Sybrand Park Civic Association launches compost boxes to foster a greener community

The Sybrand Park Civic Association is doing its part to make a more sustainable and green environment by launching its new compost boxes at the Prieska Road Park on Saturday, November 8.

The association’s environmental committee member, Maya Goldman, said the end goal of their compost project is to reduce the carbon footprint.

“What many people do not realise is that when people dispose of their food waste and it goes to landfill, it is quite toxic, and also we are running out of space in our landfills,” she said.

Ms Goldman said they hope to encourage the community to create a food-waste-free community. The civic association bought three wooden boxes from a food garden company, and they would encourage the community to bring any organic food waste to these boxes.

“Once one of these boxes gets filled, we leave them for a few months, and it will turn into soil and compost,” she said, adding that there must be a correct mixture of food waste and garden waste mixed with water, which will help create compost.

Ms Goldman said once the waste has turned into compost, it is free for the community, though they would give first preference to any organisations that want to create food gardens. Ms Goldman says they do have a ranger from the city’s expanded public works programme who will keep an eye on boxes from Monday to Thursday during the day, though they have put in signage next to the boxes to inform the community of what the purpose of the boxes is. 

The civic association’s chairperson, Keith Minnaar, said this project will also draw more people to the park.

“We would like to make the park more utilised by the residents and to get residents to meet each other and try to build cohesiveness in the community,” he said.

Ward 60 councillor, Mark Kleinschmidt, believes that this is a great initiative and encourages the broader community to follow suit.

“The Sybrand Park Civic Association and community have always taken up such initiatives independently, and they must be applauded,” he said.

Mr Kleinschmidt said recycling and reducing your domestic waste alleviates the problem of bin scratchers rummaging through your wheelie bin, causing a mess.

“The City's landfills are filling up, and recycling will reduce this dilemma,” he said.