Job creation, innovation and poverty alleviation are just some of the major achievements by several recycling initiatives that are currently taking place in South Africa – these initiatives are making a tangible difference at grassroots level in communities. This was celebrated by the PET Recycling Company (PETCO), the national recycling body for PET plastics, in the form of … [Read more...]
EWT reviews the biodiversity performance of SA companies
The National Biodiversity and Business Network (NBBN), an initiative of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), has released a report entitled Invitation to Join the Biodiversity Disclosure Project – A Study of the Biodiversity Performance of South African Companies. The report highlights the low biodiversity performance by South African companies and presents an opportunity … [Read more...]
Health club chain tackles climate change
Virgin Active South Africa has partnered with the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) to sponsor a Net Zero Rating Tool. Committed to ZERO environmental impact by 2030 across its 143 clubs in Southern Africa, the health club group is already making operational changes to reduce water consumption and waste; switching to renewable energy to drive down carbon emissions; … [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...]
Plastics industry encourages role players to strive for zero pellet loss
The South African plastics industry has reiterated its commitment to keep our water sources free of plastic pollution. Plastics|SA’s Executive Director, Anton Hanekom, said reducing the amount of plastics that make their way into streams, rivers and the ocean is one of the biggest focus areas for the plastics industry worldwide today. Plastics|SA was one of the first … [Read more...]
What are directors’ duties in respect to climate change?
Directors need to factor climate change into their governance deliberations about strategy, risk management, products and services. So said Sue Lund, member of the Institute of Directors in SA (IODSA) at a recent discussion on directors’ duty of care for the current and long-term sustainability of their organisations – which should translate into measures that both mitigate … [Read more...]
SA’s ocean creatures drowning in single use plastics
Seaside communities whose recreational activities and tourism economy are vested in the attractiveness of our coast are increasingly concerned about the negative impacts of plastic pollution. Bigger than aesthetics and sea life being entangled or accidentally eating plastic, new research shows how plastic is part of OUR food chain. It breaks up into micro particles that are … [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...]
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...]
Environmental advocate encourages green living
Environmental advocate Trever Sanele Colvelle, from Elandskop near Pietermaritzburg developed a keen interest for environmental conservation during his tertiary studies. Immensely inspired by one of his university professors, M.J. Savage, whose laboratory is completely solar powered, Colvelle decided to pursue ways to encourage people to reduce their carbon footprint and … [Read more...]
How to grow your recycling business
More than 80 enthusiastic attendees joined WMRIG (the Waste Minimisation and Recycling Interest Group), Western Cape at this free information-sharing and networking event, held at Philippi Village on Thursday 12 October. Informative and encouraging presentations were given by the Product Responsibility Organisations, PETCO (the PET Plastic Recycling Company), Polyco (the … [Read more...]
Awarding SA’s PET recycling champions
The extraordinary contributions to PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) recycling in South Africa during the course of 2016 by 10 individuals and companies were celebrated at an awards ceremony as part of the PETCO Annual General Meeting, held today at the Radisson Blu Sandton Hotel in Johannesburg. The PETCO awards are designed to recognise individuals, organisations and … [Read more...]
Changing lives through recycling in Ngwelezane Township
Two years ago, Nokubonga Mnyango was dreaming about making a better life for herself and her family. She noticed the need for litter collection in her small community of Ngwelezane. After doing some research, she learned that some of the waste that was present in the township actually had value. More than this, she learned that there are businesses who would pay for this … [Read more...]
