Unique aluminium can recycling unit set up at AfrikaBurn festival in the Karoo, SA

AfrikaBurn festival 2016, which kicked off yesterday in Northern Cape Province of South Africa, is going to set new standards of excellence in terms of environmental sustainability. The organizers of the event this year have come up with a unique initiative which will see visitors making it to the festival with aluminium cans leaving with a piece of jewellery rather than a bulging plastic bag of trash.

A team of "burners" from Johannesburg, formed separately to manage this programme, has set up a smelter at this year's festival which will be used to turn empty aluminium cans into recycled products of substantial user value.

Spokesman Alexandra Hutchison said she and Helter Smelter leader Saul Abelson had been refining the idea since the middle of last year.

Their smelter meant for aluminium can recycling has four 60kg refractories.

"Someone then pumps air into the bottom of the refractory, to get the fire going, hopefully to 700C to melt the aluminium. Once it's liquid, we pour it into moulds," said Hutchison.

Almost 12000 visitors are expected at this year's AfrikaBurn festival on Stonehenge Farm in the Tankwa Karoo.