- The City of Cape Town is urging shoppers to be mindful of waste during Black Friday and festive season shopping.
- E-waste from discarded electronics poses significant environmental risks, and unnecessary packaging adds to landfill pressure.
- Residents are encouraged to buy only what they need, recycle responsibly, and support durable, recyclable products.
As the prices get lower approaching Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and running into the festive season, the City urges residents to be mindful of the waste created with every purchase.
Only buy what you really need to help protect the environment and reduce pressure on landfills.
All have a role to play in managing waste and protecting our environment. Although big savings can tempt us into some retail therapy and help spread good cheer, this is not without environmental impact.
Electronic and electrical products such as cellphones, computers, fridges, irons, stoves and televisions that end up in landfill as e-waste can create significant environmental risks.
E-waste may contain toxic, hazardous chemicals that are not biodegradable and can contaminate the environment.
Festive season purchases often come with heavy packaging that may be unnecessary for protecting the appliance during storage and transport, or be comprised of non-recyclable materials.
- Buy only what you need. A shopping list and a budget can help prevent impulse buys.
- Buy in bulk and cut down on products with lots of packaging – refills and concentrates generally require less packaging;
- Choose durable products that won’t need to be replaced often;
- Check for recyclable packaging on boxes and opt for these items instead;
- Consult the material ID codes to avoid packaging made from type three or seven. These are seldom recyclable, if ever;
- Flatten cardboard boxes to use again and to save space when storing or sorting them for recycling;
- Store paper and cardboard inside to avoid it getting wet. Wet cardboard is not ideal for recycling;
- Use the City’s Think Twice recycling collection service to dispose of packaging where possible;
- Take recyclables to municipal drop-off sites or private buy-back centres.
E-waste
The government has promulgated legislation to ensure producers take responsibility for the waste generated by products they sell, known as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations.
A set of EPR regulations has been developed specifically for electrical and electronic equipment (and other product classes).
A number of producer responsibility organisations (PROs) have been set up to implement recycling and waste minimisation schemes funded by the manufacturers.
The City encourages residents to engage with these PROs to find out more about how to dispose of e-waste responsibly.
Check if retailers from which you purchased any electric/electronic appliances take back broken electronic devices or batteries. Take it back rather than throwing it away.
Upgrade, repair or recondition appliances where possible. Donate older but functional appliances to a school or charity.
Take old appliances and computers to a City drop-off site for potential re-use or refurbishment where possible.
“‘Waste is part of our daily lives, but each of us are responsible for how we manage and reduce our waste. Especially during seasons of high-consumerism, it is key for residents and businesses to come on board and play their part in minimising the amount of waste that makes it to landfill.
“‘Retailers should take up the challenge to reduce packaging waste or create recyclable packaging and shoppers need to hold them accountable. Consumers have enormous power to effect change through where they spend their money.
“Let’s all work together and do what we can, where we are, to protect our environment by reducing waste that ends up at landfill,” said Mayco member for urban waste management, Grant Twigg.
Visit resource.capetown.gov.za (SW_Drop-off_Table_and_Operating_Times) for a list of drop-off sites for E-waste and more.
Visit http://web1.capetown.gov.za/web1/wasterec/map for a waste recyclers map listing private recycling initiatives (collection services, drop-offs and buy-back centres) throughout Cape Town.
