Recycling initiative launched at Tshwane nature reserve

A recycling initiative has been launched at Tshwane’s Groenkloof Nature Reserve as landfill sites are limited, according to the MMC for Environment and Agriculture Management.

The initiative aims to assist in easing the sorting of recyclable materials at Tshwane’s landfills and was launched in partnership with Petco Recycling Company.

Tshwane and Petco recently launched 12 large colour-coded and labelled waste recycling stations at Fountains Valley Resort in the Groenkloof Nature Reserve.

The effort forms part of Tshwane’s first separation-at-source (S@S) recycling campaign.

The initiative allows resort visitors to simply drop their empty aluminium cans, plastic, paper and glass waste into the appropriate recycling bin.

The stakeholder plans to extend the effort to many other resorts and public areas within Tshwane.

Petco regional recycling manager for collections and training projects, Tlou Sebola said the 12 large recycling bins dotted around the Fountains Valley Resort were also made from materials many would consider waste.

“The bins were primarily made from poly-aluminium – a mixture of plastic and aluminium pellets – extracted from recycled liquid board cartons which were used to package fruit juice, milk and custard,” Sebola said.

The bins were made with 2.5 tons of poly-aluminium and polyethene film according to Maggie Infante, CEO of Infinite Industries, which manufactured the bins. This translates to 750 000 one-litre cartons which were diverted from landfills. The recycling stations are for paper, plastic, cans, and glass.

“The primary objective of this initiative is to instigate a shift in human behaviour. We anticipate that the habit of separating recyclables, cultivated at the resort, will extend beyond its premises and be embraced in homes and workplaces as well,” Sebola said.

The effort diverts recyclable waste from the metro landfills and improves the quality of the recyclable materials which are separated and don’t get contaminated by the non-recyclable, mostly organic, residual waste.

Sorting the recyclable materials helps waste pickers, who receive better payment for collecting cleaner materials, separated according to type, that they sell to buy-back centres.

At the launch of the project in mid-April, MMC for Environment and Agriculture Management, councillor Ziyanda Zwane said that, like much of South Africa, the metro was running out of usable space at its four main landfill sites.

“It is of crucial importance that we separate our waste so that we enhance our recycling efforts,” said Zwane. “We are looking forward to rolling this out to every corner of the city, to ensure we minimise the waste that is going to our landfills.”

The metro currently has four landfills in Bronkhorstspruit, Ga-Rankuwa, Soshanguve and Mamelodi.

“This initiative also scales up waste-separation efforts that embrace innovative solutions and advocate to support environmental legislation and policies at municipal and national levels, while supporting the principles of the waste management hierarchy, which considers landfill as the last option,” Zwane said.

“We remain committed to making sure we have clean surroundings and you can earn a living through recycling your waste. We are very excited to launch this initiative and are looking forward to rolling it out throughout the city to make sure that we minimise our waste. Fountains Valley Resort clients are encouraged to practise separation at source through these recycling stations to support this initiative that will lead to a cleaner city.”

Petco CEO Cheri Scholtz said waste management was a huge challenge for most South African towns and cities, but that good waste management offered many long-term socio-economic benefits, including a cleaner environment, healthier communities and an increase in tourism.
Scholtz added that there was no one-size-fits-all solution.

“There are many pressing demands on municipal funding. Public-private partnership is one way to move forward, and it is our collective responsibility to help find solutions,” said Scholtz.

“It’s a complex landscape, but we have to divert valuable materials that have recyclable potential away from landfills. Together, we can make the necessary system changes. It won’t be instant, but it is urgent.”

The project is also in collaboration with the national Department of Fisheries, Forestry and the Environment, the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and the South Africa Local Government Association. Non-governmental organisations (Tera Pak, CCBSA, Pro Alliance, IWMSA and Plastic SA) and small, medium and micro enterprises from the local buy-back centre are also involved.

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