09 Apr What Can You Do With Your Trash If It’s Not Collected During Lockdown?

You might have noticed that your weekly rubbish has increased in size over the past couple of weeks. We’ve been spending more time indoors, which has resulted in a lot more household waste. While our respective municipalities are doing the best they can to continue providing us with basic services delivery, refuse collection being among them, it won’t always be possible under these unprecedented conditions.

This is a time where we can exercise compassion, for both our fellow man and our government, patience, and creativity in finding solutions for some of the daily problems we might be faced with.

We have been assured that the bin collectors will continue to make their weekly rounds to collect our waste – recyclable trash included. In the unlikely event that the service staff defer on a week, it’s important that you don’t resort to illegal dumping. So what can you do with your trash if it’s not collected?

ECO BRICKS

Filling a plastic bottle with as much recyclable material as you can manage will only take a few minutes, but it makes the job of recycling so much easier. If you have 2L bottles laying around the house, use them to create this compact “bricks” made from plastic. The easiest way to keep up with your bricking – keep your wooden spoon and 2L bottle on a kitchen counter and every time you’re done with some packaging just pop it in. One at a time. 

Don’t be bashful when filling your eco brick, they can take more than you’d think. A 500ML bottle should weigh around 175G when fully packed, and a larger 1.5Lbottle can weigh around 500g, meaning a 2L will come close to 1KG.

RECYCLING 101

If you already make a point to separate your trash, you’ll already know to wash and dry your cling film, tinfoil, styrofoam, disposable utensils, straws and other recyclable materials thoroughly before putting them away. It only takes one dirty item to contaminate your entire batch so it’s important that you are disciplined in this regard.

If you’re a beginner but keen to learn, here you go: Recycling Guide 101

COMPOST PILE

If you’re looking for ways to decrease your carbon footprint, now is a better time than any to get started on that scrap heap.

Your fruit and vegetable skins are a great place to start. You can always use the seeds to plant more produce once you’ve identified a veggie patch in your garden that gets a decent amount of sunlight (or a corner in your kitchen with the same benefits). Animal products tend to be contentious because they present a breeding ground for a whole host of bacteria that maggots and other undesirable creepy crawlies are attracted to. Coffee grounds can be composted too, cardboard with no colourful ink on it, same goes with newspapers, wood shaving, or sawdust.

Outdoor compost heaps tend to take care of themselves, but if you don’t have a garden, there are compost bins that are vacuum sealed with taps you can drain excess fluid through.

UPCYCLING ARTS & CRAFTS PARTY

This is a great way to keep the kids entertained and make the most of any extra rubbish you can’t get rid of. 

If you have any seeds you’d like to repurpose, you can use egg trays to get seedling going before you plant them in your garden or potager. This project is a great way to get your kids into gardening too. Table coasters made from woven magazine or newspaper pages are such cute additions to your decor, and they’ll be great conversation starters when you have people over after the lockdown has been lifted. If you make a custom jigsaw puzzle, it’ll either keep you entertained over winter or during the holiday season; that, or you can give it to one of the kids’ friends for their birthday

There are so many ways to get creative during this time and upcycle what you would’ve thrown away.

https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/every-effort-being-made-to-clear-refuse-collection-backlog-says-city-45763056
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/ingredients/what-can-you-compost.htm