RETHINKING RECYCLING

For Dom, recycling is nothing more than a ‘gateway drug’ to zero-waste living. But Nastasha Edwards of Interwaste assures us that one person can actually make a difference. ‘Every sustainable act counts. In fact, it has been found that recycling just one aluminium tin, can save up enough energy to power a television for three hours!’

To recycle effectively, Nastasha breaks down some common recycling misconceptions:

• Make sure your recyclable items are clean. You have to wash off any food or product residue if you want to recycle the container.

• Paper and cardboard products can’t be wet or shredded. If they are, the compost bin may be better.

• Single-use plastics are not recyclable. These include takeaway coffee cups, plastic utensils, plastic straws, bubble wrap, pens and plastic folders.

• In South Africa, you can recycle plastics with symbols 1, 2 or 5 on the bottom of the container. The other symbols are more difficult or cannot be recycled in our country. SYMBOL 1: PET Polyethylene terephthalate

PET is one of the most common polymers used for food and beverage packaging. It can be found in carbonated drink bottles, water bottles, plastic jars, punnets, trays, strapping tape and more. SYMBOL 2: PE-HD (or HDPE) High-density polyethylene

This is a hard and strong form of polyethylene that is used to manufacture milk bottles, fruit juice bottles, plastic drums, buckets, crates, bins and shampoo bottles. Its strength and durability make it ideal for products that need to withstand wear and tear. SYMBOL 5: PP Polypropylene

This is a temperature-resistant polymer that is used to manufacture ice-cream containers, kettles, straws, microwave dishes, garden furniture, bottle caps and takeaway cutlery.

Go to interwaste.co.za to find more items you can easily recycle.