Building collaboration between industry, government and communities to support recycling in informal and low-income settlements

The GreenUp initiative in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, is a collaborative recycling model involving the City of Cape Town, Distell, and Waste Plan. Launched in 2019, it integrates informal waste reclaimers into the waste management system, providing them with training, PPE, and infrastructure. The project grew from 62 to 120 members by 2022, diverting 60-100 tonnes of recyclables from landfills in 2020 and providing a replicable model for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations.

• The GreenUp initiative, launched in June 2019 by Distell, is a collaborative recycling project in the Makhaza community of Khayelitsha. It involves a partnership between the City of Cape Town (Solid Waste Management Department), Distell, and Waste Plan to provide income opportunities for local reclaimers while reducing illegal dumping.
• The project utilizes a multi-stakeholder support system: the City of Cape Town provides temporary space and three six-metre-long containers for sorting and storage; Distell provides mentorship, training, PPE, office equipment, and a waste tracking platform; and Waste Plan provides a bakkie to assist in waste reduction efforts.
• GreenUp has demonstrated significant growth and socio-economic impact, increasing its membership from 62 members in 2019 to 120 members by 2022. In 2020, the initiative generated income for 62 members ranging between R80,000 and R120,000 and diverted 60-100 tonnes of recyclables from landfills.
• The model provides a potential framework for implementing extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations starting in 2022-23, as it mandates the incorporation of the informal sector. Success factors include providing infrastructure for scale, facilitating supply and offtake of recyclables, and using training and PPE to increase the dignity of collectors and community buy-in.

APA

GreenCape (n.d.). Building collaboration between industry, government and communities to support recycling in informal and low-income settlements. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape_Informal_sector_13_6_22-1.pdf

Chicago

GreenCape. Building collaboration between industry, government and communities to support recycling in informal and low-income settlements. n.d. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape_Informal_sector_13_6_22-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=GreenCape |title=Building collaboration between industry, government and communities to support recycling in informal and low-income settlements |url=https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape_Informal_sector_13_6_22-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greencapendbuilding, author = {{GreenCape}}, title = {{Building collaboration between industry, government and communities to support recycling in informal and low-income settlements}}, institution = {GreenCape}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape_Informal_sector_13_6_22-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }