Cape Town: The Urban Waste Management Directorate has collected more than 550,000 kgs of organic food waste through its pilot projects. Almost over two years, to help protect the environment and free up landfill space. The collection will equate to the total average weight of about 100 elephants.
The City of Cape Town has further highlighted its research for organic food waste diversion that drives in recognition of Stop Food Waste Day and leading up to International Compost Awareness Week.
The organic waste diversion pilot and research projects at selected Public Transport Interchanges (PTIs) and in two residential areas, Langa and Khayelitsha that aims to reduce organic food waste that ends up at landfills to help protect the environment. This will inform future planning in this space.
Additionally, the City of Cape Town has been distributing free home composting bins to help build a composting culture. After the project ends in June 2025, the city will assess the outcomes to help and determine the future of such initiatives.
Considering this, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Urban Waste Management – Alderman Grant Twigg said that as a growing city, they need all to change their relationship with waste. Reducing and diverting organic waste is a key component in the Waste Strategy.
This is an action plan for Cape Town to collaboratively work together with the public and private sector to reduce the waste that ends up at landfill. The Residents and vendors are participating in the projects that have directly contributed to minimise greenhouse gases and protecting the environment.
The officials are calling on the public to stop wasting food and start home composting where possible. Cape Town is providing free home composting bins to make this action more accessible to the residents. There are also practical benefits for residents who are doing home composting, from freeing up refuse bin space to nourish their garden.
They also plan to assess the outcomes of the research projects to help then in tackle the organic food waste diversion in future. These city projects will also contribute towards the efforts to meet the Western Cape Government’s ban to landfill of all organic waste by 2027. They all have a part to play in looking after the environment, and urged to work together to create a healthier future.