There's no doubt about it: the benefits of recycling far outweigh the effort it takes to separate your black-bag rubbish from your plastic bottles, paper, cans and glass. Two bins, two bags: easy as pie! Grahamstown also has several systems in place to make it easier for you to recycle.
There's no doubt about it: the benefits of recycling far outweigh the effort it takes to separate your black-bag rubbish from your plastic bottles, paper, cans and glass. Two bins, two bags: easy as pie! Grahamstown also has several systems in place to make it easier for you to recycle. Here boldRuth Woudstrabold has provided a handy guide to reducing your carbon footprint while helping out the Masihlule rubbish sorters, who separate and weigh our recyclables at the local landfill sight.
Recyclables list
- paper
- cardboard
- tins
- cans
- glass bottles
- polystyrene
- all plastic
- all metal objects except wire and gas cylinders
Non-recyclables list
- cling wrap and sticky tape
- woven grain bags
- all PVC (no. 3 plastic)
- white plastic piping
- white guttering, electrical conduit or garden furniture
- chocolate wrappers
- paper contaminated by food or oil
- banana boxes with waxed interiors
- sanitary products
- waxed, glued, plastic, thermal, foil-covered or carbon paper
- toxic substances and other hazardous chemicals like paint, batteries, e-waste, fluorescent light bulbs, computers, cellphones and printing cartridges
- china, porcelain, ceramics, clay pots
- Pyrex or cooking ware
- crystal, drinking glasses
- windowpane glass, light bulbs, automotive glass
- mirrors
Interesting re-use of non-recyclables
Re-use pet food bags as containers
Take juice boxes and chip packets to Kisma Co. who make recycled accessories (find them in the Millbarn Centre, behind Yellow House on High Street).
Tissues and serviettes can be composted in worm farms: see http://www.ru.ac.za/environment/resources/wormfarming/
Why recycle
Some locals in the recycling industry discussed the benefits:
“We do encourage recycling because it assists us in terms of waste management and [the government’s]target of zero waste by 2012, said Mandisi Planga, Makana Municipality's director of community and social services. Recycling creates jobs.”
Nontsikelelo Dukashe of Dutho Recycling agreed that recycling is beneficial to our community. “You won’t see bottles around Joza… It can keep the environment clean and green.”
Chris Smith of Grahamstown Recycling said that we should use the municipality's recycling services to their full extent. “Recycling saves our resources. Otherwise, what’s going to happen in the future with our kids? We’re going to run out of resources. We might as well reuse what we can.”
However, Nikki Kohly, Rhodes University's safety, health and environmental officer noted that “recycling is great, but just remember, it is not the final solution. She said that people need to find practical ways of reducing their waste because there are not an infinite number of landfill sites, or planets, for people to use.
Recycling tips
- Remove wet items or food from recyclable material.
- Rinse food containers with a little water.
- Re-use yoghurt and other containers as Tupperware.
- Invest in reusable batteries.
- Print on recycled paper.
- Reduce, reduce, reduce!
