Eastern Cape Recycling
Eastern Cape Recycling (ECR) in collaboration with Chris Hani District Municipality and MetPac-SA have officially launched the District Waste Picker Integration Programme today at the Thobi-Kula Indoor Sports Centre, Komani. The district-wide programme will benefit all six local municipalities.
The programme was launched to integrate waste pickers into municipal waste management systems in line with NEMWA safety regulations, to support with provision of PPE and ensure safety compliance, and to register waste pickers onto the central database (DFFE national waste picker registration system) which unlocks EPR service fee payments via cashless platforms and formal recognition.
As part of the launch, waste pickers received protective clothing including gloves, overalls, reflective vests, boots and masks to wear when working to ensure they work safely at landfill sites and buy-back centres.
This matters because it restores safety and dignity by reducing health risks, it formalises waste pickers by giving them access to training, tools of trade, scales, balers and enterprise support funded by MetPac-SA, and it ensures district equity so that instead of one local municipality benefiting, all 6 LMs will have linked collection points feeding into the circular economy.
