Recycling

RECYCLING:

Environment Africa collect glass, cans, tins, paper / card and plastics (soft plastics, like bread wrappers and hard plastics, like shampoo bottles), for recycling. The collection centre is at 76 Queen Elizabeth Road, Greendale, Tel: +263 (4) 492143 or +263 (4) 492152 email: info@environmentafrica.org

Helen Davidson – collects the same as above, from your house once or twice a month for $5 helendzim@gmail.com  0772320246

Garbage Gobblers – provide ‘recycling stations’ for different sized business, same items as above, plus they also recycle electronic waste, which can also be dropped off at their centre: Lauren Lock, 313 Herbert Chitepo Ave, 0772 570 223 

In our house we have different places for putting tins, glass and plastics and we compost all of our paper/card and food scraps. I make a trip over to Environment Africa about once per quarter. Remember that whilst recycling is great, better still is to reduce the amount of excess packaging that is used in the first place. Ask yourself if you really need those hand washes and shower gels in plastic bottles, when good old fashioned soap does the job perfectly J  Justine Roberts justine@zol.co.zw

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Firstly, non existent recycling in Zimbabwe is completely unfair.  There are a number of recyclers all over Zimbabwe who do a fine job of keeping recyclables out of the dumps. We may not keep everything out of the dump but every bit counts.  It costs money to travel to cages to collect the recyclables so these are not always cleared as quickly as the public would expect or like. Returns on recyclables are miniscule - it's all about volumes and with the current situation, it is a costly exercise.  On the positive side, there is something that folk can do.  There are businesses like myself who will come to your house/business to collect any recyclables (for a cost) which then keeps these out of the shopping centre cages and dumps.  Yes, particularly plastic, is a global problem but individuals right here in Zimbabwe do have the option to choose to be responsible.  I know for a fact that there is an initiative in Kariba to firstly keep the elephants out of the dump and secondly to establish a way to remove recyclables.  Yes, cans are sent to SA for recycling - fact.  Same applies to glass and some types of plastic.  To compare us to a First World country is completely unrealistic.  Our volumes of packaging waste are minute compared to theirs and we do not have the infrastructure that they do. I would like to end with a note that we will not be able to clean up the country without citizens actually participating rather than just sitting back and complaining.  Helen Davidson Refuse Collection Services  Phone: 0772 320 246

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