Recycling glass goes a long way to help animals
Community urged to drop off bottle glass to assist Recycle 4 Rescue.
Animals in need have a new group of champions who are doing what they can to help them.
Germiston-based Recycle 4 Rescue was started by Judy Knox and John Ancill in November 2017 and the organisation has continued to grow.
The original idea was to try and recycle enough glass to sterilise one animal a week.
Judy’s dream of helping animals has now been made that much easier with the assistance of Remade Recycling, located in Driehoek.
After knocking on many tightly shut doors, she finally knocked on the door of Remade Recycling. Remade immediately shared her multi-faceted vision of uniting the community in a common purpose, working towards a cleaner community, and, most importantly for Judy, rescuing animals in need.
The vision was, quite simply, to raise funds through recycling glass.
Remade Recycling is a solutions-based recycling company that started operating in 1987 and was acquired by Mpact Recycling (Pty) Ltd in 2016.
Mpact is one of the leading paper and plastics businesses in southern Africa, listed on the JSE’s Main Board in the Industrial – Paper and Packaging sector.
“I could sense the passion and determination in Judy’s voice as she shared her vision with me, and I knew that this was a project that Remade could get involved in,” said Michella Hattingh, marketing and public relations manager for Remade Recycling.
“This wasn’t going to be a charity or sponsorship project though.
“It had to be something that Judy would drive and Remade would logistically support.
“And that is exactly what it’s turned out to be.”
In May, Michella said she could see there had been great success with the initiative so Remade agreed to assist by placing a skip to assist with the increased glass collection needs.
That’s when Marthinus Dezel came on board and agreed to allow the placement of Recycle 4 Rescue’s first skip at the Marlands Shopping Centre.
In the six months since Remade Recycling answered her call for a partner, and with the incredible support of the community, Recycle 4 Rescue has already collected over 20 tons of glass.
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Due to this success, Remade Recycling decided to expand the collection area and placed a second skip for the collection of recyclable glass in Bedfordview.
“For this stage of the project grateful thanks goes to Dr Chris Killian and his team from the Bedfordview Veterinary Hospital who jumped at the opportunity to get involved with the Recycle 4 Rescue project and agreed to have the skip placed at their veterinary hospital,” said Michella.
A third skip was also placed, last Friday, at Grand Slam Sports Diner in Edenvale.
But all this success is only possible with the ongoing support of the community at large.
Many companies in the area have already pledged their support to Recycle 4 Rescue by either supplying their recyclable bottle glass or by agreeing to be drop-off points for the community to take their recyclable bottle glass to.
In addition, much-needed wheelie bins have been donated for placing at collection points.
They still have a list of locations that have offered to be collection points but, as so often happens, there aren’t enough wheelie bins to place.
Judy and her team continue their weekly “wheelie bin” duty which entails driving to each of their 10 collection points, emptying the wheelie bins and taking the glass to the skips.
But that’s not where their work ends.
They search out endless opportunities to collect glass at the source which sometimes means interrupting parties in the neighbourhood to secure the glass at the end of the party (which party-goers seem to be very willing to assist with).
Their public area clean-ups have also not gone unrewarded and, on one or two occasions, they have rescued abandoned puppies while collecting discarded glass – this is the essence of what Recycle 4 Rescue stands for.
If you are looking for ways to assist Judy and her team contact them to find out what their current requirements are.
You can find them on Facebook and get up-to-date information on their glass collection volumes and, more importantly, all the animals that they have successfully rescued.
You’ll also find the locations of their other collection points.
Remember, only bottle glass can go into the wheelie bins and skips.
Do not put the following into any of the bins:
• Window glass.
• Drinking glasses.
• Crockery.
• Automotive glass.
• Light bulbs, CFLs.
• Laboratory glass.
Where you can drop off glass:
• 1 Lunar Avenue, Solheim.
• 27 Acacia Road, Primrose East.
• 12 Totius Street, Marlands.
• 26 Seventh Avenue, Lambton.
• Primrose Bowling Club, Bluebell Avenue, Primrose.
• Woofgang Doggy Day Spa, 40 van Riebeeck Avenue, Edenvale.
• Witfield Animal Hospital, 72 Main Street, Witfield.
• Bedfordview Veterinary Hospital, 28 Concorde Road, Bedfordview.
• Tracy Harris Properties, Shop 6 Impala Centre, 24 Frelon Road, Impala Park.
• Boni’s Sports Bar, 37 Emden Road, Gerdview.
• Marlands Shopping Centre, Marlands.
• Grand Slam Sports Diner, Edenvale.
Have a story?
Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist) kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za
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