Paper banks make recycling easy

RECYCLING can be a great contributor to the South African economy with job creation opportunities and direct benefits to the environment.

Mpact Recycling is asking consumers to put aside recyclable paper and packaging rather than dispose of it with the rest of their household waste.

KZN regional manager of Mpact Recycling, Trevor Venter, suggests that a great way to start recycling is with paper.

“Recycling paper which includes cardboard, old newspapers, magazines, outdated directories or schoolbooks is a simple process that goes a long way to reducing the impact on landfill sites, creating employment and reusing items that are simple to sort and recycle from home,” said Venter.

He explained that although it seems the easiest way to dispose of recyclable materials might be to throw them away with the rest of the garbage, Mpact Recycling’s neighbourhood “paper banks” make it simple for communities to recycle throughout the year.

Mpact Recycling, a division of Mpact Limited, has a number of paper bank drop-off points conveniently located at schools, churches, community centres and forecourts in neighbourhoods across KwaZulu-Natal.

Mpact collects upwards of 457 000 tons of recovered paper per year and most of this is used by the group’s paper mills in the manufacture of recycle-based paper and packaging.

The input of recovered paper has a positive impact in terms of climate change because it replaces virgin material and reduces greenhouse gas emissions linked to the production of virgin fibre, and prevents the land-filling or incineration of recovered paper.

“There is a growing awareness and sense of responsibility among consumers to buy packaged foods and goods that are environmentally sustainable, so by recycling at home, consumers are at the source of this positive change,” said Venter.

For more information about the Mpact Recycling kerbside collection service and paper banks in your neighbourhood contact Mpact Recycling on 031 274 6600.