The “Cash for Cans” initiative assist thousands of unemployed people generate much-needed income for themselves and their families from the collection of empty cans.

Run by recycling and can recovery organisation Collect-a-Can, “Cash for Cans” encourages the public to collect as many cans as possible for recycling in exchange for cash – the more cans, the more cash.

Collect-a-Can has been working closely with informal collectors over the past 22 years to help them get the highest price per kilogram of cans that they deliver to their nearest branch.

Better sorting

“We teach collectors that they can get better prices for aluminium cans than for steel cans, however, we also encourage them to collect steel cans to help boost their income, particularly if the cans are sorted and not rusted. We also encourage them to collect the whole can for recycling and teach them that Collect-a-Can does not accept pull-rings,” says Zimasa Velaphi, public relations and marketing manager of Collect-a-Can.

“Thanks to Collect-a-Can, I get paid for the cans that I collect on a daily basis. This enables me to put food on the table for my family,” says Sello Nwana, a Mamelodi can collector.

“We believe that the “Cash for Cans” initiative does not only benefit communities by providing them with an income, but it also contributes to a cleaner and greener environment,” adds Velaphi.

“Cash for Cans” has proved over the years that it can be a sustainable source of income for many informal collectors.