Recycling plays a big role in the South African economy and offers work opportunities to thousands of South Africans.
The Glass Recycling Company recently looked at seven key factors that impact and may continue affecting recycling successes in South Africa in 2018, Sandton Chronicle reports.
“Currently South Africa does not have mandatory punitive legislation in place which makes separation of recyclables at the source (where the recyclable material, which includes glass, paper, metal and certain plastics is separated from the waste stream) in homes, offices, restaurants and bars compulsory. Mandatory separation at the source will ensure greater recycling success in years to come,” said Shabeer Jhetam, executive director at The Glass Recycling Company.
outlined the following factors that will impact recycling in 2018:
Entrepreneurship in Waste
In many developing countries like ours, an informal ‘collector market’ has evolved; this informal market has also grown in Brazil and India amongst other nations. Recyclables are collected by individuals to generate a source of income. Based on independent research approximately 50 000 South Africans earn an informal income from collecting waste glass and selling it to entrepreneurial buy-back centres.