AECI is committed towards the global drive towards sustainability and this has spurred innovative collaborations aimed at fostering a circular economy – an economic model designed to minimise waste and maximise resource efficiency. AECI has had a long-standing partnership with PETCO in the waste management programme, where we empower 13 buy-back centres and waste pickers to recycle up to 400 tonnes of waste per month, generate over 200 pemanent jobs and revenue of over R700 000 collectively. This suppport entails the entire value chain from empowering the waste picker, the buy-back centre and selling to recyclers. This fosters job creation, income generation and addressing waste management at the same time.
To further demonstrate our commitment toward sustainable development, we have expanded our partnership with PETCO to include another element to the waste management value chain. In this endeavour, PETCO, our partner in sustainable social responsibility, has joined forces with Masekethele, a prominent waste management enterprise, to champion environmental stewardship through circularity initiatives. An initiative that transforms lives and waste “from bottles to bags”. This initiative was inspired and motivated by women waste collectors in Phalaborwa, who chose to create a better life for themselves and families by converting recycled plastic into various products which can be sold for an income. PETCO is spearheading the operation to make recycling a circular economy, where the value of a plastic bottle continues indefinitely. With the support from AECI in collaboration with PETCO and Masekethele, 150 000 women are empowered in various communities aiding in sustainability and job creation. At the core of Masekhethele’s mission is the commitment to job creation through the training of individuals in sewing skills, specifically working with PET Felt. This innovative material is made from recycled PET plastic bottles, transformed into a versatile, washable, and durable fabric that serves as the foundation for Masekhethele's creations. By harnessing the potential of these recycled materials, Masekhethele not only reduces environmental waste but also empowers individuals with the skills and resources to build a sustainable livelihood while receiving fair payment for their skills. The informal sewing group model allows for women with families to work from their homes and allows Masekhethele to control their overheads by being based in a private residence that currently carries the costs associated with skill training, energy usage, admin costs, prototyping, stock holding costs, delivery and transport costs without full time staff. The company logo, "from bottles to bags," encapsulates the transformative journey that each PET plastic bottle takes as it becomes part of a Masekhethele creation. It symbolizes the potential for change and growth, from discarded waste to a valuable resource, from unemployment to entrepreneurship, striving to create a closed-loop economy
The strategy and execution entails the investment in the following:
- Equipping waste pickers with the correct PPE [Personal Protective Equipment] including road worthy trolleys and mobile devices to track their waste collection
- Providing equipment and training support to the buy-back centre such as, piont of sale equipment, bailing machines, scales, trailers and business training to empower the centre to function as professional social enterprise. The training includes business management, financial management, human resources and safety training.
- We have also then identied to use surplus plastic to further train unemployed women in sewing. The plastic bottles [PET] are converted into a "wool-like" fabric that converts plastic into a fabric called felt. The PET flakes travel through an extruder, melting them and forming polyester fibres. As a result, hard plastic gets a soft wool-like texture. The fibres are then cut into thin sheets to prepare them for felting. The felting machine folds the fibre in layers and compresses it.
- This fabric is used to convert felt into various bag sizes and empowers women to learn a skill and are able to earn a living from selling these bags for an income.
AECI has invested over R300000 towards 13 buy-back centres across South Africa, who employ over 200 permanent jobs daily. This in turns empowers over 3 000 waste pickers through its expansion and growth. Each entity recycles over 400 tonnes of waste monthly, and generates and average revenue of R 700 000 collectively.
AECI has invested over R500 000 toward the Masekethele [sewing] programme for various skills development and bags orders listed below. As Masekhethele continues to thrive, the long terms goals include growing the number of informal sewing groups with the support of corporate companies and the partnership with Thinavhuuo Recycling and their BOM program (Bailing on the move) who are cleaning the Kruger Park surrounds while creating income generation for waste pickers and is projected to create 1000 entrepreneurs per year, this will also create awareness and demand for PET Felt products both locally and internationally.
