Recycling: Thank you for helping us!

Hermanus' brand new Waste Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is fully operational since November 2021 and the successful contractor, Hermanus Recycling, is committed to group, sort and bale recyclable items to keep the waste stream going to the Karwyderskraal Landfill site to a minimum.

For the December 2021 and January 2022 period, the average tonnage of materials removed off the site was almost 70 ton per month which is an excellent start. The MRF receives clear recycle bags from Hermanus and Kleinmond. (Gansbaai has its own recycling facility at the landfill site).

Glass, newspapers, plastic water bottles and milk cartons, newspapers, cereal boxes and cardboard boxes are just some of the common items that are recycled every day. 

Overstrand Municipality would like to thank all households who are disposing of their recycling responsibly. 

"We are already seeing the difference. If all of us were to recycle just a few items per day that we throw away in the clear plastic bags, then we can go a long way to improving the environment for our futures and future generations," said Overstrand's Solid Waste Manager, Craig Mitchell.

Since November 2021, households receive a clear plastic bag in which all paper, cardboard, tin cans, glass bottles and plastic can be placed for recycling.

The clear recycling bags are collected on the same day as the black bags by the municipal refuse trucks and is transported to the MRF where it is offloaded in the receiving bay to be sorted and baled.

For every clear plastic bag placed out by a household, a new one will be supplied as replacement when the full bag is collected.

As expected, there is still some growing pains, households who did not receive a replacement clear bag on collection day or require an additional clear bag due to volumes, can collect a replacement bag at the following locations:

•    Hermanus Administration in Magnolia Street from Yvonne at the operational help desk in the main building reception/rates hall

•    Kleinmond Administration in 5th Avenue from Nosiphe at the operational office help desk 

Drop-off of recyclables

The Hermanus MRF is also open to businesses and households for the delivery of recyclable waste should they have larger volumes that they require to dispose of.

No household or garden waste will be accepted here, household waste can be disposed of at the public drop-off next door and garden waste needs to be taken to the Hermanus Transfer Station site where it will be chipped and then sent to Karwyderskraal for composting.

Find the MRF

The MRF is situated in Schulphoek Road, next to the Water Treatment Works and Zwelihle Primary School. Waste operating hours for acceptance of recyclable waste from the general public is between 08:00 and 17:00 from Monday to Friday and until 14:00 on public holidays that fall on a weekday. The facility is currently closed on weekends, however recyclables can be left at the drop-off on a Saturday during the operational hours of 09:00 to 16:00.

Do’s and Don’ts of Recycling

Recycling does not have to be difficult. It is important to know what we should and should not put in the recycling bags. Here are some simple tips:

•    The golden rule when it comes to using your clear plastic bag is to ensure items are clean and dry. Black bags are for ‘wet’ waste, things that cannot be recycled.

•    Please wrap broken glass in newspaper before placing in bags or wheely bins to prevent injury to workers. Wherever possible, such items should rather be recycled or disposed of at public drop-offs or transfer stations.

•    Please don’t put bags or wheelie bins out the day or night before removal. All refuse must be put out by 07:30 on waste collection day. No refuse bags may be left on pavements in baboon affected areas. 

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