Global Recycling Day, celebrated every year on 18 March, encourages us to rethink how we handle our waste and where we throw it out.

In Overstrand, like in many other areas, plastic waste and marine litter are becoming bigger problems, impacting both our environment and our health. But hats off to most of the residents who are truly doing their part by recycling and reducing their refuse every week through proper sorting.

Here’s a simple rule: use your clear plastic bag only for clean and dry items. Black bags are for wet waste – things that can’t be recycled.

In Overstrand, recycling bags are picked up on the same day as your black bags by the municipal trucks. They’re taken to a recycling plant, where they’re sorted and baled. For every clear plastic bag you put out, you’ll get a fresh one for next time. You can use it for paper, cardboard, tin cans, glass bottles, and plastics.

When recycling glass, wrap broken pieces in newspaper to avoid injuries to workers. If possible, rather drop off broken glass at public recycling spots or transfer stations.

Keep recycling your wine bottles! This helps the wine industry reuse them instead of sending them to the landfill.

A few reminders: don’t put your recycling bags or wheelie bins out the night before. They should be placed outside by 07:00am on collection day. Please avoid leaving bags on the pavement in areas where baboons are a concern.

Recyclable household waste falls into four main categories: paper/cardboard, glass, plastics, and tins/cans. Here’s a list of items you can put in your clear recycling bag:

PAPER/CARDBOARD

Newspapers, magazines, office paper, cardboard, small cardboard boxes (like for cereal, toothpaste, and eggs).

GLASS

Glass bottles and containers. Remember, large shards of glass (like from windows or windscreens) should be taken to building-rubble sites for disposal.

PLASTICS

Plastic bottles for drinks, milk, and cooking oil; yoghurt and ice cream containers; shopping bags; cling film.

CANS

Drink cans, food cans, deodorant, and hairspray cans; cleaning product cans. Please dispose of paint or varnish tins at the house hold hazardous waste drop off sites (Kleinmond Transfer Station, Hermanus drop off or Gansbaai landfill site).

If you have large amounts of recyclable waste, you can drop them off at:

The Hermanus Waste Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Schulphoek Road, next to the Water Treatment Works and Zwelihle Primary School.

The MRF is open Monday to Thursday from 08:00 to 17:00, Friday from 08:00 to 16:00 and until 14:00 on public holidays. It’s closed on weekends. There is however a container for recyclables at the Hermanus Drop off which is available over the weekend when the drop off is open for recyclable materials.

Or the Gansbaai MRF that is located at the Gansbaai landfill and is open weekdays from 08:00 to 18:00, Saturdays from 08:00 to 15:00, and on public holidays from 08:00 to 15:00.