Joburg invests in communities as it unveils recycling sorting facility

The City of Johannesburg has launched a new recycling sorting facility at the Robinson Deep Landfill Site as part of efforts to reduce pressure on landfill sites, improve waste management and create opportunities for community-based cooperatives.

The facility was officially unveiled by the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Cllr Jack Sekwaila, who said the investment would help address the growing challenge of landfill airspace depletion.

“Landfill sites continue to face increasing pressure, making it imperative for us to develop innovative and sustainable solutions that reduce the volume of waste disposed of at these facilities,” Sekwaila said.

The facility will enable cooperatives to recover and sort recyclable materials before reintroducing them into the recycling value chain, reducing the amount of waste ultimately sent to landfill.

Sekwaila said the project was also an investment in the people who work in the city's waste management system.

Recyclers operating at the site now have access to amenities including showers and ablution facilities, providing them with a safer, cleaner and more dignified working environment.

“This sorting facility is not only an investment in infrastructure but also an investment in people,” Sekwaila said.

The launch also included the unveiling of nine new compactor trucks, which are expected to strengthen waste collection operations and improve service delivery across Johannesburg.

Polyco, a non-profit organisation supporting plastic collection and recycling in South Africa, also pledged to provide machinery and equipment to improve the productivity and efficiency of the cooperatives working at the facility.

Polyco senior manager Jacques Jelliman said the organisation would help develop the site into a fully fledged recycling hub.

The initiative forms part of the City's broader efforts to promote sustainable waste management, support the circular economy, reduce pressure on landfill sites and create economic opportunities in the waste management sector.