GEORGE NEWS - The George Municipality, together with the Garden Route District Municipality, is launching a pilot project in which 50 households will learn how to convert their household waste into compost. The data collected from the project will be used to motivate for an extended programme that could in time be rolled out to the entire municipal area.

Interested residents who meet the criteria have until 15 February to apply to participate in the pilot project.

Community services director Walter Hendricks said about 30% of all household waste at landfill sites consists of organic waste that could potentially be diverted from the landfill by means of household composting. 

"With this in mind, the municipalities are initiating the household composting pilot project, which will run for a year. The data from the project will be used to determine whether a significant reduction in organic waste to the landfill site is in fact possible - if so, it may be used to motivate for an extended programme that in time could be rolled out to the entire municipal area."

Only 50 qualifying households can be accommodated in the pilot project and will be randomly selected from applications received. Each household will be provided with a composting container, worm farm, scale and data sheets.

If you want to apply to participate, you must:

• Live in the George municipal area for the duration of the one-year pilot project.
• Attend the composting training session, which will be held in George.
• Participate in the pilot project and report organic waste quantities on a monthly basis for the duration of the one-year pilot project.
• Have a garden on the premises from which green waste is generated.
• Generate kitchen waste such as raw vegetable and fruit waste.

Application forms to participate in the pilot project can be found at www.george.gov.za (Documents / Application Forms) or can be collected at the George Municipality's environmental services offices at 82 Meade Street, George. 

Applications must be returned to the above physical address or e-mailed to gnnotshokovu@george.gov.za / kvstoffels@george.gov.za by 15 February. 

For enquiries, contact Grace Notshokovu or Karin Stoffels on 044 802 2900.

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