The City of Johannesburg’s Environment and Infrastructure Services Department (EISD) will celebrate Global Recycling Day today, 17 March 2023, with an initiative at Qhoboshiane Primary School in Diepkloof, Soweto. Global Recycling Day is celebrated annually on 18 March, and it was created in 2018 to help recognise the importance recycling plays in preserving precious primary resources and securing the future of our planet. The department has collaborated with various stakeholders including Pikitup, Sikhulisa Intsha Yethu Cooperative, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Johannesburg City Parks & Zoo.
Pikitup will donate recycling bins to Qhoboshiane Primary while Sikhulisa Intsha Yethu Cooperative will hand over 400 quality handbags made from plastic materials to be used by pupils to bring recyclables to the school.
These recyclables will be bought by Mr Bin, and the proceeds will be used towards renovations at the school.
The day will start with a recycling march and public education and awareness drive about illegal dumping, waste management and promotion of recycling.
A recycling exhibition will be held in a quest to show residents that they can make a living out of waste.
On display will be recycling products such as bales, handbags, car toys, mats made of plastic as well as earrings and art. The commemoration will conclude with the launch of a recycling initiative at the school.
Recycling plays a vital role in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the national legislative requirements.
The City has developed an Integrated Waste Management Policy and Plan with the goal to implement sustainable waste minimisation, reuse, recycle and recovery programmes through strategic interventions including the promotion of composting, waste to energy and other reuse and recycling initiatives supported by the introduction of waste separation at source programmes. These programmes are aimed at the upliftment of the quality of life for the communities of the City.
“The City generates over 1.6 million tons of waste annually and recycles around 15% a year. The City’s four operational landfill sites are left with combined three years landfill air space. It is critical that the City increase the waste diverted away from landfill sites to avoid a day zero waste,” says Makhosazane Baker, the Director Waste Management and Regulations in EISD.
“The City is working with National and Provincial department as well as the private sector including wastepickers to promote waste diversion initiatives such as separation at source and establishment of waste recycling facilities,” adds Baker.
There is a waste management paradigm shift currently adopted nationally that aims to encourage waste disposal as last resort. The City has developed new interventions to this effect to motivate waste separation and inclusion of informal waste recyclers in its operations.
The Policy and Regulations developed to minimise waste including recycling are monitored and enforced by the use of City’s Waste Management by-laws that were gazetted in October 2021 and can be viewed or downloaded on www.joburg.org.za
Written by Dudu Lushaba
16/03/2023