Reduce waste production

Organic waste: Businesses can donate food scraps to pig farmers. Waste kitchen oil from can be made into biodiesel for vehicles. Banyan Tree Resort (Tel: 4 383 500) at Anse Intendance has been making its own Biodiesel since 2007.  see link

Waste paper: You can collect and drop off your waste paper at Navin’s Paper Recycling Company (Tel:2 717 170) at Providence. Alternately shredded waste paper can be donated to STAR (Tel: 386 060) for their composting program. One-sided paper can be reused. Clean cardboard or other small card boxes can be donated to Crèches or schools for re-use, as can magazines or flyers with colourful images.

Waste metal: SAMLO (Tel: 2 516 918) based at the Providence landfill, exports scrap metal to India/China for recycling. You can collect scrap metal and take these to the landfill to donate for recycling. If you have saved large amounts, SAMLO will pick them up. Note: do not let water collect in your metal containers as this will encourage mosquitos to breed.

Waste PET bottles: These can be sold for 50 cents each at refund at designated centres. If this is too much trouble, you can simply sort them into a separate clear bag and place next to a public bin for someone else to take for the refund or if your produce large quantities, contract someone to take away the bottles for refund.

Waste glass: All Seybrew bottles should be returned for refund and re-use at your nearest shop. Glass jars can be washed and reused as storage containers. S4S (Tel: 717 833) and Landscape and Waste Management Agency (LWMA) are setting up a system to collect and crush non-reusable glass waste for re-use in the construction industry. Businesses can contact LWMA (Tel: 324 344) or S4S to organise a glass waste pick up as part of their existing waste collection contract, while businesses with very clean waste bottles can donate it to “Atelye Pour Apran Nouvo Artizana” (APANA) for an artisanal glass recycling project (Tel: 361 107).

Used Clothing: Clean used clothing, such as old uniforms, can be dropped off at schools or churches for re-use as rags or craft materials (if very used), or for redistribution to families in need (if still in good shape). Red Cross (Tel: 226 231) also accepts donations at times of clothing and other items to help families who have lost their home to fire, etc.

Used ink cartridges: The Ink Doctor (Tel: 374 076) cleans and refills most brands of small ink cartridges and has a 100% guarantee. For larger toner cartridges, they re-use the shell and replace all inside components. They offer pick-up and delivery and only take 1-3 days.  The price is about the same as new cartridges.

Used car tyres: Used car tires can be traded in at MEC (Pty) LTD (Tel: 374 168) at Providence. Retreaded tires are slightly cheaper than new ones.

Banyan Tree Resort, Seychelles produces Biodiesel to runs its cars (PHOTO Banyan Tree Resort)

PET bottles can be collected, cleaned and sold for cash (PHOTO Elke Talma)