The Albany Collect-A-Pack (CAP) programme, which will see more than 900 000 learners across 500 primary schools in South Africa learn the importance of recycling, was recently launched. They will learn about its practical applications, and the impact it has on the environment, their lives, and their communities.
Albany Collect-A-Pack is a school curriculum-aligned programme that blends practical and theoretical learning to inspire learners from Grade R to Grade 7 to engage in waste recycling actively.
Developed by Albany, South Africa’s leading bread brand, in collaboration with an accredited South African school curriculum educationalist, Albany Collect-A-Pack is a comprehensive Life Skills/Life Orientation learning module.
Recycling initiative
The project encourages learners and educators to collect plastic bread packaging for recycling. Top-performing schools each term will receive R100 000. The amount will be used to fund much-needed upgrades to their school facilities.
The plastic bread packaging collected will be upcycled through community upliftment initiatives. And these are set to offer income-generating opportunities.
In addition to recycling, the programme educates on food safety and good hygiene. It equips young learners with essential knowledge to enhance their well-being and adopt healthier habits.
Impact on the environment
“Young South Africans are increasingly aware of how their actions impact the environment. And, by extension, impacts their own lives and the communities they belong to. They are actively seeking ways to safeguard their futures.
“Our role is to equip young people in communities with the necessary resources and support. This is aimed at making a meaningful difference in the communities,” Lorraine De Graaff, Marketing Director, Albany.
Community upliftment
Albany Collect-A-Pack will be extended to parents, community members and spaza stores. It encourages collective responsibility towards sustainability.
“By expanding our reach, we can significantly reduce the plastic waste that ends up along roads and in landfills. This while fostering a strong sense of community and shared responsibility among South Africans,” said De Graaff.
“As a signatory to the SA Plastics Pact, Tiger Brands is committed to reducing plastic packaging. Also to increasing recycling rates and incorporating more recycled content into packaging. As part of our updated 2030 targets, we are working towards ensuring that 80% of plastic packaging is recyclable or compostable. And that all plastic packaging (by volume) contains at least 25% post-consumer content.
“Tiger Brands supports the strategy of reduce-reuse-recycle. And it prioritises a circular economy design approach to developing packaging solutions for new products. Also in the renovation of old ones.”
