Launch of the Baboon Proof Bin Pilot at Tshokwane Picnic Site in the Kruger National Park

With over 270,000 visitors set to pass through the Kruger National Park this festive season, an innovative recycling partnership is being piloted in the southern Marula region to mitigate the environmental impact of the waste they leave behind. 

The pilot project, which is a collaborative effort between SANParks and producer responsibility organisation Petco, will see a new animal-proof, three-bin recycling system implemented at the popular Tshokwane picnic site near Skukuza.

If successful, the project will be rolled out to a second site at Nkuhlu, overlooking the Sabie River, and a third site at Afsaal, further south towards the Malelane gate.

According to the park’s general manager for communications, Rey Thakhuli, day visitors account for over 70% of the gate traffic, and make use of at least one picnic site on their travels.

“Our picnic sites are therefore significant because they see the bulk of our visitors,” explained Thakhuli.

While much of the waste at picnic sites was brought in from outside the park, he said monthly sales of food and beverage items at Tshokwane alone averaged almost 45,000 units.

“This results in a substantial amount of waste being generated, much of which is either compostable or recyclable. So, visitor education is necessary to encourage behaviour change.

“As the premier conservation management authority in the country, SANParks would like to lead the way in responsible waste management, and our aim is to reduce the generation of waste going to landfill and incineration,” he said.

“Tackling the issue of waste cannot be separated from our larger journey towards sustainability, as outlined in our Vision 2040. As we continue to grow and develop the conservation estate, it must be done with the utmost care, responsibility, and consideration to the environment.”

Thakhuli said the park’s waste was currently manually separated at 10 waste sites, which led to soiling of recyclables, inefficient recovery and lost opportunity for items such as compostable material.

“Strong partnerships with organisations such as Petco are key in ensuring that these valuable resources are circulated back into the economy, and that waste to landfill is minimised,” he added.

Petco CEO Telly Chauke said Kruger National Park was one of South Africa’s key natural assets and that it was vital to support the park on its journey to more sustainable waste management and to help build a circular economy for the country. 

“South Africa has put a legislative framework in place to ensure that producers take responsibility for their packaging material, even after their product leaves a consumer’s hands. So our role is to ensure that the packaging our members, who include some of the major retailers and brand owners, have placed on the market is collected for recycling.

“That’s why the sponsorship of waste separation and recycling equipment on the ground in high-traffic public spaces, especially a pristine environment like the Kruger, is such a priority for Petco,” explained Chauke.

“If we can get the public helping us to separate waste at source – keeping compostables and non-recyclables out of the recycling stream,  then those recyclables will be uncontaminated, have a much higher value for both collectors and recyclers, and can be turned into something new and useful.”

Petco reached out to SANParks about a potential collaboration after coming across a bin system, developed by manufacturer Pioneer Plastics, that would withstand the challenging conditions in the park.

“Having worked on waste solutions in SANParks and Skukuza for over a decade, we’ve seen first-hand the urgent need for enhanced visitor waste management and clear recycling systems,” said Pioneer Plastics marketing director Gary Wiid.

 “The bin used in this project was an adaptation of a proven small baboon-proof bin, incorporating the baboon-proof technology into a larger 240-litre format that can withstand the strength and persistence of large scavengers like hyenas and honey badgers who roam the unfenced picnic sites at night.”

The large wheelie bins are housed in clearly labelled, colour-coded, tamper-proof casings and securely mounted on concrete slabs to stop wildlife from pushing them over to get to the contents.

 Wiid explained that the housing was fabricated from LLDPE plastic, which would provide UV and impact resistance, dimensional stability in heat, and long-term durability for outdoor use in the Kruger National Park’s climate. 

 The system replaces the current two-bin set-up, and the SANParks honorary rangers will be on hand to assist with educating the public on how to separate their waste correctly – recyclable packaging into the green bins, grey for non-recyclable materials, and compostables into the brown bins.

 Chauke said it was a scalable, long-term solution that could help SANParks move toward a circular economy. “We look forward to seeing improved recycling outcomes and continuing our collaboration between Petco and SANParks.”