Interwaste, a leading local waste management business, today announced that its famous Tops to Tags initiative – which has run since 2011 – will now be called Give2Green and will focus on encouraging corporates, schools, and community programmes to bring in bottle tops, aluminium cans, and white office paper in return for sanitary pads or wheelchairs, which can then be distributed to those in need.
“The Tops to Tags programme, which has been a resounding success, saw us donate over 1 000 wheelchairs to worthy recipients as well as divert over 400 tons of waste from landfill disposal. However, to align to changing market needs and evolving waste legislation and of course, the need to be at the forefront of promoting women’s health, education, and empowerment to improve the lives of women and girls in our country, we have taken the next step in this journey,” says Rajas Pillay, Human Resources Director at Interwaste.
“We believe that Women’s Month is a perfect time to launch Give2Green – a month where we not only highlight women’s triumphs, but their barriers as well. Access to sanitary pads is one such barrier. For too many women, and girls, the lack of access to sanitary pads has led to absenteeism in schools, and at work, which affects their education and income generating activities – all of which has a negative impact overall economic participation.”
The Give2Green programme will work on the same premise as before, where recycled waste will qualify for the participant to either donate a specified number of free sanitary pads, or a wheelchair to a cause or beneficiary of their choosing. However, bread tags no longer form part of this programme – and so for 250kgs of bottle tops or white office paper brought in, 60 packets of sanitary pads will be donated. Similarly, 50kgs of aluminum cans will directly relate to 60 packs sanitary pads being donated.
In terms of wheelchairs, these can still be obtained through the recycling of either 500kgs of plastic bottle tops, 120kg’s of aluminum cans or 550kg’s of white office paper.
“Through this programme we will continue to provide support to people requiring wheelchairs but will not also provide women the support they need to go about their daily activities, with confidence and a sense of dignity – while empowering girls to stay in school and pursue their educational and career goals. This coupled with a key need to continue driving recycling in South Africa and start this education at grass roots level, provides a sustainable approach to two of South Africa’s key issues,” adds Pillay.
There are the various Interwaste drop-off points where recyclable materials can be taken countrywide:
- Durban: 23 Shepstone Road, New Germany, Durban
- Germiston – Head Office (Gauteng): 2 Brammer Street, Industries East, Germiston South
- Nelspruit: 10 Bosch Street, Nelspruit
- Cape Town: 6 Montreal Drive, Airport Industria, Cape Town
The basic steps for the Give2Green initiative are as follows:
- Collect as many bottle tops, aluminium cans, and white office paper as you can.
- Deliver to Interwaste branches on Wednesdays or Thursdays: 8:00 to 12:00.
- Weighing will be done on-site at the Interwaste depots.
- If all is in order and stock available, collection of the pads or wheelchair can be done within 2 weeks.
“We believe that through adding the donation of sanitary pads to the Give2Green programme, we can help remove an economic barrier for so many women and allow them to allocate their limited resources to other much needed necessities, while still focusing on our core business of waste management and the encouragement of a circular economy. By embarking on this initiative to facilitate environmental sustainability and socio-economic upliftment, we can collectively make a difference,” concludes Pillay.
To learn more, visit www.give2green.co.za
