Page 13 - The Villager June 2021

Estate News

beverage boxes with the plastic foil
lining inside, like juice, milk, and
custard boxes. These are a great
choice because they are recycled in
South Africa. Even take-away coffee
cups are recycled, so don’t throw
these away until you get home and
can dispose of them correctly with
your other liquid packaging.
4. Flatten your boxes: Typically this
includes brown moving boxes,
smaller online delivery boxes, as
well as bigger products bought in
store, like TVs and appliances. Big part, it’s best to avoid individually
or small, these boxes are recyclable packaged sugar, rusks, muffins,
may not be recycled at all. Rather straws, etc.
check these commonly bought and even sought-after, so please do 7. Glass is great: Glass is recycled right
household items with your Remade flatten them and put them in your here in SA and can be endlessly
branch or visit their website here. recycling bags, or stack them next recycled with no loss of quality.
to your bags if they’re too big.
what-can-be-recycled Another positive is that food and
drinks can last longer in glass.
[https://remade.co.za/what-can-be-recycled/] 8. Ready-made meals: Convenience
2. Separate correctly: While Remade meals are welcome timesavers in
separates recyclable materials a busy life, however packaging
collected from the Residential Estates like this is not currently recycled
at their facilities in Pretoria and Tulisa in SA. But this may change. In the
Park, it’s important to note that meantime rather repurpose or
usually recyclable material should be upcycle these containers. What can
separated into the different grades. be recycled is the cardboard sleeve
It should also be rinsed, cleaned and so make sure to put this in with the
dried. Remember that food that is paper.
likely to contaminate the packaging 9. When items can’t be recycled
should (where possible) be cleaned 5. Check the paper: Paper packaging There are some items that we simply
off the packaging. Keep your paper, is everywhere in your shopping cannot recycle in South Africa. That
plastic and cans separate from your trolley, from cereal and teabag doesn’t mean that all hope is lost,
glass or follow the instructions as boxes to the one holding your however it does mean that these
per the flyer you received about the spaghetti. A lot of paper packaging products are inevitably landfill-bound.
estate programme with your starter is recycled, but only if the paper Technology is always changing and
kit - or ask if you’re uncertain. isn’t laminated with a shiny plastic packaging that is not recyclable today
3. Dealing with Liquid Packaging: film over it. Lamination is often may very well be recyclable tomorrow.
This includes most food and necessary to protect the food, but Once each of us does a little more each

it is more difficult to recycle and time we shop to curb our non-recyclable
although solutions may be available waste and deal with our recyclable
in other countries, they are yet to be waste responsibly, we can significantly
made available in South Africa. impact the rate at which our landfills are
6. Avoid single servings: This packaging filling up and give the natural world its
is often very small and lightweight; best shot at continuing to be our home
and very difficult to sort and bale for for generations to come. If you would
recycling. It also flies around in the like to review more tips and information
wind, creating litter. Some of these on how you can all play your part, please
items, like plastic bread tags can be visit the Remade blog here.
collected into a tub and put into your remade blog
recycling when full. For the most

The Villager • Issue 6 2021 • 11