Wise Owl Lifestyle
Founded by environmental educators in Gqeberha – over 100 articles published
Why Recycling Matters
Every bottle, can, and paper scrap that ends up in a recycling bin is a small act of hope.
In South Africa, recycling helps reduce the pressure on overflowing landfills, conserves natural resources, and creates jobs in the informal recycling sector.
In Gqeberha, community initiatives are showing what’s possible when everyday people choose to sort and recycle responsibly.
What We’re Exploring
At Wise Owl Lifestyle, our goal is to make recycling simple and meaningful.
We share guides, blog posts, and tips that help you:
• Understand what materials can be recycled in your area.
• Find local drop-off and buy-back centres that accept recyclables.
• Learn how recycling supports wildlife and the environment.
• Meet inspiring people and projects who are helping others live more sustainably.
We may not run clean-ups ourselves, but by shining a light on local heroes, we help build awareness and inspire action across communities.
How You Can Take Action
Even small steps can make a difference:
1. Sort it out: Keep recyclables like glass, paper, plastic, and tin separate from household waste.
2. Rinse & dry: Clean containers before recycling — this keeps entire loads from being contaminated.
3. Learn your labels: Many items have recycling codes — our guide below will show you what they mean.
4. Support local collectors: Many informal recyclers rely on clean, sorted materials to earn an income. They are the people who raid your rubbish bags before the municipality workers arrive to collect them. Make their life easier by separating recyclables from general waste.
Where to recycle in Port Elizabeth
Let’s turn inspiration into action.
We’ve mapped out all the recycling drop-off points across Port Elizabeth — plus details on what each centre accepts. Whether you’re new to recycling or already committed, this guide makes it easy to do more for your community.
Additional Guides
