City of Johannesburg’s (CoJ) landfills are almost full with less than five years remaining when it comes to space.
As a result, CoJ’s residents are expected to recycle to help with waste management.
In an effort to inculcate a culture of recycling among the residents of the city, Pikitup introduced the separation at source programme. The programme encourages residents and other stakeholders to separate recyclable materials from source.
Mandatory recycling
Plastic bags are given to residents to ensure that the recyclable materials are placed inside the recycling bags for collection. This programme has been made mandatory in certain residential areas in the city.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Mpho Moerane, said with regards to recycling, the city is implementing waste separation at source at a household level, and also encourages businesses to do the same.
“Waste separation at source will assist the city in diverting waste from landfill through recycling initiatives. Since the start of the separation at source programme, over 840 000 households are participating in the programme, and waste diversion from landfills has increase from seven per cent to 17.5 per cent.
“The city is also developing waste recycling facilities to support the recycling initiatives.
“Regarding landfill space, the city is left with less than five years of landfill space. There is a number of interventions that the city is undertaking to deal with the challenge of landfill space.
“We are currently developing waste treatment technologies in partnership with the Development Bank of South Africa. These technology plants will assist in offering the city an alternative to disposal by landfill and save the landfill space,” he said.
Also, with these treatment technologies it is envisaged that waste will be converted to generate electricity and fuel.
In the great south of Johannesburg there are three landfills: Robinson, Ennerdale and Goudkoppies.
Marie-Louise landfill is along Dobsonville Road in Soweto.
