Over 700 Green Desks, made from 2 700kgs of recycled plastic waste collected from the 2017 Comrades and Two Oceans marathons, have been delivered to over 40 schools in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

The donation is part of the #GoGreen project, which is a collaborative campaign between Polyco, WILDLANDS, and Old Mutual, and aims to address the shortage of school desks in South Africa while tackling the issue of plastic waste.

According to WILDLANDS, there is a shortage of 300 000 school desks in South Africa which is why it was no surprise that the deliveries were met with great excitement. In February, 20 green desks were delivered to Axios School of Skills in Eerste River in the Western Cape, and 20 more were delivered to Nobanda Primary School in Sweetwaters, KwaZulu-Natal.

The latest drop-off, of 47 double green desks, occurred at Lalelani Primary School in Nthshongweni, KwaZulu-Natal which is a beneficiary of the ROBINHOOD Foundation.

An important lesson

“It’s wonderful that South Africans can help to address the lack of desks in schools, and secure a brighter future for the younger generation, simply by recycling their plastics,” notes Polyco’s Chief Executive Officer, Mandy Naudé.

Naudé also believes that this is an important lesson for the learners. “This is our opportunity to show children the power of recycled plastic, all while they’re sitting at their Green Desks. Currently only 5% of South Africans recycle plastic, and we’re hoping these desks will help fuel learners’ curiosity and lead them to ask questions about the power of recycling.”

“Through the #GoGreen campaign, Polyco, WILDLANDS, and Old Mutual hope to educate and enlighten young South Africans about the true power of recycling plastic, one Green Desk at a time,” Naudé concludes.