Entrepreneur opens recycling centre in Thembisa
The Mall of Thembisa hosted the inaugural Packa-Ching pop-up buy-back centre, which was located in a refurbished shipping container.
Thabiso Hlongwane (28) launched the first Packa-Ching pop-up buy-back centre, housed in a revamped shipping container at the Mall of Thembisa, recently.
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We’ve all heard the words ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ and we understand its significance, but what happens to the rubbish we generate?
Recycling centres, which collect trash from households and businesses, play a vital part in how these acts are carried out across the community.
The Packa-Ching pop-up unit, which is supported by Shoprite and Polyco, will acquire recyclable packaging material (plastic, paper, cans and glass) from people in Thembisa and the neighbouring areas.
The recyclable materials are weighed and residents are reimbursed in real-time via a cashless eWallet system.
Through Shoprite’s engagement in the YES initiative, the innovative programme has provided two more job chances for members of Hlongwane’s team.
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According to Hlongwane, strong community recycling initiatives can help to build a healthy and cohesive community.
“One of the finest things that have ever happened to me was opening my own recycling centre in the township,” said Hlongwane.
“With our continuing endeavour to be green and ecologically friendly, the need of giving back to the community is greater than ever.
“Despite the abundance of recycling information available, local communities are still in the dark about recycling.
“Recycling education encourages people to make positive changes in their life while also protecting the environment by recycling items that would otherwise be dumped as raw materials,” said Hlongwane.
“Many people believe recycling is a no-brainer, that it is something we should all do. It’s excellent for the environment, it reuses resources rather than creating new ones, it cuts down on landfill space, and the list goes on. However, one significant advantage that many people miss is the influence that recycling programmes may have on a community.
“Recycling centres encourage people to recycle.
“Our community didn’t have a built-in recycling programme, so I had to go out of my way to do it, and I was more than likely to succeed. This will make it easier for community members to recycle, and the more likely they are to do so now they are aware of the consequences, the better. As a result, if a community invests in strong and dependable recycling infrastructure, more items will be recycled rather than burnt or disposed of in a landfill, both of which have negative environmental consequences,” said Hlongwane.
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