Why is it important to recycle ?

The recycling industry plays a vital role in sustainable development in South Africa, particularly with respect to the environment and job creation. All around South Africa, the waste from communities, businesses, homes and schools ends up in land-fill sites.

Not only does recycling have long-term implications for the environment by reducing the impact of land-fill sites as well as decreasing the need to import raw materials, it also creates jobs in the industry. Many people rely on recycled paper to make a living; they collect paper and sell it to recycling organisations, giving them a steady means of income.

The recovered paper, cardboard, plastic, cans or glass is brought to, or collected by the applicable recycling g organisations, where it is sorted and processed, and then re-used in the manufacture of new products using that collected recycled material. In the case of paper and related products, these are made into a wide variety of products in everyday use, such as corrugated boxes, newspapers, pizza boxes, cereal boxes and even toothpaste boxes.

Recycling is a simple process that everyone can help with,, and which has a beneficial impact on the future of our country in many ways.

If you are not already recycling at home, at your school at your business….give it some thought, and start recycling now. As the old saying goes, “every little bit helps” and if all of us just do our little bit, it will be of great benefit to both our environment and our economy, as well as the many charitable organisations in South Africa that benefit from the proceeds of recycling.

All funds that are raised through the recycling bins at the Table View Shopping Centre are donated to the Tygerberg Children’s Hospital.

USES FOR RECOVERED PAPER  

GRADES                                                                   RECYCLED INTO

Corrugated boxes                                                     New corrugated boxes

Newspaper & magazines                                           Newspaper

Office paper, newspaper, magazines, off-cuts          Tissue, kitchen & industrial towelling

Office paper, boxes, carton-board, off-cuts               Carton-board, cereal box, soap cartons

Newspaper, carton-board trims                                 Moulded paper products (eg: egg-boxes)