Councillor Lindiwe Ntaka Mhlongo representing the Mayor’s office and local community members in Cato Manor gathered to launch the recycling facility which has been built and equipped under a multi-million rand enterprise development partnership between Engen Petroleum and Wildlands Green-preneurs (Pty) Ltd.

Tasneem Sulaiman-Bray, general manager of corporate affairs at Engen, said the facility was the latest initiative to come out of the leading fuel company’s R4.5 million investment deal with Wildlands Green-preneurs, which was announced in October 2013.

“Engen’s investment will significantly boost recycling efforts while promoting black empowerment and local enterprises. In return, we will receive carbon credits, supporting our sustainability and planet change agenda. The partnership aims to benefit multiple initiatives serving a variety of key causes, namely black economic empowerment, local enterprise development and green issues,” she said.

The first such undertaking came with the upgrade of Wildlands’ recycling transfer station near Midmar in Howick last year, and now, the Cato Manor facility, which has been erected for around R600 000.

Urvashi Haridass, project manager for recycling at Wildlands, said the funds from Engen went towards a range of infrastructural interventions at the Cato Manor site.

“We built two sheds and in addition we concreted the full yard, refurbished three containers and installed a water line and ablution facility. Electricity has been installed which will allow the facility to commission additional machinery to enhance efficiencies,” she said.

Wildlands Green-preneurs (Pty) Ltd also developed a significant partnership with the Department of Environmental Affairs under the auspices of the Green Fund, of which the department is the custodian. The fund is investing in the operation of the Cato Manor recycling facility. This follows on the heels of the Waste-preneur programme which is also implemented through the fund with Wildlands Conservation Trust as the appointed project developer and which has exceeded the employment target of 4400 jobs.

The Green Fund was established to facilitate investment in green initiatives in support of the transition to a low carbon economy for mitigation of climate change, poverty reduction and job creation.

Barbara Thompson said the opening of the Cato Manor facility would contribute to Commitment 5 of the Green Economy Accord which focuses on waste recycling, re-use and recovery. She also added the private sector and civil society were key partners in addressing the matter of job creation and transitioning to a green economy.

“The opening of the depot will encourage the matter of further sorting, separation and subsequent recovery of waste generated in during the production process. Government cannot manage and fund the transition to a green economy and address unemployment and poverty alleviation alone. Private sector and civil society play a key role and hence we celebrate the partnership and launch of Cato Manor,” she said.

Wildlands CEO, Dr Andrew Venter, said the organisation’s recycling initiatives make use of Waste-preneurs, who barter recyclable waste which they collect from in and around their homesteads, with the organisation (Wildlands) in exchange for vouchers that can be redeemed for livelihood items such as food, clothing, education support, Jojo tanks and solar panels.

From July 2013 to June 2014, 290 Waste-preneurs in Cato Manor have traded 951 000kg’s of recyclable waste, and have been rewarded with R144 764 worth of livelihood support items.

“Engen’s investment, together with the investment of the Green Fund, will greatly benefit this cause as it allows us to equip plants with infrastructure that will increase our output, thus boosting recycling in the region, benefiting more Waste-preneurs and ultimately allowing us to employ more people,” he said.