Isuzu, staff care for environment
It is estimated by the organisation Surfers Against Sewage that about eight million pieces of plastic pollution end up in the oceans every day. As an environmentally responsible corporate citizen, Isuzu Motors South Africa strives to mitigate this pollution norm. Its environmental stance is firm and it is one of the key principles entrenched in the company’s vision. For the year to date, Isuzu has recycled more than 96% of the waste generated at its four sites in Port Elizabeth. The small percentage of leftover waste that cannot be recycled, both hazardous and non-hazardous, is sent to an energy recovery facility and is used as alternative fuel for a cement kiln process. Isuzu continues to drive a culture of reduce, reuse and recycle. “Over and above reducing pollution, we regard waste as a resource that is able to create secondary and tertiary employment,” environmental manager at Isuzu Ncedisa Mzuzu says. “Approximately 30 people are based at our facilities from different recycling organisations while many others are employed at recycling companies across the city, creating furniture, plastic goods and polystyrene commodities,” he said. Environmental awareness is further rolled out to employees and their families. Employees are encouraged to bring waste from home and dispose of it in the waste separation containers based at the Isuzu facilities. In addition, employees and their families are invited to participate in environmental programmes like International Beach Clean-up Day, African Penguin Awareness Day, World Environment Day and the like. Recently Isuzu supported Sanccob, the organisation responsible for the rehabilitation of coastal birds in Port Elizabeth, with a bakkie to help it transport endangered seabirds to and from the bird sanctuary. “Respecting the environment and ensuring sustainable solutions is fundamental to our business philosophy,” Mzuzu said.