Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products.
Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) has started a recycling programme; they are encouraging schools to start recycling, keeping their schools clean and try to raise funds for the school.
This programme was formed in 2011 to minimize littering in our communities and urge the community members to come out in numbers and become volunteers for this programme and support the kids, as their support can play an important role in motivating the kids to keep doing this project.
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They are targeting schools and communities to help them reach their target. Their aim is to keep a green community and 0.0 littering schools. To keep all recyclables materials from the waste bins.
They have 40 representatives all over the province. There is three recycling representative in Soweto. The representatives have a duty to visit schools on a weekly basis each and every day; they guide schools, helping learners and teaching them how to recycle.
The programme has a target for the schools in which the schools have to recycle from a minimum of 4000 kg’s to 12000 kg’s but they have to go over 12000 kg’s in order to be nominated into the national top 20 schools.
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The schools are given up to 8 months to complete this task of recycling up to 15 000 kg’s, after recycling up to 15 000 kg’s then the schools are automatically nominated to win the grand prices. The first price is R50 000, second R30 000, and the third price R200 000.
Thlatlogang was one of the top performing schools nationally and regionally and third place on the high schools. Nationally they got the third price and regionally first price.
They have an initiative called Sghubhu Friday which was formed by the Khosi Ntuli, the Principal. The kids need to bring the recycling products to school every Fridays.
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Meshack Mukwevho a School Recycling Representative said, “When I came in Johannesburg to start my Grade 3 I was introduced to a subject called environment that’s when I fell in love and the passion was built.
“The programme inspired me in a way that at home I separate waste myself.The bin does not get full like before as the recyclable material, I donate it to the nearby participating schools like Thlatlogang.”
Mukwevho suggests that the community can leave out their plastics containers at Thlatlogang or at their own gates and the learners will come pick it up.
“You know when you are walking down the streets, drinking your bottled soft drink or water as you go to throw the bottle away in the trash, have you notice how many of the items in the trash are recyclable? added Mukwevho.