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Flight Centre Foundation recycles plastic bottles

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In the aftermath of Cape Town’s worst ever drought, residents have stockpiled bottled water. The result is an unprecedented volume of plastic bottle waste that is overwhelming waste facilities in the Western Cape. Many tonnes of used plastic bottles are now being sent to recycling facilities in other provinces to cope with the volume.To help address this problem, the Flight Centre Foundation has started a recycling initiative. Three cyclists have been given bicycles equipped with large containers and their mission is to cycle around parts of Cape Town and collect empty plastic bottles. These bottles will then be sent to the right recycling facilities.

Pick-up points for plastic bottles in Cape Town

The following areas are eligible for bottle collection: Milnerton, Milnerton Ridge, Table View, West Beach, Edgemead, Bothasig, Plattekloof, Sandrift and Century City. Residents who need to dispose of their plastic water bottles can send a WhatsApp to the Flight Centre Foundation (+27 82 873 1962).One of the cyclists will come and collect your empty water bottles and send them to a recycling facility on your behalf. The Flight Centre Foundation will roll-out phase two soon, servicing areas such as Rondebosch, Goodwood and Pinelands.

Local cyclists employed for the task

The three cyclists taking part in this initiative come from Joe Slovo Park. They are able to collect up to 30 five-litre bottles. However, residents are encouraged to flatten bottles before collection as this increases the cyclists’ capacity to 50 bottles.For instances where apartment blocks may have accumulated hundreds or thousands of bottles, the Flight Centre Foundation does have a truck and trailer that can collect large volumes of empty bottles.Once the bottles have been collected, they will be sent to a recycling centre in Epping or donated to NPOs such as the Owl Sanctuary, where they will be turned into owl houses or beehives.___Averda is a leading waste management provider with over 50 years of experience across three continents. Through growth, transformation and engagement, we strive to find new ways of managing waste while protecting the community and environment. ___By pairing international expertise with local insights, we have secured our position as one of South Africa’s most respected providers of waste management and industrial cleaning services. We also operate in the recycling, pipe inspection, CCTV, infrastructure inspection, hydro-demolition, high-pressure water jetting and catalyst handling industries. ___Follow us Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for the best tips on recycling and the latest industry news. See our Instagram and YouTube channels for more insights into environmental affairs and our work with local communities.