Rika encourages people to begin recycling glass

EVANDER – Ms Rika Lamprecht (48), Ms Patricia Motaung and Mr Christof Chauke had a vision to help people and they made it a reality when they began recycling glass.

It is not an easy initiative to get off the ground and it took them a year to collect enough glass to make it worthwhile to transport a load to Gauteng.

They had to collect at least 10 tons of broken glass.

Ms Lamprecht requested her friends that often drink wine to keep their empty wine bottles for her.

She also approached restaurants in the area.

Waypoint sponsored a vehicle to Ms Lamprecht to transport the glass and MNS also donated towards this initiative.

The trio is progressing and improving slowly, but surely and beginning to make a difference in their community.

“The first load took us a year to collect enough glass, the second load it took us about six months, the third load, three months and the fourth load only two months,” said Ms Lamprecht.

Their goal is to take a load of glass to Gauteng once a month.

The load size increased from 10 tons to 16 tons per load.

They have three workers working at their premises to sort out and crush the glass.

They also support a non-governmental organisation in Kinross and gave this organisation the opportunity to fill between six and 12 wheelybins with glass and then buy the glass from them.

“We do the same with a retried woman in eMbalenhle,” said Ms Lamprecht.

“In this way, people can create an income for themselves while cleaning up the environment around them at the same time.”

If people take glass to their premises in Readingroad in Evander, they will pay 30c per kg.

The glass bottles must be empty and washed out, especially bottles with solids like tomato sauce or mayonnaise.

Residents from Secunda can drop their glass items at the container placed at the Duck Pond in Secunda or the container in Frans Hals Street.

Trichardt residents can drop their glass items at the container at the Terra Nova Centre in front of the OK Grocer.

Ms Lamprecht said she became aware that glass and plastic are big problems for the environment and decided to find people who share her vision and begin something that is worthwhile and improving the environment.

Thus their initiative to recycle glass came to life.

She grew up in Evander and obtained a BCom degree at the University of Potchefstroom before returning to the area.

Ms Motaung is from eMbalenhle and Mr Chauke from Bethal.

“All three of us are from the area and want to create a cleaner and better environment to live in.”

Ms Lamprecht encouraged the community to begin recycling and separate their glass products from the rest of their rubbish.