Recycle 1st is on a mission to educate our supporters and customers through our Smart Recycler Campaign. In the last post we focused on Paper, Cardboard & Boxes. This week we focus on recycling Cans & Metal. As the festive season approaches us, we are certain that there will be loads of cans & metal from all the parties. Remember it’s RECYCLABLE!

We encourage you to share these educational messages with your friends and family. PRINT it and put it up in your office kitchen, on the fridge at home or on your church noticeboard.

CANS & METAL. WHY? Recycling tins and cans saves about 95% of the energy needed to make a new can from raw material. It does not matter if cans are crushed, rusted or burnt–they can all be recycled. About 72% of used beverage cans in Southern Africa are recovered.

RECYCLE:

Metal is a valuable resource, at Recycle 1st we receive mainly this type of metal and therefore focus is on cold drink cans, food tins and aerosol cans. Ensure aerosols are empty before recycling. Do not pierce, crush or flatten aerosol cans. Detach any loose parts, such as the lid, and dispose of them with the rest of your recycling. SCRAP METAL: Fortunately, we can recycle motor parts and other general metals. This needs to go to a scrap yard, and we go weekly.

RUBBISH:

Chip packets are made from a laminated foil to keep the chips fresh, which means we are not able to recycle chips packets. They will need to go straight into the rubbish bin, not recycling.

DO THE SCRUNCH TEST If you are not sure whether to recycle it or not, do the scrunch test. Scrunch the foil packet into a small ball. If the bag stays scrunched up in a ball, then pop it into your recycling! If it jumps back to its original shape and does not make a ball, then it can’t be recycled. stick it in an eco brick, otherwise in your rubbish bin.

We are dedicated to helping individuals and businesses change their mindsets. Make better purchase decisions and have a positive impact on the environment. Let’s change the future of our country, our planet, 1 bag of recycling at a time.