Joburg generates a whooping 1.6 million tonnes of waste per annum, but landfill sites are fast becoming full.
Organic waste makes up over 30% of all waste, while garden waste accounts for 54% of that amount.
Stakeholders in Joburg have identified ways to divert waste from landfills, through chipping, to reduce emissions. This week, they celebrated their journey towards sustainable waste management and climate action, at a ceremony held at the Ashanti Gold Boardroom at the Joburg Zoo.
About 30 graduates- 15 from JoburgParks and Zoo (JCPZ) and another 15 from Pikitup, completed comprehensive training in safe and efficient garden waste chipping operations.
This project, which aims to upskill trainees, is supported by Madam Waste, C40 Cities, and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) under the Climate Action Implementation Africa Programme.
Makhosazana Mtshali, Director of the Waste Management and Regulation Unit, said “the most important people today are those receiving certificates. You are now the ambassadors of this project.”
She also said the City’s Integrated Waste Management Plan targets include diverting 50% of green waste by 2029 and 70% by 2035.
Picture: CoJ