Waste plastic paper collection for recycling- a local initiative to mitigate climate change.

In 2013 Kadoma City Council carried out a waste characterisation study that helped to better understand the quantity and characteristics of waste generated in the whole town. In all the 17 wards of Kadoma waste is generated from residential, commercial, industrial and healthcare. Recycling of paper, LDPE and PET plastics, metals and glass contribute significantly to reducing waste going to landfill and uplift the standards of living for the community, and the best way to recycle is to separate waste at source and therefore it is important to engage the residents and the commercial sector in the activities.

The council initiative to improve the livelihoods of marginalised people and it was found prudent to engage the community in waste paper collection for recycling through community based groups. This was awarded to a community group of widows, divorced and women headed families. The group comprises of seven women and two men. These members are collecting the waste plastic in Waverley, CBD, and the industrial areas.

This is a good practise in that it contributes to mitigation of the effects of climate change. It is a local initiative to mitigate climate change. It reduces council expenses since less waste is now collected to the dumpsite and less street cleaners are needed. On top of all this it has provided a source of livelihood to the participants and their dependents. The project also reduces the amount of waste reaching the disposal site. This in turn reduces green house emission from the waste disposal site and encourages environmental stewardship.