Recycling and collecting waste is important because you can make cash by collecting waste, help feed families and preserve the environment for generations to come. Perhaps you are wondering why it is important to recycle? Here are some interesting points to consider:

• Did you know that there is an island of plastic waste?

In the Pacific there is an “island” with floating plastic waste called the Great Pacific Patch with 60 kg of waste per square metre. It stretches to up to 1.6 million square kilometres. This is a result of the hundreds of tonnes of plastic refuse that is thrown away and that enters the ocean each year from rivers. The size of this ‘island’ is three times the size of a France!

• Animals are dying because of waste!

The Department of Environmental Affairs in our country has been considering a complete ban of the use of certain plastic products due to their harmful nature on marine life. Animals in the sea and rivers are suffering because of discarded plastic. Think about how you throw away plastic bags and where they actually land up? Birds and marine animals can be trapped by plastic or even eat it confusing it for food!

• It is going to get worse.

The sad reality is that, if we do not do anything about preserving our environment now, we face the great threat of generations to come not enjoying nature or seeing certain animals. Think about the amount of waste that is left on our beautiful beaches after the holiday season? If that waste is not collected it is swept into the sea. If we do not collect rubbish and put it in rubbish bins our country will be covered in harmful waste. It will get worse if we do not do better.

• What can we do to clean-up our world?

The good news is that, there is a lot we can do to clean-up waste and ensure that our environment is kept clean, tidy and waste-free. The first important thing to note is DO NOT LITTER! If you have finished eating from your take away container, make sure you throw it in a bin and not on the side of the road.

• Where to take your waste for cash?

There are a number of recycling stations across the country where you can take your recycling, one of them is in Langa Township in Cape Town, Western Cape. The company is called Packa-ching. Here’s how it works:

– The station is open only on Mondays from 08:00 am – 12: 00 pm.
– You have to collect and separate your recycling i.e. paper, plastic, cardboard etc.
– There is usually a long queue of people who go there to recycle so you will need time.
– Your recycling will be weighed and you will be given a slip that reflects your recycling points.
– If you are a first time recycler, a card will be issued to you where your points will be credited.
– The points that you collect will then be converted into cash and you can use them to buy groceries at Shoprite stores.

Use this link to find other centres in South Africa where you can get paid for your waste. https://www.polyco.co.za/packa-ching/

The cool thing is that you can make some cash out of this waste too.

It is in our hands to keep our environment clean and to encourage others to do the same. Recycling saves the lives of innocent animals and can be a source of income for some people. Let us not litter and ensure we discard our waste responsibly to preserve our animals for generations to come.