Civil Engineering August 2021 | Vol 29 No 7

Reclaimers collect an average of about 100-150 kg of waste a day . Johannesburg has an estimated network of 6 000 reclaimers. With the help of reclaimers, South Africa recycles around 60% of recyclable materials, on par with global trends in 2017. (global trends for 2017: Europe, 45%; UK, 43%; United States, 35.2% ) Reclaimers recycle 70-80% of household goods. This is equivalent to roughly 1 baby elephant. 100 - 150 kg WHAT YOU CAN DO: A C B Allow reclaimers access to recycl DRY: plastic bottles, paper, cardboard, glass, metal. Clearly label any medical waste or dangerous waste you might have. Request your Resident Association to meet up with reclaimers in your area. S B 26 August 2021 Civil Engineering