DEAR Editor,-
When we relocated to the South Coast from Gauteng eight years ago, I was happy to see that recycling was encouraged – I am a staunch promoter of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’.
That delight soon turned to disappointment.
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Recycling depots are sadly neglected and there is definitely not enough to accommodate residents from Port Edward to Hibberdene.
The fenced-in depot at the Shelly Beach/Southcoast Mall intersection is hopelessly too small to service surrounding areas and is often smelly and overflowing.
Umtentweni’s recycling depot in Commercial Road is currently the best, but does not help anyone living on the other side of the Mzimkhulu River.
Recently the only decent glass disposal bin was removed from its position outside Uvongo Library (town hall) area and has never been brought back.
There is only a paper bin left there now and I despair because I’m sitting with boxes full of glass containers, cleaned and packed for recycling.
There is nowhere to recycle bulk plastic and all this waste ends up at the already overloaded landfill at Oatlands.
All efforts to recycle is futile. It is such a sad situation because there is money in recycling if managed properly.
This would also create employment for many, but nobody takes the matter seriously enough.
Perhaps it is time for municipalities to look at recycling more seriously to realise lost opportunities and revenue.
Or if they cannot, or are not interested in managing recycling, maybe one or all of the schools would take up the challenge.
There are many articles in the South Coast Herald of our schools winning recycling competitions – they are being educated about the importance of recycling to preserve the environment.
An area could be designated outside of school premises, with bins placed strategically for residents to use.
All income could be another source of fund-raising for the school.
If not a school, is there not a contractor or entrepreneur who can take this recycling disaster and turn it into a well-run business that brings in extra revenue and jobs on the struggling South Coast that is drowning in litter?
FRUSTRATED RECYCLER
Uvongo
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