Understanding and Revitalizing the Kuils River Catchment
RECYLING INITIATIVES AND WASTE MANAGEMENT
by Mfuleni Technical Academy
Introduction
For one to be great when it comes to implementing recycling initiatives and manage waste better, a great kind of knowledge is required. When we speak of ‘great knowledge’ we speak of a mixture of modern and indigenous knowledge, a combination of old and modern ways on how to recycle and manage waste better. Unintended waste has abruptly proven to be a huge factor in reducing sustainability and endangering the health of all living organisms who are unaware of deleterious toxins waste contains. Based on how Mfuleni residents are continuously improving their recycling initiatives we believe they have been gifted with this knowledge.
One may ask themselves, what are recycling initiatives? Recycling initiatives are policies or programs that promote the reuse and recycling of materials. These recycling initiatives help lead to a cleaner environment, especially in a huge community that also consists of informal settlements.
Context
There are many different types of recycling methods performed and practiced by Mfuleni residents including Curbside Recycling. Curbside recycling involves programs that provide bins for residents to collect their recyclable materials at homes and schools. These collected materials are then connected by waste management companies such as Luhlaza, Interwaste, and Terramanzi. Residents of Mfuleni have been provided with bins to put their waste in. This has allowed them to be enthusiastic about keeping their environment clean and safe for all that lives in it.
Waste management trucks attend Mfuleni weekly to collect these materials. Students at Mfuleni Technical Academy, a school based in the core of Mfuleni once lacked bins. This then led to pollution in their school. Students then laid a complaint about this; their complaint did not fall on deaf ears. Weeks after the complaint was laid, students were provided with bins for their school allowing them to practice curbside recycling. These students stand very firm against pollution, and they believe in taking a step towards a cleaner environment rather than watching others do it for them.
One of the most common recycling methods practiced by residents and students is Waste Reduction\Campaigns. These campaigns or programs promote the reduction of waste and encourage people to use fewer disposable items and packaging. With the great help from the Environmental Monitoring Group, schools around Mfuleni regularly perform divine and proactive cleanups. Every time the schools are tasked with these cleanups, EMG provides proper equipment, so every time students and residents do cleanups they are well protected.
These cleanups show the greatness of the relationships between students and residents. The action of doing cleanups also helps in raising great awareness to people that lack knowledge when it comes to the importance of a clean environment. While others give modern knowledge others give indigenous knowledge combining these two to a beautiful thing. The EMG does not only provide equipment, but it also provides better knowledge and this is highly appreciated.
Waste Management Methods
Waste management is the complete process of handling, processing, transporting, storage, recycling and disposal of human, industrial and environmental waste. Waste management is a global phenomenon, but its ramifications are prominent in developing countries. Solid waste management which is a very massive task is getting more complex due to urbanization, overpopulation, commercialization, social and economic growth. Institutional fragility and financial constraints even public attitude is far more worse.
There are several waste management methods including Landfills, throwing away waste in landfills is the most common. In this process, the odors, and dangers of waste and handling garbage are eliminated. The garbage is then buried in the landfill sites. Landfills contribute towards global warming hence many countries are reconsidering the use of landfills. During the Incineration process, the municipal solid waste is buried to convert the waste into residue, heat, ash, steam and gases. Statistics show that this reduces the volume of solid waste by 30 percent of the real volume.
Recycling is the process in which discarded items are recycled for reuse. The waste materials may be recycled to extract resources or convert into energies in the form of electricity, heat or fuel. These are just a few examples of waste management practices. Mfuleni residents have landfills for their management of their waste especially in the informal settlement parts of the community.
If waste management practices are improved this can lead to reduced pollution, contributing to a safer environment. Improved waste management can reduce the amount of pollution released to the environment which helps to protect air, land, and water. By improving waste management practices new jobs can be created, boosting the economy. Improving waste management practices reduces pollution by recycling. Recycling reduces the amount of waste that goes into landfills and incinerators which in turn reduces water, air, and soil pollution. Composting organic waste like food scraps, yard waste and paper reduces the amount of methane emissions from landfills. This is practiced and performed by residents in Mfuleni. Composting is a bio degradation process in which the organic waste is converted into nutrient rich food for plants.
Waste reduction is the process of reducing the amount of waste generated and can be achieved by implementing policies that encourage banning of single-used packaging, reuse and recycling as well as educating the public on the importance of reducing waste. Increasing the number of waste collection points and making them more accessible to the public can help increase the amount of waste collected and recycled. Waste Treatment: using technologies such as anaerobic digestion, thermal treatment and plasma gasification to treat waste can reduce the number of pollutants released to the environment.
Conclusion
Better recycling initiatives and better waste management practices lead to a cleaner environment, a safer planet, and a happier Earth. Let us not allow ourselves to have less knowledge about our environment, for knowledge is key. Let us better our environment, for us, and for the environment itself. Let us reduce, reuse and recycle for a better environment for us and the next generation.
