Clean-up and Recycle SA Week is an annual initiative by the local plastics industry, supported and endorsed by the various packaging and retail streams and retailers. Each year, close to 120 000 volunteers participate in these clean-up activities that take place along roadsides, rivers, schools, residential and illegal dumping areas. Provincial governments, local municipalities, environmental organisations, businesses, schools and communities are supporting the initiative.
The clean-up week will run from 13 September to 18 September.
Recycling has been transformed from a worthy environmentally-focused activity into a fully-fledged business sector. This provides jobs for thousands and generates billions for the economy every year.
River Clean-Up Day
Environmental activists have added a new focus this year. They have declared Wednesday 15 September 2021 to be national River Clean-Up Day.
Then we can participate in National Recycling Day on Friday, 17 September 2021. Some of us can join the International Coastal Clean-Up Day/Let’s Do It World Clean-up Day on Saturday, 18 September 2021.
According to the Paper Recycling Association of South Africa (PRASA), South Africa has an overall paper recycling rate of approximately 73%, which is quite high by global standards.
So how can you get involved? Start in your own back yard. We can pick up all the papers, chip packets and strips of plastic that are littering our plots after the recent windy days. We can also recycle much of it.
Then you can get in touch with your neighbours and arrange that everyone in your area gets together on Saturday morning for a big clean-up of your streets and open pieces of veld.
Many smallholders hold this mindset for every day and every week, as they constantly clean-up and recycle.
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