The City is trialling a food waste project in certain suburbs, in a bid to divert organic waste from landfill.
The project is operating from four City drop-off sites and four additional pop-up sites that have been created in various Central Business Districts in Cape Town, including the City Centre, Claremont, Durbanville and Somerset West.
Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Waste Xanthea Limberg says if many people participate in this trial, the project may be expanded.
Limberg says the City is already diverting a significant proportion of organic waste from landfill, through, for example, the garden waste chipping programme at City drop-offs as well as the home composting container programme, which has rolled out home composters to over 22 000 households already.
What residents should know about the trial food waste diversion project:
- Participants are issued with a 5L bucket (with an explanatory leaflet), which they take home to fill with their food waste, temporarily storing it in the fridge.
- When the bucket is full, they are then required to return it to their designated site at which they received the bucket.
- The bucket will be decanted, cleaned and reissued to the participant.
- The project kicked off on 15 February, and will be running until the 30 June 2021.
- The trial is limited to 200 residential participants per site and is taking place at the eight sites identified below.
- The City drop-offs are established sites, already visited by residents to drop off recyclables, garden waste or garage waste and the CBD sites were chosen as convenient drop-off points for residents working in or frequenting these areas.
Acceptable organic waste to put into your bucket:
1. Fruit and vegetable scraps and peels
2. Egg shells, egg trays and tea bags
3. All food scraps such as starch (rice, pasta, pap), sauce, meat, bones
4. Paper plates and serviettes
5. Compostable food containers
City Drop-off Sites:
- Belhar: Adam Tas Avenue. Monday to Saturday: 09:30 – 17:00. Sundays and Public Holidays: 09:00 – 13:00
- Killarney: Potsdam Road. Monday to Saturday: 09:30 – 17:00. Sundays and Public Holidays: 09:00 – 13:00
- Hout Bay: Main Road, near Mandela Road. Monday to Saturday: 09:30 – 17:00. Sundays and Public Holidays: 09:00 – 13:00
- Woodstock: 25 Beach Road. Monday to Saturday: 09:30 – 17:00. Sundays and Public Holidays: 09:00 – 13:00
Pop-up CBD sites
- Cape Town City Centre: St Georges Mall (close to Woolworths). Mondays 10:00 – 14:00
- Claremont CBD: Taxi rank. Tuesdays 10:00 – 14:00
- Durbanville: Opposite the Post Office. Wednesdays 10:00 – 14:00
- Somerset West: Cnr of Drama and Caledon Street. Thursdays 10:00 – 14:00
The food waste that is collected at the sites will be taken to a City solid waste facility where it will be weighed and composted.
The City will be looking at the participation rate, as well as the tonnage of food waste diverted in this manner, to assess whether this has the potential for further rollout.
For more information, the public can speak to the team on site or contact us at re.cycling@capetown.gov.za.
