The Newcastle Municipality has embarked on our effort to separate waste a source. The introduction of a two bag system is underway. Residents are in support of separation at source- there is on-going education on separation at source. The department has taken educating each an every household which is still in progress, educating of what goes into these two bags- recyclable dry waste into the coloured or clear bag and residue waste into the black bag. Residents receive a fridge magnet to inform them of what should and should not go into these bags.

School learner utilised to educate their community about separation at source and issuing of magnets. Staff distributing these two bags.

Newcastle has a very charismatic leadership who are very involved in upholding the status of the Greenest Municipality. The municipality has gone paperless- the Executive Committee meetings are all paperless-every councillor has been trained and uses his/her laptop at meetings. This has saved the municipality enormously-producing agenda which is a concept of the past. Agenda are now received in a drop-box. Councillors are also involved in a Cleanest Ward Competition which highlights efforts by councillors in starting of community gardens to offer food sustainability-especially in rural areas of Newcastle. This competition has recognised efforts of recycling with wards and general cleanliness and educating learners on the importance of a clean and healthy environment.

Newcastle Municipality is gone a step further by joining co-operatives with business ventures of recycling of PET (Polyethylene Terephatalate).
Newcastle Municipality has achieved zero PET into land-fill, it is one of the municipality’s in the country to effect zero waste of PET into landfill. These co-operatives have embarked on receiving PET not only from Newcastle, but from other parts of the country to convert the PET into woven fibre which is another product which is used in jackets, pillow cases and furniture.