Cape Town is producing more waste than it can dispose of. The amount of waste disposed of in Cape Town is a staggering 7600 tons per day! (July ’06 - June ’07). Unfortunately rubbish does not just 'disappear' after you dispose of it - our landfills are almost full to capacity and each one of us needs to look at ways to reduce, re-use and recycle items as much as we can.

Here are some tips on how to minimise the waste in your home:

1. REDUCE the waste you produce in the first place:

• Buy goods with little or no packaging or packaging that can be recycled.
• Also buy refills and concentrates – these usually involve less packaging.
• Repair an item instead of replacing it, or if you no longer want it, give it to a person who does.
• Avoid buying disposable items such as paper plates and foam cups.
• Print or photocopy articles on both sides of the paper – it saves money on buying paper and on storage and postage.

2. RE-USE items before they become waste:

• Wash and re-use glass and plastic containers.
• Re-use strong plastic carrier bags instead of buying them, or use more permanent cloth bags for groceries.
• Cut up already printed one-sided paper into blocks for memo sheets (i.e. use the reverse side of the paper).

 3. RECYCLE your waste – many waste types can be reprocessed into useful items:

• Purchase recycled or environmentally-friendly products at the shop.
• Recycle as much of your refuse as possible. Items such as glass bottles, tin cans, paper, plastic, vegetable matter and car oil can be recycled. Collect these items in a separate bin or box and take to your nearest solid waste drop-off facility or recycling depot. Click here for a tabled list of what facilities accept which items. View a cartoon map of all drop-off facilities in Cape Town.
• Electronic waste (e-waste) such as computers, printers and cell phones can also be recycled. Visit the e-Waste Association of SA (eWASA) for more information. Old or damaged cell phones can also be recycled at Vodacare outlets in Canal Walk, Green Point, Somerset Mall and Tyger Valley.
• The following items CANNOT BE RECYCLED: Wet or dirty paper; Tetrapak containers like wax coated milk cartons and foil-lined juice cartons; paper with self adhesive strips; carbon paper; dry dog/cat food bags; cling wrap/film; and disposable nappies.
• Make compost from vegetable matter (e.g. potato peels) and garden waste (e.g. leaves/grass cuttings). Compost improves the soil structure and provides extra nutrients for garden plants. 

For more tips on waste minimisation, visit the City's Solid Waste website. 

 Click here to download the 'WASTE' section, or full version, of the Smart Living Handbook - a practical sustainability guide for people and households in Cape Town to make their homes safer and to save money and the environment.

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