In many of Cape Town’s residential areas, it’s become much easier to “think twice” about putting out the rubbish. That’s because residents can now put out two different waste containers: their usual “wheelie” bin; and a clear plastic bag for dry, recyclable waste.
In five large pilot projects throughout the metro area, City service providers now issue each household with a clear plastic bag for dry, recyclable waste. The bag must be placed in the upper portion of the wheelie bin on the normal collection day. The contractor will then sell the recoverable waste to organisations and industries that are able to use it.
This pilot project aims to divert 150 tonnes of waste per month from the City’s landfill sites. “Of the 2 kg of waste generated per person per day on average in Cape Town, 0,5 kg is dry and recyclable,” says project leader Eugene Hlongwane, the City’s Manager: Solid Waste Collection.
Dry waste includes all clean and dry paper, cardboard, plastic bags, containers and bottles, glass and tin cans. It should be clean and dry, caps should be removed from plastic containers and plastic and metal containers should be flattened. All other waste should be placed in the lower portion of the bin. Garden refuse (leaves, grass cuttings etc.) and hazardous waste should be taken to the nearest drop-off site.
The areas selected to be part of the pilot project are:
- SOUTHERN SUBURBS: Hout Bay, Glencairn, Fish Hoek and Kommetjie
- HELDERBERG AREA: Strand North, Gordon’s Bay, North-eastern Somerset West and North-western Somerset West
- DELFT AND MFULENI AREA: Delft and Mfuleni
- BROWN’S FARM AND PHILIPPI: Brown’s Farm, Philippi, Weltevreden etc
- ATLANTIC AREA (to come on-stream later): Melkbosstrand, Bloubergstrand, Parklands and Pinelands
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