Pikitup pushes 'no more waste'
Lucille Davie
3 May 2002
Public waste removal company Pikitup has pledged to create a "no more waste" culture in its build-up to the World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in August and September.
Recycling companies like paper manufacturer Mondi will play an important part in executing the "no more waste" policy. In addition, Pikitup is exploring alternative methods and new technologies to deal with food waste.
Pikitup is negotiating with the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa for information on environmental issues, as well as waste removal initiatives, at all the main Summit venues, including the Sandton Convention Centre, the Ubuntu Village at the Wanderers Stadium, the Johannesburg Stadium and the Nasrec showgrounds.
The first step is to benchmark how much extra waste the Summit will produce, and ensure that reclaiming and recycling dramatically reduce the amount that ends up at landfills - especially with the added influx of some
65 000 delegates.
Pikitup has organised dedicated shifts around all Summit events, including: recycling, street sweeping, street litter removal, emptying of litter receptacles, removal of illegal posters, servicing of formal and informal taxi ranks and street traders, illegal dumping and bulky refuse.
Equipment includes tipper trucks, industrial sweepers and front-end loaders. Pikitup will be employing additional drivers, labourers and supervisors to help over the Summit period, as well as bringing in subcontractors to assist with the clean-up.
"Pikitup is pooling all its resources, from training its staff on waste issues and best practices, to upgrading its waste management fleet and refining its operational strategy, to ensure that while areas hosting the Summit gatherings are well-groomed, Pikitup's regular services are still maintained," says a Pikitup statement.
Pikitup has been promoting waste management and environmental sustainability in a series of
neighbourhood clean-up events and educational programmes in its "Tidy Jozi" campaign, launched last March. The campaign aims to educate and encourage residents to take responsibility for their environments and keep their neighbourhoods clean.
Pikitup is also showcasing various sustainability projects the company has committed itself to, such as:
Upgrading landfill sites
Pikitup owns five landfill sites stretching from Midrand in the north to Orange Farm in the south, servicing an area of 1 625 square kilometres. The upgrading of these five sites involves improvements to the storm water drainage and water pollution monitoring, capping of sites, rehabilitation of slopes, improved access control to the landfills including weighbridge control, booms and paving, fencing and upgrading of the general infrastructure to conform to world standards.
In particular, Pikitup will be showing off its Linbro Park landfill, at a refurbishment cost of
R1-million.
Buy-back centres
South Africa makes too much use of waste compaction and dumping, rather than recycling and energy generation from waste. The creation of 'buy-back' centres is a step towards changing that. Separating out recyclable material provides employment, and so far 50 people have jobs in the creation of the Dobsonville Buy-Back Centre, established two years ago in collaboration with recycling agents.
Alexandra Ecopark
Pikitup hopes to showcase a model of the Ecopark it plans to build in Alexandra township, north-east of the city centre, with a view to generating local and international investment interest. It will include a plastic recycling factory, pavement artists and a wetland.
Composting plant
Pikitup will also be showcasing a compost plant based on best management practices.
Source: City of Johannesburg web site
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