R434 million recycling facility opens in Cape Town, creating jobs
The new R434 million Coastal Park Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Muizenberg. The plant is currently processing about 25 tonnes of recyclables per day.
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The City of Cape Town has opened a new R434 million recycling sorting facility at Coastal Park in Muizenberg, aimed at diverting thousands of tonnes of recyclable waste from landfill while supporting the city’s growing recycling economy.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis officially launched the Coastal Park Material Recovery Facility (MRF) on Tuesday, joined by the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Grant Twigg.
The state-of-the-art facility will receive mixed recyclables collected through the City's door-to-door recycling programme, including plastics, paper, cardboard, glass and metals.
These materials are sorted and prepared for resale to manufacturing industries where they are used to produce new products.
The City says the facility forms part of its long-term strategy to increase recycling rates and extend the lifespan of landfill sites by recovering valuable materials from the waste stream before disposal.
The plant is currently processing about 25 tonnes of recyclables per day. Once operating at full capacity, it is expected to handle up to 65 tonnes daily.
About 60 people are already employed at the facility, with another 20 staff working at the collection point. The workforce is expected to grow to about 160 jobs when the operation reaches full capacity, with additional employment created in downstream manufacturing industries.
Hill-Lewis said the project marks an important step in improving the city’s waste management systems while supporting environmental sustainability.
“This Coastal Park facility is a major step forward in the City’s journey towards better waste management and a robust recycling economy. By recovering recyclable materials before they reach landfill, we are extending the life of landfills and saving public money. We are also helping the environment and creating 160 jobs in the process,” he said.
Twigg said the facility would significantly increase the diversion of recyclable material from landfill and strengthen the City’s separation-at-source programme.
“This facility enables the City to significantly increase the diversion of recyclable material from landfill. It supports our separation-at-source programme and helps ensure that materials with economic value are recovered and returned to the economy rather than being lost to landfill,” he said.
Residents have been encouraged to separate recyclable materials such as paper, cardboard, plastics, tins and glass from general waste to help improve recovery rates.
The City said households can also use its online Waste Recyclers Map to check whether their area receives recycling collection services, find private collectors or locate nearby drop-off facilities.
Twigg said public participation remains key to the success of recycling initiatives.
“The success of facilities like the Coastal Park MRF depends on residents continuing to separate their recyclables. Every household that participates plays a role in helping Cape Town become a cleaner, more sustainable city,” he said.