New recycling depot opened at Cato Ridge

This recycling depot has been built and equipped under a multi-million rand enterprise development partnership between Engen Petroleum and Wildlands Green-preneurs.

Tasneem Sulaiman-Bray, general manager of Corporate Affairs at Engen, says the facility is the latest initiative to come out of the leading fuel company's R4.5m investment deal with Wildlands, which was announced in October 2013.

"Engen's investment will significantly boost recycling efforts while promoting black empowerment and local enterprises," said Sulaiman-Bray. "In return, we will receive carbon credits, supporting our sustainability and planet change agenda. The partnership aims to benefit multiple initiatives serving a variety of key causes, namely black economic empowerment, local enterprise development and green issues."

The first such undertaking came with the upgrade of Wildlands' recycling transfer station near Midmar in Howick last year, and now, the Cato Manor facility, which has been erected for around R600,000.

Significant partnership

Wildlands also developed a significant partnership with the Department of Environmental Affairs under the auspices of the Green Fund, of which the department is the custodian. The Fund is investing into the operation of the Cato Manor recycling facility.

The Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs, Barbara Thompson, said that the opening of the Cato Manor facility will contribute to Commitment 5 of the Green Economy Accord which focusses on waste recycling, re-use and recovery. She also added that the private sector and civil society were key partners in addressing the matter of job creation and transitioning to a green economy.

Wildlands CEO, Dr Andrew Venter, said the organisation's recycling initiatives make use of Waste-preneurs, who barter recyclable waste which they collect from in and around their homesteads, with Wildlands in exchange for vouchers that can be redeemed for livelihood items such as food, clothing, education support, Jojo tanks and solar panels.

From July 2013 to June 2014, 290 Waste-preneurs in Cato Manor have traded 951,000kg of recyclable waste, and have been rewarded with R144,764 worth of livelihood support items.

"Engen's investment, together with the investment of the Green Fund, will greatly benefit this cause as it allows us to equip plants with infrastructure that will increase our output, thus boosting recycling in the region, benefiting more Waste-preneurs and ultimately allowing us to employ more people," said Venter.