No such thing as dirty work

Initiative has not only addressed unemployment, but is also helping with poverty alleviation.

- Brian Sokutu

Against a background of South Africa's 45.5% youth unemployment rate, not-for-profit (NPO) waste management organisation Petco working with many stakeholders in the collection and recycling value chain - has gone on a major drive to upskill thousands of youths to start their own businesses in the industry.

In its announcement ahead of next week's Youth Skills Day, Petco on Thursday said last year it:

►Saved 64.100 cubic metres of landfill space;

►Alleviated 314 tons of carbon emissions associated with virgin material production;

►Provided infrastructure support to buyback centres that helped sustain 910 employment opportunities and the livelihoods of more than 8 000 waste pickers;

►Organised 77 recycling workshops and three accredited business training courses nationwide drawing almost 6 000 participants; and

► Supported 58 municipalities countrywide and two national and nine provincial departments with collection and recycling initiatives.