As society’s demand for recycling increases to divert waste from landfills, the City of Cape Town is encouraging residents to take advantage of the emerging need by registering their own informal small recycling businesses.
According to Grant Twigg, the City’s Mayco member for urban waste management, targets for the diversion of waste from landfill sites are becoming larger, which is why the City is encouraging the residents to get involved.
Landfills in big metros such as Cape Town are believed to have less than 10 years of useful landfill life left.
The national waste management strategy of 2020 has set an ambitious target of 70% reduction in the waste that is sent to landfill by 2035, and is eventually aiming to achieve a zero waste society, according to Twigg who last week told TygerBurger that this will require significant expansion of recycling activities throughout the city in coming years.
“Not only does recycling preserve our natural environment but it provides jobs and an opportunity to generate an income,” he says.
Integrated plan
With the implementation of extended producer responsibility, residents with the necessary resources such as a bakkie and a small space to sort recyclables can register to collect recyclables in their areas, sort it and deliver it to private recycling buy-back centres.
However, the operator would have to be accredited by the City.
The process involves an assessment of the businesses’ integrated waste management plan, to ensure that recyclable waste handled by the business will be correctly cleaned, treated, separated, stored, transported, and disposed of.
Twigg says such operators, when accredited, will then be promoted by the City by means of inclusion on a citywide waste recyclers map.
“On this interactive map residents can find private recyclers nearest to them to collect recyclables on a regular basis. The type of recyclables they accept will also be specified,” he says.
Accredited businesses may also qualify to apply for recycling tenders in coming years as recycling services are expanded throughout the city.
Relationships
With 717 small operators there is already a thriving informal recycling sector in Cape Town that is making a notable contribution to recycling.
“These operations have often developed good relationships with communities. Sometimes communities even want to support their local recyclers rather than participate in a centralised municipal recycling service, in recognition of the potential for economic upliftment through recycling.”
Twigg says the gap exists due to the City’s recycling programme, Think Twice, not having been rolled out to all areas in the city.
“We simply don’t have enough money to appoint contractors for the Think Twice programme in every suburb of Cape Town,” he says.
Passion for recycling
Jacques van Zyl from Morgenster in Brackenfell is an avid recycler but says an inconsistent municipal service is hampering his efforts.
“The service from the City’s formal recycling contractors is inconsistent. Some days they come and other days not, or they collect on different days, and this has encouraged many of my neighbours to give it up,” he says.
He is optimistic about what this programme can mean for the environment.
“Waste can be used to create; it is about sustainability. Glass can be melted and reused, as can paper, plastic, tin, cloth and electronic parts.
“I am shocked sometimes to see what residents dispose off in their normal waste. Not everything in your house you consider rubbish, is necessarily rubbish.
“This waste ends up in our environment, where it could have been reused.
“If we want to see a better tomorrow, we have to take action today. Recycling is such an action,” he says.
Van Zyl says the informal recyling sector is a fantastic idea to promote recycling, while stimulating the economy.
“It can make a huge difference in our natural environment and communities.”
- To apply for accreditation as a waste management company visit www.capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Register/Business-and-trade/Register-as-an-accredited-waste-services-provider.
- View the City’s Waste Recyclers’ Map and register your accredited business for inclusion on the map here: Waste Recyclers Map (capetown.gov.za) Waste_Recyclers_Database_Registration_Form.pdf (capetown.gov.za).
