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Frequently Asked Questions
Questions 1. Is Collect-a-Can a "Non-profit" or "Section 21" Company?
2. Collect-a-Can must be making lots of money. They must be quite profitable with all the cans they are collecting. Do you know how much they make?
3. When cans are re-used, how do they get the dents out and refill them?
4. Why don't they get restaurants, bars and taverns to collect for them?
5. Why do they have school competitions for some areas only?
6. Why don't you get people in housing complexes to collect for Collect-a-Can?
7. Who is behind Collect-a-Can? And if they are subsidising it, why are they doing so?
8. Where can cans be delivered?
9. How much do we pay for the cans?
10. Where can a container be attained to put cans in?
11. Does Collect-a-Can take all types of cans?
12. Can the cans be rusted or dirty?
13. Can anybody start collecting cans or do we have to register?
14. Why does Collect-a-Can not supply containers at the shopping malls?
15. What kind of cans does Collect-a-Can want?
16. Does Collect-a-Can use its own employees for collecting cans?
17. Are used beverage cans only collected / purchased by Collect-a-Can?
18. What does the recovery rate of 69% refer to?
19. Is the recovery rate audited on an annual basis?
20. How does the recovery rate of (steel) used beverage cans compare to other recycled materials?
21. Does Collect-a-Can receive a subsidy from the government in order to fund its operations?
22. Does Collect-a-Can collect other recyclable materials? Answers
1. Q: Is Collect-a-Can a "Non-profit" or "Section 21" Company?
A: Collect-a-Can is a used beverage and steel can recovery organisation . Collect-a-Can is a non-profit making organisation, which means that any revenues that it generates is used for enviromental education and Corporate social investment projects.
2. Q: Collect-a-Can must be making lots of money. They must be quite profitable with all the cans they are collecting. Do you know how much they make?
A: Collect-a-Can is not a profit driven company. In fact, it needs the financial backing of its shareholders, (ArcelorMittal South Africa and Nampak) to continue its operations. The shareholders have committed themselves to a cleaner environment, therefore to assist Collect-a-Can financially when necessary.
3. Q: When cans are re-used, how do they get the dents out and refill them?
A: The cans recovered by Collect-a-Can are not re-used – they are recycled. As cans are 100% recyclable and no pre-treatment costs are incurred, the majority are sent to steel mills to be melted and new steel is produced.
4. Q: Why don't they get restaurants, bars and taverns to collect for them?
A: Some of these outlets are already doing this and many of them donate the cans to charities or educational institutions which benefit from the proceeds. Others support can collectors who earn a living out of it.
5. Q: Why do they have school competitions for some areas only?
A: There is no restriction on schools which can enter our competitions. The main objective of the schools competition is to sensitise the youth about the importance of caring for the environment and in particular, recycling.
Since transport costs are the major factor in the economics of can recovery, it was evident that only schools in close proximity to Collect-a-Can branches could really benefit from this. Collect-a-Can therefore strongly promotes the Schools Competition in schools which are in close proximity to its branches. However, with school initiatives and parents getting involved in assisting to deliver cans in their own vehicles, it will create the opportunity for schools from further afield to get involved in the competition.
Collect-a-Can has recently taken the initiative to assist schools in areas where it is not represented, to become part of the schools competition. Some examples are the Port Elizabeth/Queenstown areas where we have made an agreement with Reclam to administer the competition on our behalf and a seperate competition will be held for the North West Province.
6. Q: Why don't you get people in housing complexes to collect for Collect-a-Can?
A: Yes, this is a very good idea. In fact, there are many instances where cans are collected under the auspices of the Body Corporate or people working in the complex for their own benefit.
7. Q: Who is behind Collect-a-Can? And if they are subsidising it, why are they doing so?
A: Collect-a-Can is a joint venture between ArcelorMittal South Africa and Nampak.
Their objective with the founding of Collect-a-Can was to assist in the beautification of Southern Africa. Our natural beauty and the potential it has for the development of tourism is crucial for the future of our country and its people.
Collect-a-Can is therefore a good example of how the industry can develop a sustainable effort to meet its responsibilities to the environment and in the process, alleviate the plight of the poor.
8. Q: Where can cans be delivered?
A: If you phone Collect-a-Can's Head Office on 011-466-2939, they will advise you which is the nearest branch to you or you can refer to our contact detail on this site.
