Recycling initiatives on the move: we report on the economic impact of the Call-2-Action programme in Buffalo City Municipality.

Sustainable Seas Trust (SST) is a science- and education-based organisation focused on creating networks of empowered and passionate individuals and organisations across Africa. The organisation’s strategic interventions to address the challenge of plastic waste in the Eastern Cape includes sitting on the Waste and Environmental Management Committee (WEMAC), a committee of several high-profile local stakeholder groups which governs a Memorandum of Understanding between the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) and Buffalo City Metropolitan Development Agency (BCMDA) to construct and manage buy-back centres (BBC) within the municipal area.

The BCMM and the business community acknowledge that the amount of litter in the city is one of Buffalo City’s key challenges and that uncontrolled litter is a major health and hygiene problem. Therefore, it is a common objective between BCMM, the broader business community, and residents to work towards a cleaner, greener, and healthier city and to have an overarching waste management solution in place.

Consequently, the Call-2-Action programme, led by the Border-Kei Chamber of Business (BKCOB) in partnership with various other business and civil society associations, was formed in 2016. The programme identified a Green City as one of business and residents’ top priorities.

The programme began in earnest in 2017 and has undergone several iterations throughout the years. To date, there have been two pilot BBCs constructed in the BCMM as part of the Call-2-Action programme, with plans to build more BBCs soon within identified pilot areas.

In partnership with BCMM, SST recently undertook an Economic Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Call-2-Action Programme in BCMM, unpacking the two operational models used in the recovery of recyclable materials – the static BBC model of the Call-2-Action programme and the mobile BBC model of Packa-Ching – with the aim of understanding the long-term viability and financial sustainability of the model, as well as to quantify the specific monetary value that business and the municipality have gained through improved waste management services and recycling provision, thereby illustrating the detailed cost savings to the city.

The results.

SST’s summary assessment is that the current Call-2-Action programme in the BCMM is not financially sustainable. The return on investment on the programme is at a loss (-94.5%), and the lack of good and transparent financial governance presents a risk to any further financial investment.

Transport costs impact negatively on income generated from the sale of recyclables. This means that the model’s financial sustainability is dependent on external funding.

The study also helped identify a critical need for structured contracts with implementation partners. These need to have clearly defined roles and responsibilities.

A clear plan of action.

SST has offered its support and partnership to the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality through offering detailed recommendations to improve both the operational and strategic direction of the programme to ensure its viability and sustainability. These include the need for clear KPIs to be developed to determine if the project is meeting its deliverables, and closer financial oversight and governance. Have a look at the detailed report for a summary of actions.

Inspired to see flourishing communities.

Sustainable Seas Trust (SST) is committed to protecting South Africa's seas and surrounding communities through sustainable initiatives. We are focused on addressing the challenges identified in our assessment and are eager to continue providing technical support, educating communities, and advocating for the expansion of these recycling initiatives.