A Legacy of Action

Every September, South Africans roll up their sleeves for Clean-Up & Recycle Week SA—a nationwide initiative that began almost three decades ago as part of the International Coastal Clean-Up. What started as a small effort to tackle beach litter has grown into one of the country’s biggest environmental movements, supported by schools, businesses, and communities across the nation.

In 2023 alone, over 700,000 cleanup bags were distributed, and thousands of volunteers joined forces to protect their neighborhoods, rivers, and coastlines. It’s a proud tradition that shows how small, local actions can create massive collective impact.

The Waste Trade Company (TWTC), founded in 1998, has proudly carried this spirit forward in Nelson Mandela Bay, turning waste into opportunity and education into empowerment.

Why Clean-Up & Recycle Matters

South Africa faces a growing challenge: too much waste ending up in rivers, oceans, and landfills. Clean-Up & Recycle Week is more than just a once-off campaign—it’s a chance to:

Protect ecosystems: Stopping litter at rivers and stormwater drains before it reaches the sea.
Empower people: Giving individuals, schools, and community groups the chance to take ownership of their environment.
Create change: Linking cleanup efforts with recycling ensures waste isn’t just collected but actually diverted from landfill.

Schools: Planting the Seeds of Change

Learners are the heart of Clean-Up & Recycle Week. TWTC already runs school recycling programs and initiatives like Packa-Ching, where kids learn that waste has real value.

During Clean-Up & Recycle Week, schools can:

Organize class cleanups in playgrounds, nearby streets, or riverbanks.
Run eco-challenges—like which grade can collect and sort the most recyclables.
Invite TWTC to give talks and workshops about the journey of waste and the importance of recycling.
Celebrate learners as Eco-Champions with certificates, prizes, or even a feature in TWTC’s newsletter.
By linking environmental lessons with hands-on action, schools empower children to become lifelong ambassadors for a cleaner South Africa.

Communities: From Streets to Streams

Clean-Up & Recycle Week thrives on community spirit. Whether it’s a church group, a neighborhood association, or local businesses, everyone has a role to play.

Here’s how TWTC can help communities get involved:

Host a River Clean-Up Day in your suburb—TWTC provides bags and guidance on separating recyclables.
Start a community recycling hub where residents drop off sorted waste.
Recognize your local heroes with Eco-Champion Awards for outstanding participation.
Partner with waste pickers to create jobs and keep communities cleaner.

How TWTC Closes the Loop

What sets TWTC apart is our ability to close the recycling loop:

Waste collected during cleanups is sorted at our facilities.
Recyclables are sent into sustainable processing streams.
Communities benefit from cleaner spaces, greener jobs, and the pride of knowing their efforts matter.

A Call to Action

This Clean-Up & Recycle Week, TWTC invites every school, every business, and every community group in Nelson Mandela Bay to get involved.

Together we can:

Keep waste out of rivers and oceans.
Teach the next generation the value of recycling.
Build a Metro that future generations can be proud of.
It starts with one cleanup, one bag, one child, one street. But together, it grows into a movement that changes our world.
👉 Join hands with TWTC this September—because a cleaner today means a brighter tomorrow.