Carrying the message beyond International Day of Zero Waste
08 April 2024
The City of Cape Town's Urban Waste Management Directorate reaffirmed its commitment to fostering sustainable and environmentally-conscious communities on Saturday, 6 April, with an awareness and education event in Rusthof in recognition of International Day of Zero Waste on 30 March.
The City together with Rusthof Neighbourhood Watch and the Keep Rusthof forum spent Saturday, 6 April 2024, raising awareness in the Rusthof community about the impact of waste on the environment.
Various speakers at the event gave advice to residents on how to reduce their waste, which included a home-composting demonstration. Bingo, the City's anti-litter mascot also attended to help galvanise the community against littering.
The City urges residents to think about simple yet impactful ways to reduce waste in their daily lives. From implementing home composting systems to conscientiously shopping with waste-reduction in mind, every individual action contributes to the greater goal of minimising waste. By refusing single-use plastics, reducing unnecessary packaging and embracing reusable alternatives, residents can significantly reduce their ecological footprint and contribute to a cleaner, greener Cape Town.
Moreover, the City applauds businesses and initiatives that champion the zero-waste philosophy. By redesigning products to prioritise durability and sustainability, or ensuring that their organic waste is converted into high-value after-products, many in business and industry are doing their part to develop and support a circular economy. The City commends all businesses and organisations that prioritise waste avoidance in their manufacturing processes, and ensure that the waste they produce is diverted from landfill. You are setting an example for others to follow.
From the City's side, our efforts towards reduction of waste continue to gather pace. Rules on the disposal of organic waste for business are getting stricter, and education and enforcement around legislative requirements to reduce waste is intensifying. Compliance inspections at
Bellville and
Elsies River businesses were done recently in this regard.
Furthermore, at Coastal Park Landfill, the City's Urban Waste Management Directorate is developing another large facility to sort recyclables, before selling them to the recycling market. This facility is similar to the flagship sorting facility in Kraaifontein and will allow for further expansion of the City's recycling collection service for residential properties to suburbs that do not yet benefit. Efforts are also being made to promote home composting with regular distribution of free containers to residential properties. The current rollout schedule is available
on the Home Composting Programme page. We encourage you to attend a rollout event near you and to start composting as soon as possible. Please note the terms and conditions on the page.
'International Day of Zero Waste serves as a poignant reminder of the collective responsibility we bear towards our environment. By embracing the refuse, reduce, redesign, reuse, and recycle principles, we can transform our city into a beacon of sustainability. Together, let us forge ahead on the path towards a waste-free future, leaving a positive legacy for generations to come,' said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Alderman Grant Twigg.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
