About Yonge Nawe

Programmes

Resources

Press Information

Membership

Links

Search

Contact Us

Make big money. Take your waste to the Mbabane buyback center situated in the industrial site next to the Times of Swaziland. The buyback center is buying various forms of separated recyclable waste materials which include among others plastic, bottles, cans, cardboard, used oil, scrap metals and many more. The Minister of Enterprise and employment and the Minister of Tourism, Environment and Communications launched the center. It is a pilot project and is being coordinated by the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Communications while the Swaziland Paper Mills are the project implementers. The center has been open since 3 October 2002.
 

You can get money from selling waste

The project is a breath of fresh air to Mbabane residents and others who now sell all their recyclable waste. "This project is a very good initiative seeing that it’s helping us to get some money," said Mr Gama, a resident of Mbabane. "It is also helping to clean up the city," he said. He also said that the project is a good way of chasing criminals since some of them used to hide in scrap metal pieces.

 Mr. Zwane, a motor mechanic operating in the Mgoboba area was attracted by the center after hearing about it and decided to pay a visit. "I have a lot of scrap metals in my yard that I would like to come and sell," he said. "I will have to organise a truck and bring all the scrap metal from my yard and surrounding area," he added.

"We have been having long lines of people coming to sell their waste," said Mr. Madolo, a supervisor at the buy back center. He also mentioned that although some people have gone back happy with their money, others have grudgingly complained about the amount of money received. He said those that complained had brought very little waste and thus received less money. He also said that some people were bringing waste such as “pap” to sell since they thought the center was buying all types of waste.

Another buy back center is being constructed in the Sidwashini area and Swaziland scrap metals will manage it.  The development of these buy back centers is in response to the waste problem in Swaziland. Apart from reducing waste, recycling is a conservation method because it reuses materials instead of depleting more natural resource reserves. The buy back center initiative will fulfill the role of reducing and recycling waste as well as become a source of income to some people. Since the launch of this by back center it has already been noticed that the city of Mbabane is much cleaner. 

People are encouraged to sell their recyclable waste at the buy back center instead of throwing it away. Separation at source is encouraged since the buy back center only buys separated waste. This is a good project for schools since there is a lot of paper used in schools and also a lot of cold drink cans are found in schools. So schools gear up to make money for your school and tell your parents as well.  Remember to reduce, reuse and recycle waste!!!