Tetra Pak's manufacturer base educates schoolgoers in The Recycle Carton campaign

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The Recycle Carton campaign, which aims to encourage learners to take on the responsibility of recycling, will run in over 250 schools across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape between September and November 2024.

According to the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) Global Waste Management Outlook 2024, there is an urgent need to enhance recycling rates as a critical strategy to reduce the volume of solid waste ending up in landfills, which contributes to environmental degradation and resource depletion.

To this end, Masale Manoko, sustainability manager, Tetra Pak Southern Africa emphasises the importance of developing platforms to support the entire value chain in driving effective collection and recycling in South Africa.

"We are committed to increasing awareness through increased educational activities on carton collection and collaboration with our partners Orange Grove, RFG Foods, Woodlands Dairy is key to the success of a programme of this scale."

Sue Durham, Orange Grove sales and marketing director says "Our future is a shared one which translates into shared responsibility from businesses down to community development. Engaging young ones in the recycling process and explaining the positive impact on our planet can solidify these values."

"Parents, teachers, and caregivers play a crucial role in shaping their children’s environmental values. By consistently modelling recycling behaviours at school and home, we at Rhodes Quality, RFG Foods' flagship brand, believe we can help foster a keen sense of environmental responsibility in children," says Job Mpele, commercial director at RFG Foods.

Marisa Maccaferri, Woodlands Dairy marketing executive says, "We have a responsibility in helping to reduce our footprint on the environment by increasing the awareness of the critical importance of recycling."

Recycle Carton School Competition

The Petco award-winning Recycle Carton School Competition, running until 29 November 2024, aims to educate learners on the importance of sorting, collecting, and recycling waste.

The school children will also learn that recycled cartons can be made into a variety of products including pallets, benches, roof tiles, desks and outdoor furniture, evidence of the benefits of recycling cartons.

The winning schools in each region (Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal) will each win R25,000 to be put towards school equipment plus 40 desks made from recycled Tetra Pak packaging. The second prize will be R10,000, and the third prize will be R5,000.

In addition, the top collecting school in each region will be able to nominate one underprivileged school each of their choice to win an additional 40 desks made from recycled packaging.

Manoko concluded, “As part of the learning programme, Tetra Pak will be running sessions focusing on recycling of beverage cartons. Learners will have an opportunity to take part in lessons about what recycling is, how to separate waste, how to recycle, what can be made from recycled LBP, waste pollution and its effect on the population, and how to identify recycling symbols."