A big, collaborative project is set to bring a new chapter of green hope to Bellville by empowering informal waste collectors!
Bellville, South Africa (10 December 2024) — A big collaborative project is boasting green hope throughout Bellville, and informal waste collectors are at the heart of it.
Informal Waste Collectors Are Key to the Circular Economy
In circular economies across the world, informal waste collectors play a vital role. Their efforts help them put food on the table by collecting and selling waste that otherwise would’ve struggled to be discarded properly, all of which help buyback centres serve their function on a much bigger scale.
In fact, Future Earth cites that they are key to achieving South Africa’s 57 percent overall recycling rate and that they collect 80-90 percent of used packaging and paper that is recycled.
More Efficient Waste Collection for Bellville
In an effort to bolster more efficient waste collection in Bellville, The Greater Tygerberg Partnership (the team are behind the brilliant Better.Bellville.Together initiative that’s transforming the suburb) are thrilled to share that they have something exciting in the works. They have teamed up with the EPR Waste Association of South Africa NPO (ASA) and the City of Cape Town to help people grow, and reduce landfill volume!
The collaboration between these groups aims to provide critical resources, essential skills development and support for informal waste collectors so that they can work as self-sufficient entrepreneurs.
This way, informal waste collection can grow as an industry in this community (a big dose of hope, especially for the homeless community), and those who are part of it can look forward to better opportunities. Ultimately, the more collectors, the less waste heads to landfills.
The project also intends to involve Bellville residents, businesses, and schools in raising their levels of awareness and responsible waste practices.
One exciting development (on bright display at the official launch event) will see collection happen quicker and more easily, thanks to a designated e-van. The e-van will help collect waste from schools and businesses directly from 15 January and for the next 12 months to follow.
Collective Action for Collective Hope
Etienne Basson of eWASA says that sustainable community development can only thrive when both environmental initiatives and individuals are invested. Echoing this sentiment was Alderman Vos, who shared that this example of forging collaboration will benefit members of the community through upskilling and landfill reduction.
This is yet another link in the chain for Better.Bellville.Together’s eco-conscious movements that extend from mindful makeovers to educational campaigns. A big effort to empower informal waste collectors came earlier this year thanks to a better means for collection—kitted-out trolleys, which you can read all about here!
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