Pinehaven goes green

THE residents at the Pinehaven Retirement Complex in Pinetown have become more environmentally aware during the last few years, doing their bit for the health of the planet and also started earning a small income from the projects.

According to Erica Freese, the recycling coordinator at the Complex, the recycling of newspaper, glass bottles and cans has been in operation for a few years. “As the commitment to recycling increased, there was less waste being put in the general refuse bins. We asked Durban Solid Waste to remove five of the wheelie bins and this has reduced our monthly refuse bill,” said Erica.

There are recycling and drop off points set up throughout the complex. A dedicated group of volunteers check that the recycled goods are placed in the correct containers to ensure that disposal occurs correctly. A variety of goods are collected and disposed of in an environmentally friendly way, from plastic, glass and paper to cardboard, used batteries and energy saving light bulbs.

More than 80 per cent of the residents take part in the ongoing recycling campaign and has led to the complex receiving a small amount of money for the recycled products.

“This income is then used by the committee for projects like installing the Jo-Jo tanks, the upgrading of facilities and for entertainment purposes,” said Erica. “It has been a gradual process of educating people about the importance of recycling and how to implement it on the premises. We are proud of what we have achieved thus far and strive to improve even more,” beamed Erica.

The committed green team at Pinehaven are urging the other Highway residents to realise the importance of recycling and urge them to become involved in similar projects. “We would also like for the other retirement complexes in the area to push for recycling to become a norm, we need to do this to help reduce the speed at which our landfill sites are filling up and to help the environment,” said Erica.