Saldanha Bay Municipality Leads the Way in 2023 Waste Management Awards

by Saldanha Bay Municipality | Aug 23, 2024 | Media Release, Recycling

Saldanha Bay Municipality Leads the Way in 2023 Waste Management Awards

Saldanha Bay Municipality has emerged as the top performer in the 2023 Municipal Waste Management Recognition Programme (MWMRP), a prestigious initiative led by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP). This accolade underscores the municipality’s steadfast commitment to excellence in waste management and its dedication to enhancing service delivery within the community.

Having secured the third position in 2022 with a score of 83%, Saldanha Bay Municipality made significant strides this year, boosting its score to an impressive 90% to claim the top spot. This achievement reflects a well-coordinated and strategic approach to waste management and was strongly contested by other top municipalities in the Western Cape, with Overstrand in second place (89%) and Drakenstein in 3^rd place (85%).

The MWMRP evaluation focuses on several critical aspects that measure the effectiveness of waste management services. Saldanha Bay Municipality excelled in areas such as ensuring dedicated leadership in waste management operations, demonstrating robust planning and execution of waste management strategies, providing sustainable and adequate waste management services, maintaining accurate and comprehensive waste management data, adhering to and enforcing waste management regulations effectively, and promoting waste reduction and raising public awareness.

The municipality’s success can be attributed to its comprehensive and proactive strategies, which include rigorous waste management planning, effective regulatory compliance, and innovative waste minimisation initiatives. These efforts have not only improved service delivery but also fostered a culture of sustainability within the community.

David Wright, Senior Manager for Bulk Water and Solid Waste at Saldanha Bay Municipality, expressed his pride in the team’s achievement. “We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment. It is only through immense teamwork and the unwavering dedication of our entire team that we have been able to achieve this. This award is a testament to the hard work and commitment of everyone involved. I would also like to thank our community for their environmental awareness and participation in our programmes. However, there is always room for improvement, and we need the community’s continued support to combat illegal dumping and make effective use of our services so that together, we can keep the Saldanha Bay area clean.”

Certificates of recognition were awarded to the top three municipalities at the Waste Management Officers Forum on 15 August 2024, marking a significant milestone for Saldanha Bay. This recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of the entire waste management team, whose efforts have positioned the municipality as a leader in sustainable waste practices.

SBM residential recycling service gets green light for the next three years

by Saldanha Bay Municipality | Oct 4, 2019 | News, Press Releases, Recycling

SBM residential recycling service gets green light for the next three years

The Saldanha Bay Municipality’s free residential door-to-door recycling collection service has been given the green light to continue for the next three years. Beginning in Langebaan in October 2016, the service has been extended year by year and now covers the wider municipal area.

To date, over 7 500 households from all seven towns within the municipal area have joined in the “We Care – Recycle” programme. This means that one in every three households are into the recycling routine. Each week, a full bag of recyclables is collected and swopped for a fresh bag to carry on with.

‘The steady increase of residents joining the service has led to significant diversion of waste materials from our landfill. It has also created 46 jobs for our local community,’ said David Wright, Senior Manager: Solid Waste and Bulk Water Supply.

Recycling waste materials instead of landfilling saves on energy and natural resources, helps reduce littering and encourages broader environmental awareness and action.

Last year the programme won a national environmental award. During the recent Recycle Week, the municipality partnered with the West Coast National Park and Sea Harvest to hold a schools promotional and educational event.

Ratepayers not yet on the programme (or who have been, but have run out of clear bags to restart) can collect free ‘starter’ bags for recycling from any Saldanha Bay Municipal office. They are also available for purchase at participating retailers.

Full details on what is recyclable and how to participate are available on the municipal website at www.sbm.gov.za.

Photograph caption: Langebaan Primary School learners modelled their recyclable clothing at the “Trashion Show”, held at the Vredenburg Landfill Site.

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Municipality rolls out Phase Three of free recycling collection service to Saldanha and St Helena Bay

by Saldanha Bay Municipality | Jun 1, 2019 | Recycling

Municipality rolls out Phase Three of free recycling collection service to Saldanha and St Helena Bay

During the first week of October, the Saldanha Bay Municipality will be rolling out free door-to-door recycling collection services each week to residents of Saldanha and St Helena Bay.

This follows the successful launch of recycling collections to the rest of the Saldanha Bay Municipal area. So far more than 4 500 residents are already participating and some 115 000 kg of recyclable materials have been diverted from landfill, creating 46 jobs to date.

Our “WeCare” – Recycle Programme is a national environmental award winner and is part of the municipality’s commitment to improving service deliveries to ratepayers. This helps create employment for the community and keeps clean the West Coast, whose natural beauty brings thousands of tourists and visitors annually.

Free clear bags:
Residents will be given a starter pack with educational information about how to participate as well as free clear bags for the first two weeks. Into the clear bag go all paper, plastics, glass, and tins together. There is no need to sort the different ‘dry’ items (food scraps, wet and other waste goes as usual into the green bin).

On the same day as refuse removal day each week, residents place their clear bag with recyclables on the pavement next to the refuse bin. The municipality’s recycling contractor Wastegro will pick up the bag of recyclables and swop a fresh clear bag for the householder’s next week’s recyclables.

Bags are taken to the materials recycling facility at the Vredenburg landfill site. Here trained workers from the community sort the recyclables so they can be baled and transported to Cape Town for processing into new products again.

For more information, contact the Saldanha Bay Municipality call centre on 022 701 7061.

All residents of Saldanha and St Helena Bay are encouraged to join Vredenburg, Paternoster, Jacobsbaai and Hopefield and participate in the free, door-to-door collection of their recyclable materials which otherwise would go to waste in landfill.

Businesses and restaurants are not included in the free weekly domestic recycling collection system. Recycling arrangements can be made with contractors of their choice, or business can contact Wastegro on 082 3353 177.