Need info on how to recycle cans in South Africa? Learn more about the different facilities for recycling cans in South Africa…
There are many different facilities in South Africa for recycling cans. There are collection agencies, which are a central point to drop off the cans. These are followed by the recycle plants that recycle and export the renewed product around the world.
One such organization for collections is the Collect-A-Can located in Aeroton. The most amazing aspect of this place is that it’s stacked with piles of crushed cans that cover the entire available space. There are many men and machines working continuously with many fork-lift trucks and lorries carting the uncrushed and crushed cans around.
The piles of cans are then transported to different parts of the world through export facilities. These cans are used for different processes and an estimated 500 tons of used cans are collected every month. Most of the can collections come from Johannesburg and its surrounding areas and are processed at this location.
Routes for Can Deposits
The two main ways to deposit the cans at the depot are conducted by the organization itself or by those involved in recycling. The first procedure is the corporate effort where the company known as Collect-A-Can sends out its own trucks to charities, schools, eateries, shopping malls, restaurants and public areas to collect the used cans. Secondly there are can collectors who deposit them with the company.
Collecting Cans – An Informal Source of Raising Money
The cans are weighed and the providers are paid according to different rates. This not only encourages recycling but also is a credible source of raising money for people in need – especially the schools, can collectors and charities. It is actually a great source of informal income for those in need of work and lacking employment.
Managing the Recycling of Cans
The initiative allows recycling habits to become part of the regular routine at South African homes and establishments.
The cans are sorted at the depot and separated according to the material they are made of. There are separate stacks for aluminum and steel cans. These are crushed with force into stacks and packed as bales to be transported conveniently to the plants for recycling.
The bales are laid in the courtyard until they are transported using a truck, a boat or a train to their destination. The largest recycling plant in South Africa is Eskor and Nampak’s recycling facility. These receive a substantial amount of the tonnage every month while the majority of them are shipped to India and Pakistan.
Benefits and Sponsors of the Collectors
Interestingly enough, Collect-A-Can is perhaps the largest facility for can collections in South Africa. It garners 66% of the total market share for collections in South Africa. These facilities are owned and operated by the large recycling plant of Nampak and Eskor to ensure a stable chain for collection. The non-profit organization is sponsored by SAB Miller and Coca-Cola.
Why Recycle Cans?
Why should people recycle cans in South Africa? The benefits are amazing. The energy saved by recycling a single can is enough to power a TV for 3 hours or one 100-watt light bulb for 20 hours. Aluminum otherwise would take 500 years to decompose.
