Blue Sky Recycling Programme

Attaining Sustainability through Process Management, Financial Restructuring, and Market Rebranding

Blue Sky Recycling (BSR) is a programme that provides a livelihood for over 1,500 waste pickers throughout the informal settlements in Cape Town, South Africa. Blue Sky pays pickers for collecting recyclables and then sort and resell them to collection companies. The focus of this project was to discover opportunities for growth in Blue Sky’s current business operations so as to improve their self-sustainability as a NGO. Methods that we used to develop our project included inter- views with pickers, observations of both the facility and working processes, and collective planning and action with our liaisons to realize the areas of potential. Outcomes included a plan for implementation of a mechanical hoist, launching a phone app for better financial organization, rebranding for public relations, edu- cating the community about Blue Sky’s opportunities through flyers and brochures, and organizing current finances through consolidated spreadsheets. In order to meet these goals, our group made contacts throughout South Africa to set up connections for Blue Sky to pursue even after our departure. Through collaboration with Blue Sky, we enhanced Blue Sky’s business model to establish maximum efficiency through quicker pickups, better working conditions, and increased publicity as a major step towards complete sustainability.

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You can contact us by emailing our alias ct13recycling@wpi.edu (expires June 2015)

You can also contact the Cape Town Project Centre by emailing ctpc@wpi.edu