One of South Africa’s most successful community recycling collection projects, Polyco’s Packa-Ching, recently launched its 12th recycling truck and trailer in Danville, Mahikeng. The new Packa-Ching unit in Mahikeng drives to various collection points and collects recyclable material - plastic, glass, cans and cardboard – and pays for it on the spot, allowing people from many different communities to use the service to earn money for their recyclables.

Now in its fifth year of operation, Polyco’s Packa-Ching has collected over 9 million kilograms of recycling and paid out over R9 million to community residents across South Africa in return for their recyclables.

“Given the success of Packa-Ching within our other communities, we were excited to launch in Mahikeng,” says Patricia Pillay, Chief Executive Officer at Polyco. “This is a great opportunity for people to earn money while keeping their communities clean.

“Like every other Packa-Ching recycling truck and trailer, the Mahikeng recycling unit pays people for their recyclables and the money is loaded onto their cell phone, instantly ready for redemption. We find that once someone makes use of Packa-Ching they start to see the value in waste and how they can earn entirely new income to support their families,” adds Pillay.

Margarette Mosimane (now 71 years of age,) began her relationship with recycling many years ago. She discovered her passion while clearing her back garden of recyclable waste to start a home vegetable garden and fell in love with the process while sorting different materials. “I soon realised that there was a lot of opportunity in recycling, and I could gain an income from it. I started and have never looked back,” says Mosimane.   

Miss Mosimane’s day starts at 4 a.m. when she starts collecting her recycling materials. The neighbourhood supports her efforts and contributes to her collection of recyclable materials. “Some neighbours even take their time to deliver them in bulk to my house. They are very supportive of the work I do, and they applaud me about it constantly.  Some are even inspired to recycle and not pollute our area. I think Packa-Ching is a great initiative because it helps everyone who recycles for a living. The community is relieved because we are offered bags and the Packa-Ching truck collects it from collection points close to us as transport to buy-back centres is a serious issue,” she adds.

“My purpose for recycling is to keep my environment clean and to make a living. The money that I receive helps me to pay for groceries and other essentials like my water bill, medication, burial society and support my two grandchildren studying at university. That is why I strive to work hard every day,” concludes Mosimane.

A key to the success of Packa-Ching’s model, are the local enterprise owners that are chosen to run each mobile recycling unit.  Each Packa-Ching unit is managed by a business owner from the community that has been tasked to run the recycling and waste management operations in their area.

“We have teamed up with The Artell as the Packa-Ching enterprise owner in Mahikeng. The Artell were the first registered recycling buy-back centre in Mahikeng, and they now manage the Packa-Ching truck and trailer,” says Pillay. “The Artell has an impressive track record with approximately 200 tonnes of recycling collected monthly to date. With their new Packa-Ching unit, this figure is set to grow even more.”

“With the collaboration and funding from our main sponsors, Shoprite and Sasol, and support from other Producer Responsibility Organisations (PRO’s) such as MetPacSA, Polyco aims to continuously grow the number of Packa-Ching units operating across South Africa. Just one truck and trailer can provide hundreds of people with an additional income stream, and will help keep communities clean as a result,” concludes Pillay.

ENDS

To find out more about how you can use Packa-Ching in Danville, Mahikeng, contact the Packa-Ching Operator, The Artell, at the email address mr.recycle.maf@gmail.com.

To follow the development of the Packa-Ching project visit www.packaching.co.za.

To find out more about Polyco, the driving force behind Packa-Ching, visit their website www.polyco.co.za.