Despite its magnificence and cultural diversity, South Africa is unfortunately plagued with two challenges which are unemployment and poor waste management. South Africa has a current unemployment rate of 26.7% which equates to 6 million unemployed South Africans, most of whom can be found in rural and peri-urban communities. WILDTRUST CEO, Dr Andrew Venter says that to … [Read more...]
National Zoological Gardens launches recycling pilot project
South Africa’s largest zoo, the National Zoological Garden of South Africa (NZG), on Wednesday launched a recycling pilot project aimed at job creation and addressing the massive litter problem which its thousands of annual visitors leave in their wake. Should the programme prove successful, it could also be rolled out at the Mokopane Biodiversity Centre in Limpopo. The … [Read more...]
IDC boosts young rural entrepreneurs
Siyabonga Tshabalala and Nomuntu Ndhlovu took the decision to leave their corporate jobs in Gauteng and go back home to their rural village of Steenbok in Mpumalanga, to start a business. Both aged 27, the pair now run SiyaBuddy, a recycling and waste management company that has now created 18 direct jobs and 541 indirect jobs in their community in the Nkomazi Local … [Read more...]
Popular food store trials recycling vending machine
Imagine an intelligent reverse vending machine for depositing your waste, which identifies it for you as recyclable or not. This is now a reality. In line with its recent announcement to achieve zero packaging waste to landfill by 2022, Woolworths has now launched a customer trial of an integrated reverse vending machine in its flagship green store in Claremont. “It might … [Read more...]
Africa’s largest PET recycler unveils expansion plans
Africa’s largest PET plastic recycler has announced plans to inject R200 million into the struggling economy to help South Africa meet its recycling and job creation targets for the next five years. The recent announcement follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) by BRICS ministers of environment, during the 10th BRICS Summit held in Johannesburg last … [Read more...]
Small recycling businesses in Boksburg receive welcome boost
Recycling SMMEs received support from the PET recycling sector earlier this month in the form of equipment that will enable their effective participation in the mandatory recycling programme launched by the City of Ekurhuleni this month. This follows concerns from small industry players and informal waste collectors that they could be sidelined by the new … [Read more...]
The pros and cons of plastic alternatives
On the 3rd of July, citizens throughout the world celebrated Plastic Bag Free Day. This, hot on the heels of Environment Day and World Oceans Day, both celebrated a few weeks earlier. On all three these days, and throughout the month of Plastic Free July, consumers were encouraged to #beatplasticspollution and join the challenge to “choose to refuse” single-use … [Read more...]
Gauteng polystyrene collectors help ensure recycling success
South Africa’s success with the collection and recycling of post-consumer polystyrene continues to grow thanks to the combined effort of collectors and recyclers around the country. Despite its label of being “difficult to recycle plastic”, polystyrene recycling figures have continued to grow over the past eight years. “The applications and uses for recycled polystyrene … [Read more...]
Africa’s pollution crisis warning: step up to avoid environmental disaster
As the second most polluted continent, Africa must take both the responsibility and opportunity to pioneer world-leading waste management methods to avoid an environmental and socio-economic disaster, experts warn. This was the message from environmental scientist Dr Tony Ribbink, who was speaking at the annual general meeting of the PET Recycling Company (PETCO) at the … [Read more...]
SA retailer to lead the way by ditching plastic packaging
A large retailer has announced that it plans to be the first in South Africa to contribute zero packaging waste. In a statement released on Tuesday, Woolworths said it aims to have none of its packaging end up in landfills, which will require the introduction of 100% recyclable materials and a supportive recycling infrastructure. This will include the phasing out of … [Read more...]
Bring Your Own Bag campaign aims to keep the seas trash free
Every year South Africans use approximately 8 billion plastic bags, and less than 1% are recycled. Most end up in landfills or the ocean. With the support of A Rocha “Christians in Conservation,” South African Churches have launched a campaign to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags. At the launch, Rethink The Bag campaign founder Hayley MacLellan shared stories of the … [Read more...]
6 Ways to beat plastic pollution this World Environment Day
5 June marks World Environment Day, a day recognised by over 143 countries who are concerned with the protection of our environment. First held in 1974, World Environment Day has been a flagship campaign for raising awareness on emerging environmental issues from marine pollution, human overpopulation, and global warming, to sustainable consumption and wildlife … [Read more...]
SA broke PET plastic recycling record last year
Despite tough trading conditions and a 13% fall in the total PET market, the South African plastic industry recycled a record 2.15 billion PET plastic bottles in 2017, setting a post-consumer recycling rate of 65% to put the country on par with international standards. The 93 235 tonnes of collected PET exceeded the industry target of 58% for the year 2017 and created 64 000 … [Read more...]
