Ronnie Recycler (Mpact Recycling celebrity mascot) believes that by recycling milk and juice cartons, we prevent them from becoming waste and give them a new life.
This is a big deal because by doing so we also get to protect our natural resources, and reduce the dangers of litter on our environment, as well as health problems linked to air and land pollution.
What exactly is ‘waste’?
Waste is anything that we throw away or get rid of, and it doesn’t get re-used.
That waste can lie around as litter on the ground, or it eventually gets collected and dumped in what is called a ‘landfill’, where it could remain forever.
Companies like Mpact Recycling collect and separate that waste material, so that it can then be sent to the appropriate Mpact mill where it is made into new reels of paper and eventually new packaging products.
That is a lot better than letting it remain as litter.
How can you help?
If your school runs a recycling programme, look out for our green Ronnie bank and deposit as much as possible of your recyclables – including paper packaging, and your milk and juice cartons.
Just make sure the carton is empty of all its contents and flattened before you dispose it for recycling.
When these banks are filled up, Mpact Recycling collects the recyclables and often you can even get to meet Ronnie Recycler himself on one of his many school visits around the country, where he encourages recycling among the youth.
Get your school signed up onto the Ronnie Recycler programme – if they are not recycling already.
This way you can play your part in saving the environment, by disposing of these, and all other recyclable paper products, in your nearest Ronnie bank at a church or community centre plus they will raise much needed funds through your donation.
Alternatively, you can participate through Mpact Recycling’s kerbside collection service which is provided at no cost to households and has been running for over 20 years.
Instead of throwing away unwanted paper and paper products in the dustbin, simply fill them up in the Ronnie green bags provided and leave the bag out for collection on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
Upon collection, the kerbside collection service leaves an empty new green bag in its place for the next cycle.
How Mpact Recycling helps you help the environment
Mpact has invested towards initiatives which will enable them to expand and further strengthen the collection of paper and plastic, and to increase recycling rates of these materials in South Africa.
One such initiative is the liquid-packaging recycling plant, at the Springs paper mill, which is now able to process approximately 2000 tonnes per month of cartons, sacks and bags, and cups.
Remember that for recycling purposes, juice and milk cartons are different to other types of packaging.
While they are mostly made of paperboard, like that of cereal boxes, in order to ensure that your juice does not leak, the manufacturers have to line the boxes of juice with a type of plastic called low density polythene.
In some cases, they also use aluminium foil as a lining mechanism.
The liquid packaging recycling plant at the Mpact Springs Mill is supplied by Mpact Recycling with your used juice and milk cartons, and the new equipment enables the plant to remove all the additives mentioned, thereby separating out the paper – so that it can be recycled and made into new paper reels.
“All this recyclable raw material was previously considered waste material that would have been sent to landfill sites,” said Donna Noble, communications manager at Mpact Recycling.
“But because of your help in the collection and recovery of these cartons we are able to create many jobs for unemployed people, while keeping our environment clean, safe and healthy for everyone.
“So, next time you enjoy a juice at school or at home remember how important it is to put the container into the paper recycling bins.”
Also read: Reduce, reuse and recycle
Enviro Monday: 12 useful ways to recycle eggshells
Follow us:
To receive the latest news on your phone:
WhatsApp number: 0794306641 (add us to your contacts and send your name and surname on WhatsApp)
