#WasteStopsWithMe – Pikitup facts

Keeping the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) clean is no easy task, but it has to be done. This task is the sole responsibility of the waste management entity, Pikitup.

Here are some interesting facts you probably did not know:

· A wide range of waste management services are provided to approximately four million people.

· Approximately 16 million tonnes of waste is collected and disposed of annually.

· There are 13 waste management depots placed throughout the city, with 42 garden refuse sites and four active landfills.

· Every day about 6 000 tonnes of waste is collected and about 9 000 kilometres of road are swept and cleaned – across the seven regions.

· The entire 1 625 square kilometre area that is Johannesburg is serviced by Pikitup.

· More than 200 trucks are used to provide refuse collection to private and business residents in the city.

· In only one month, approximately one million tonnes of illegal waste is dumped, two and a half million tonnes of refuse is collected during weekly rounds and more than four million tonnes of waste is cleaned from the streets.

Bulelwa Zimba, Manager of Events and Marketing at Pikitup said, “Whilst it is generally accepted that recycling is one of the best ways to deal with waste, a much better way is by producing less waste in the first place.”

Some ways to minimise waste include:

· Create a shopping list to avoid buying unnecessary food – more than one third of unwanted food is thrown away.

· Buy products made from recyclable materials, such as toilet paper, kitchen rolls, stationery, etc.

· Use energy-efficient light bulbs – they last up to eight times longer.

· Festive ribbons and bows can be re-used for gifts throughout the year.

· Consider buying a re-usable Christmas tree.

· A lot of things can be donated – don’t just throw them away. Most opticians will accept old pairs of spectacles and a re-use workshop fixes repairable items to re-sell them. These items include beds, sofas, tables, chairs, cupboards, fridges, washing machines, tumble dryers, curtains, carpets, bed linen, clothes, bicycles and children’s toys, prams and cots.

Think twice before:

· buying bottled water – chilled tap water is just as good

· throwing away garden waste – rather make compost

· using cling wrap or aluminium foil – a lunch tin can be re-used

· reaching for a plastic bag in the supermarket – buy a re-usable bag or bring your own

Remember, if everyone does their bit to minimise waste, Planet Earth can be preserved for future generations.

Waste stops with you and me.

Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.

For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites Randfontein Herald, Krugersdorp News and Get It Joburg West Magazine

Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to let your voice be heard!