Cape Town: The Urban Waste Management (UWM) Directorate of the City of Cape Town has officially launched the Schools for Clean Catchments recycling pilot project. It is a new initiative that aims at empowering learners to play an active role in protecting the environment while improving the health of local waterways.
Reportedly, this initiative forms part of the Mayoral Priority Programme for sanitation and inland water quality of the City of Cape Town. It mainly focuses on improving the health of river systems and reducing pollution at source through coordinated and multi-directorate interventions.
Schools participating in the pilot project will be supported to separate and divert recyclable waste from landfill and earn an income from recyclable materials.
The initiative will begin in the Soet River catchment with Silukhanyo Primary School in Strand, selected as the first participating school. Following the pilot phase, the City of Cape Town plans to expand the programme to additional schools in the Diep River and Black River catchment areas, that will further strengthen efforts to protect inland water systems of Cape Town.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Urban Waste Management – Alderman Grant Twigg stated that schools are critical platforms for shaping behaviours and building awareness. Through recycling activities that will now occur on school grounds, learners are not only educated about environmental responsibility but are also given a chance to participate in waste diversion efforts.
Improving inland water quality is primarily about changing behaviour and waste disposal practices. By working with schools and getting learners involved, the teams is investing in long-term change that will benefit the rivers, communities and future generations.
Over time, increased awareness and participation are expected to contribute to improved environmental conditions in the Soet River catchment and beyond.
Considering this, Alderman Twigg stated that much of the waste polluting Cape Town’s rivers and catchments is recyclable. By diverting this material, before it enters the environment, the programme supports both waste minimisation and improved river and coastal water quality.