Recycling not only helps save the planet one step at a time, it is also very rewarding.
After more than ten years of effort, the recycling initiative of the Fichardt Park Neighbourhood Association (FNA) won a national award for its success in reaching a wide area and creating job opportunities.
South Africa’s longest-standing producer responsibility organisation, Petco, announced the winners of the annual Petco Awards on 14 June during a Zoom meeting, recognising inspiring work within the collection and recycling value chain throughout South Africa.
The accolades were awarded to 11 recipients in nine categories, with the FNA scooping the Best Community Recycling Initiative award for its recycling project that is keeping the Bloemfontein suburb clean.
Petco’s chief executive officer (CEO), Cheri Scholtz, said the purpose of the awards was to shine a light on the unsung sustainability heroes and initiatives throughout South Africa.
“The awards, once again, recognise South Africans who are making an extraordinary contribution towards building a circular economy for our country.”
Jacques Meiring, general manager of the FNA, said part of the success of the FNA Recycling Project was the absolute passion and hard work of the association’s chairperson for the environment and recycling, Duart Hugo.
Not only did Hugo set up recycling collection points in Fichardt Park, but the project expanded so much that 12 permanent job opportunities were created and more than 1 400 tonnes of recycled material were collected from 2017 and 2023.
Meiring says after Hugo had set up collection bins at the Rosenheim Retirement Home in the neighbourhood, he has since given talks and helped establish other recycling points all over the city. The initiative now involves 2 791 households, a hospital, and two shopping centres, with additional recycling stations at the Sewe Damme Retirement Village, Noorderbloem, Santa Fé, as well as the Baysvillage Retirement Home.
“The recycling project ensures a better quality of life for the residents; for everybody striving to live in a safe, clean, and caring environment,” Hugo says.
“We, as the FNA, strive to enhance our efforts to reduce the carbon footprint not only for Fichardt Park, but for Bloemfontein and Mangaung, and will create awareness wherever it is needed.”
Petco rewarded the project with a certificate and prize money of R30 000.
The FNA also awarded Hugo with a special medal of honour for his effort and dedication to the recycling project that he started in 2013.
