Companies - get your own (throwaways) back!
Manufacturers will, at last, be forced to take responsibility for recovering their products or product packaging and getting it recycled. Consumerwatch's Wendy Knowler takes a closer look at this new law, as well as the risky and expensive ATMs withdrawals.
From cardboard boxes to electronic goods, lightbulbs, all forms of plastic and glass jars and bottles, the manufacturers or importers will have to make a plan to get it back from consumers after they’re done with it, so that it can be recycled or reused instead.
And they only have until next April to register with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and set up collection and recycling schemes.
There’s literally no time to waste - landfill space is fast running out, while currently just 10% of the things we throw out which can be recycled is actually being recycled.
READ: About those extra costs on your store account...
Why are you still standing in an ATM queue?
Despite a dramatic swing towards digital banking, South Africa is still a long way away from a cashless society, with more than half of the population still transacting in cash daily.
But many people are unwittingly paying far too much to move their cash around. For example, a Capitec customer is charged R8 per R1000 to withdraw cash from one of the bank’s ATMs, and R9 per R1000 if they use another bank’s ATM, but if they request cash at a Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Checkers or Boxer till point, they pay a flat R1,20, with the added bonus of security.
That’s a huge difference...
But still the ATM queues at Capitec ATMs in particular are often long.
Wendy learnt this week from the Ombudsman for Banking Services that more Capitec customers than those of any other bank are complaining to the Ombud after falling victim to shoulder-surfing card swoppers at ATMs, and then not being reimbursed by the bank - 112 this year so far.
So why would someone stand in a long ATM queue and risk being targetted by fraudsters, when they can do it a lot cheaper, more safely and more conveniently in a supermarket?
Wendy Knowler suggests one possible reason. Listen below.
READ: New Edgars owners feel the heat, and what is up with J&J’s baby wipes?
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Contact Wendy
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IMAGE CREDIT: iStock