Calls to revive Waterfall recycling
The recycling company employs fathers who need jobs, but the City requested them to refrain from collecting the orange bags as it affects the City's waste diversion stats and the allocated collector.
A RECYCLING company in Waterfall is close to shutting its doors as they are not able to operate in the area. The Waste Disposal Centre has been in the mini-skip-hire business since 2014 and recently branched into recycling when the need arose in the area.
“We noticed all the recycling in our skips, and people keep asking us to take their recycling, as well, because they don’t know who else can assist them when they put bags out. Then they are not collected, and they have to bring them in again,” said Rona Van der Merwe.
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According to the company, their services had to stop when Durban Solid Waste (DSW) called them for a meeting and explained to them that they had appointed a new contractor to collect and distribute the orange bags in the Outer West area.
The company said this has affected the community as they still receive calls for the recycling to be collected.
“We get people who ask us to collect from them as their orange bags have not been collected or they don’t have orange bags for their recycling. We also go around and look for recycling as we try to stop all the illegal dumping in our area.
“So many people are losing faith in the recycling collection as they put their bags out on dustbin day and are not sure if they will be collected or not. So many complexes and estates are not interested in recycling anymore due to poor or non-service. I do believe that with more help, it will encourage households to start recycling again,” said Van der Merwe.
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The company said they’ve held a meeting with DSW. “In the meeting, we were told that the orange bag programme is a very big challenge for them as they invested a large amount of money. We explained to them that it seems the contractor is not coping with the collection of the orange bags as they travel so far to get to the Outer West area.
“When we met with DSW, we were told they would discuss our interest with management and get back to us with no time frame. The company said closing their doors would not lead to the best outcome.
“We employ staff from the immediate community where most of the illegal dumping happens. These men are fathers, and their income is the only money that comes in for the families. Should we not be able to get some assistance, they will, once again, be unemployed,” they said.
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eThekwini spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said the City is aware of the company.
“CSW had a meeting with the recycling company as they were collecting orange bags without authorisation by the City. They were requested to refrain from doing that as it affects the City’s waste diversion stats and the allocated collector,” she said.
Sisilana said the orange bags are collected regularly, and there is no issue in Waterfall.
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