Pikitup in fresh bid to promote recycling

07 April 2017

 

Pikitup, the City of Johannesburg’s waste management entity, has placed 48 large refuse bins at strategic areas at the busy Noord Street taxi rank in the Johannesburg CBD to assess the level of recycling awareness among commuters.

 

According to Pikitup spokesman Muzi Mkhwanazi, this is part of a research project the utility is undertaking with the aim of introducing a culture of recycling among Johannesburg residents.

“We have mounted 48 large refuse bins to assess the level of recycling awareness among commuters using the Noord Street taxi rank in downtown Johannesburg,” Mkhwanazi said.

He said the 50-litre pole-mounted and 90-litre recycling bins had been placed at pedestrian walkways at the taxi rank to generate primary data with the aim of understanding recycling awareness and patterns.

“The research question is: Will placing the two colour-coded bins next to each other – yellow for mixed recyclables and charcoal for refuse – in densely populated public areas increase the recovery of paper, packaging waste and other recyclables from waste generated by the pedestrians?” Mkhwanazi said.

He said Pikitup anticipated that, by placing these bins in strategic positions, there would be an increase in the diversion of waste away from landfill sites towards recycling.

Mkhwanazi said the outcome of the research initiative would be communicated to all stakeholders. He confirmed that Pikitup’s services would be available during the upcoming Easter holidays.

“There will be waste collection during this holiday period, even on Good Friday (April 14). Pikitup will collect waste or refuse and normal street-cleaning activities will be carried out in the inner city, portions of the outer city and Alexandra.”

On Easter Monday (April 17) refuse will be collected in all areas whose collection dates fall on the day.

Mkhwanazi said all Pikitup’s garden sites would be operational during this period. Officials will be available at the sites until noon on these days. However, the sites will be operational until 5pm.