Blogs@UCT

Recycling

The University of Cape Town produces nearly 5 to 7 tonnes of waste daily, of which at least 60 – 70% is recyclable. Waste recycling is one of the simplest ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions: as a simple example, 90% of the energy used to produce a tin is saved by recycling one used tin. Recycling is one simple change that can reduce UCT’s carbon footprint and at the same time change the waste management behaviour of more than 20 000 students yearly. The Waste Task Team, a subcommittee of the Environmental Management Working Group (EMWG), oversees the recycling and waste management of UCT.

South Africa is quickly running out of landfill space and people are not wasting any less nor recycling more. As a large UCT community we need to play our part in reducing waste. GCI aims to raise awareness about the importance of recycling and provide an easy and effective way to do so.

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