Msunduzi Municipality is expanding its kerbside recycling initiative in a bid to encourage residents to recycle.

This expansion forms part of the municipality’s attempts to curb illegal dump sites in townships. In line with this the municipality will embark on an educational programme throughout the city to teach people about the positive impact recycling has on the environment.

The kerbside recycling project provides residents with an easy and convenient way to recycle household waste and will now be expanded to all of the municipality’s 37 wards. The initiative began as a pilot programme in 2009 in only three wards.

In addition to curbing illegal dump sites, the project will save the municipality costs incurred through the collection of waste. Moreover, if successful, the programme will delay the need for a new landfill site. The currently used New England Road landfill site only has approximately five years left.

The municipality is looking at training residents, particularly those who own bakkies and trailers, to assist in the programme. Speaking on behalf of the acting municipal manager Boniwe Zulu at the announcement of the expansion, Dr Ray Ngcobo said the programme offers residents a great opportunity. According to Dr Ngcobo, processing the amount of waste generated by Msunduzi residents would lead to the creation of close to 70 000 jobs in a period of 36 months.

“It is a R12 billion industry in South Africa. The opportunity we have created here for small waste collectors is also going to generate interest for them to get into a multi-billion rand industry.”