14 December 2023
SCHOLARS BECOME EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENT CHANGERS WITH OPENING OF SWOP SHOP
The Langeberg Municipality in collaboration with Broadlake, MMA Recruitment, volunteers of the Robertson Angels, and Dagbreek Primary school have officially launched a mobile Swop Shop today, 30 November 2023 at Dagbreek Primary school in Robertson.
The event was opened by Executive Mayor Ald Schalk Van Eeden thanking Broadlake and MMA Recruitment for their generous donation, all the volunteers and especially the scholars for their immense contribution that will make this a positive community development project.
This innovative project encourages learners to take initiative to keep our area clean, environmentally healthy and save space on rapidly filling landfill sites, while earning themselves a gift incentive from the shop.
Scholars enthusiastically supported the launch of the project, bringing a mountain of recyclables to school.
The recyclable materials are “paid for” in coupons that can be used to purchase items like stationery, toys and toiletries from the shop. The items in the shop were donated by MMA Recruitment, and donations from the community are always welcome. As this is a trail period the intend is to identify and address all the issues as the project progress.
Swop Shop collections will take place weekly, with the first trial phase roll-out at Dagbreek Primary School, where scholars can bring recyclable waste to school every Thursday during the school term.
Because the swop shop is a mobile unit run by volunteers, it may be moved around the Langeberg area. The goal is to expand the project to more schools in high-littering areas on a dedicated day of the week.
On these days, recyclable materials are collected by the Langeberg Municipal Waste Department and transported to the new Materials Recovery Facility in Ashton, which will be officially opened in February 2024, to sort the materials by glass, paper, cardboard, plastic and tin for proper disposal or repurposed into new items.
We ask the local community to take ownership of the project and get involved by volunteering time to run the shop or donating stock goods.
“Municipalities are faced with a large challenge of diverting waste from landfill sites.” The Swop Shop is one of many collection methods being used to encourage the separation of recyclables at the point of generation (separation at source). Mr Slingers, Manager: Solid Waste Management, adds, "We hope to eventually expand this initiative to more schools in the Langeberg Municipal area."
South Africans throw out well over a million tons of recyclable plastic as part of their general waste each year, with the Western Cape now facing a potential crisis with many landfills rapidly filling. Landfills in some regions may approach capacity in less than a year. The good news is that a significant portion, up to 40% of your household waste can be recycled and reused.
The Langeberg community is encouraged to use the two-bag system to keep clean recyclables separate in a clear bag provided free of charge by the municipality. In this way, you can help save our environment, beautify our towns, and inspire communal pride in your neighbourhood.
WHAT CAN BE RECYCLED
Remove food and liquid waste before you place items in the clear recycling bag that are provided free of charge by the Municipality. Once your clear bag is full, place it on your pavement on refuse collection days. Do not place your recycle bag inside the wheelie bin.
- Paper
Newspapers , magazines, books, cardboard. white office paper and mixed paper
- Plastic
Cooldrink, water and milk bottles, clean plastic shopping bags, plastic margarine, ice cream, food and cleaning agents containers, clean wrapping and packing plastic used to wrap magazines, six-packs of beer or packs of toilet paper.
- Metal
Anything made out of Aluminium (food tins, lids of glass containers, cooldrink cans, foil, staples, paperclips, etc.), Steel and Copper
- Glass
All tinted and transparent glass like wine bottles, food jars
THESE ITEMS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR RECYCLING:
- Any wet, smelly soiled material. Left-over food, Peels etc. can be kept and taken to pig farmers or used as compost.
- Laminated, chemically treated paper (old faxes and heat sensitive items)
- Used paper towels and serviettes, wax paper, ply- or plastic-coated glossy paper, milk/juice cartons that are lined with foil or plastic
- Rubber bands, - Metal paper fasteners,
- Tinfoil and cling wrap plastic , - Polystyrene,
- Nylon, - Cellophane, - Safety glass,
- Laminated glass, - Light bulbs and neon tubes,
- Crockery, pottery, plates, cups etc.
Should you like to know more about the Langeberg Municipality Swop Shop or other projects, please contact Glenn Slingers: 023 616 8000 or