9. Q: How much does Collect-a-Can pay for the cans?
A: Prices for used beverage and food cans are adjusted regularly. Pricing also depends on the quality of the cans, whether they are baled or not, whether beverage and food cans are mixed or sorted separately and obviously the price of steel.
To ensure you get the most accurate prices, please phone your nearest Collect-a-Can branch.
10. Q: Where can a container be attained to put cans in?
A: Under certain conditions branches offer large bags (on loan), that can carry approximately 1000 uncrushed cans.
11. Q: Does Collect-a-Can take all types of cans?
A: Yes, we take all cans. Prices vary according to which cans they are.
To optimise your income, it is recommended that you sort the cans into their respective groups. The four groups are:
1. used beverage cans (colddrink and beer)
2. aerosol, oil, paint and food cans
3. clean food cans
4. aluminium cans
12. Q: Can the cans be rusted or dirty?
A: Yes, but a lower price is paid for badly rusted cans.
13. Q: Can anybody start collecting cans or do we have to register?
A: Anyone can collect; there is no need to register.
14. Q: Why does Collect-a-Can not supply containers at the shopping malls?
A: The reason is that people put all types of rubbish into the containers. Also, someone has to service the containers and we do not currently have the infrastructure to do so, but in some instances private individuals do set up collection points.
15. Q: What kind of cans does Collect-a-Can want?
A: Preferably beverage cans, because our core focus is on litter abatement. Food, aerosol and paint cans are generally not discarded on the roadside which do not significantly contribute to litter. We do however accept all types of cans.
16. Q: Does Collect-a-Can use its own employees for collecting cans?
A: An estimated 40 000 collectors are collecting cans on a regular basis, but as many as 115 000 people could be involved at any particular time. Most of these collectors recover cans to supplement their household income but for many it is their only income. These collectors are however not employed by Collect-a-Can.
This drive has inspired vital entrepreneurial endeavours as many collectors acquire basic business skills and grow their own recovery and recycling businesses.
There are many examples of people who have started their own operation and now have a permanent workforce with infrastructure including trucks and baling equipment.
17. Q: Are used beverage cans only collected / purchased by Collect-a-Can?
A: Other enterprises also purchase used beverage cans indirectly as light steel. This contributes to the success of Collect-a-Can as the steel beverage cans contribution to litter diminishes.
Many of them declare their recoveries to Collect-a-Can to ensure proper reporting on recoveries. There are however many which do not report their recoveries, which means that the reported recovery rate is actually much lower than the real figure.
18. Q: What does the recovery rate of 69% refer to?
A: The recovery rate refers to the actual number of steel used beverage cans recovered in Southern Africa and is calculated as a percentage of the total number of steel beverage cans sold and consumed in Southern Africa.
Since 1997, Southern Africa has ranked amongst the best in the world in steel beverage can recovery. A total of 69% of used beverage cans in Southern Africa and 90% of tinplate off-cuts were recovered in Collect-a-Can's last financial year ending December 2009.
19. Q: Is the recovery rate audited on an annual basis?
A: The recovery rate calculation and tonnages recovered through Collect-a-Can's branches are verified annually by Collect-a-Can's external auditors.
20. Q: How does the recovery rate of (steel) used beverage cans compare to other recycled materials?
A: Collect-a-Can is the flagship of packaging recycling in South Africa. The recovery rate for used beverage cans is currently 69% which is well above that of other recycled packaging materials.
It is reported that recovery rates for other materials are as follows:-
Paper : 50 - 52%
Glass : 21 - 30%
Plastic : less than 15%
21. Q: Does Collect-a-Can receive a subsidy from the government in order to fund it's operations?
A: No subsidy is received from the government.
Collect-a-Can is supported by ArcelorMittal South Africa (which makes the steel used for the manufacture of beverage cans) and Bevcan (a division of Nampak, which manufactures beverage cans).
The company has managed to structure its operating costs to such an extent that it has proved that the operation is sustainable, therefore providing assurance to the government, environment and the public of Collect-a-Can's stability.
22. Q: Does Collect-a-Can collect other recyclable materials?
A: Although Collect-a-Can recovers all forms of used steel packaging and also off-cuts of virgin material from which cans are manufactured, it focuses mainly on steel beverage can recovery.
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