From plastic bag to litter bin...
Date Released: Tue, 26 April 2011 09:07 +0200
Ever wondered what happens to your plastic bag once you throw it into the rubbish? On a recent site visit to one of the Centre for Social Development’s (CSD) Self-help groups operating from the Grahamstown Rubbish dump I found out.
The Grahamstown dumpsite is typical of any other one in any other town. Heaps of rubbish, plastic and paper are being off- loaded on a daily basis. But amongst these hills of refuse are people that consider this dumpsite their place of employment, for some it is even their home. They scour the dumpsite daily for any items that they can re-sell and for many the dumpsite is their livelihood.
The Masihlule Recycling Project was founded by Angie Thomson in 2009 and is an initiative of the Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP) for the Makana Municipality. It is a public private partnership between the Department of Social Development, Makana Municipality and local recycling businesses, and aims to reduce our carbon footprint while helping to employ local residents needing work. Currently more than 30 people are employed on a full time basis at the project.
Nospiho Monana started working at the recycling project in 2009. Since then she underwent a Community Development training course offered by CSD, an institute of Rhodes University. The courses presented by CSD emphasise the underlying principle that poverty is not simply an economic problem, but includes a continuous process of disempowerment and isolation. Consequently, simply meeting material needs does not always alleviate poverty. Standing alone, individuals experience weakness, but when standing together the poor can have great strength. Learning to rely on themselves in the power of a group situation builds confidence and development. Nosipho, now a Community Development Practitioner (CDP) while still being employed at Masihlule has been successful in establishing two Self Help groups (SHGs) at the dumpsite. The process of establishing the SHG’s are closely monitored and supported by Ida Khwababe, the CSD Community Development Facilitator, who does regular site visits to meet with the groups.
The two basic requirements of the group are that they save a small amount weekly (anything from 50c) and that they meet once a week. These two activities set off the joint processes of social and economic development. By meeting once a week they bring themselves together as a group and as a result the apparent loneliness of poverty is eradicated. Saving encourages fiscal responsibility and a sense of achievement and overcoming obstacles. Other skills, including leadership and management, are also developed together with a greater sense of entrepreneurship. These processes are slow but ultimately yield amazing results. In contrast to other Community Development Processes, where new initiatives are started by approaching community leaders, SHGs are started amongst the poorest of the poor who are identified through Participatory Rural Approach assessments. Initially no material resources are pumped into the group as it would actively work against the formation of self-belief.
So what happens when a truck off-loads rubbish? The refuse is sorted and all the plastic and paper is collected in big bags. The paper is shredded in made up into big bales which are then transported to Port Elizabeth for further processing there. Payment is according to the weight of the bales. The plastic goes through a similar shredding process but is processed on site. Through heating and adding other materials, it is finally moulded into strong planks that are used by a local business to manufacture litter bins and picnic benches. Remuneration is also according to weight.
If you walk around town you will notice the new litter bins lining our streets. These are made from the plastic that ultimately end up on the dumpsite.
