Cape Town officials have announced that some landfills will be full by the end of the year. They are promoting recycling and reusing waste to solve the problem.
James-Brent Styan from the provincial Department of Environmental Affairs has announced that in some areas across the Western Cape province, landfills could be at capacity in less than a year. However, this issue isn’t unique to the Western Cape and soon, other provinces will be experiencing the same problem.
James-Brent has urged consumers to make wise choices when shopping and to assist in helping, reduce, reuse and recycle.
“The public can help by reusing and recycling. Look at what you buy and the way it is packaged. Speak to your retailers if packaging is excessive.
“Consumers have a lot of influence and can help reduce the amounts ending up on landfill sites.”
We should be recycling plastic, paper, glass and if you have the means, certain food wastes. By taking part in these recycling initiatives, not only do you help reduce waste in the landfills, but you assist in bettering the planet. You become a part of something bigger, saving our oceans, protecting wildlife or preventing harmful substances from entering our ecosystem.
Here are some handy tips that you can implement to make a difference. (PS: this is relevant for all, not only Capetonians)
- Businesses can assist by implementing recycling programmes, you can find a detailed list of information here.
- Separate your recyclables at home and place in different bags, if you are in an area that has informal recyclers (people that dig through the bins) it makes it easier for them to get the items they are looking for. Separate your glass, paper, plastic and tin as these are the items they are looking for.
- Drop off your recyclables at depots. Most shopping centres and schools have recycling bins, inquire with the management to find out where they are located. If there aren’t any, ask about having them installed.
- Create a small compost heap in your garden to get rid of food.
- Donate unwanted goods to local charities or charity shops instead of throwing them away.
- Sign up with a recycling collection company, these companies will assist in getting set up and collect your items for you. This is a minimal effort option, however, you would still need to separate your recyclables.
- Various charities collect recycling to help cover costs. Call your local charity and see if they have any programmes implemented.
For more in-depth tips on various recycling opportunities, take a look at our previous stories below.
South Africa is becoming a nation of recyclers, so if you haven’t started just yet, we hope these tips help inspire you to do a bit more. What are some of your best recycling tips? Share them in the comment section.
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