WASTE MANAGEMENT & RECYCLING
IWM projects key to solving SA’s waste crisis
Accelerating the implementation of integrated waste management (IWM) projects requires a major mindset shift, plus closer public and private sector collaboration. A key consideration is the role these projects play in diverting organic waste from landfill, thereby reducing the release of methane into the environment, says Richard Emery of JG Afrika.
98 MILLION TONNES The amount of waste that finds its way on to landfill sites – only 10% of all waste in South Africa is recycled
2.5 KG OF WASTE PER DAY Individuals in South Africa generate up to 2.5 kg of waste per day, on average
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IMIESA August 2021
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f we are to meet our commitments as a South African signator y of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels, we should be prioritising the reduction of organic waste that undergoes a degradation process on our landfill sites. Methane is a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential about 85 times higher than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period,” Emer y, executive associate and IWM specialist, explains. Emer y has participated in and led many flagship IWM projects on behalf of JG Afrika, a leading firm of engineers and environmental scientists. Many of these IWM projects have harnessed all of JG Afrika’s competencies. They include civil and structural engineering and design, as well as transport and traffic expertise. This is in addition to geotechnical and wastewater engineering and geohydrology.
Emer y is now par ticipating in a Development Bank of Southern Africa, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Department of Forestr y, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) programme, with support from the Green Climate Fund. It is working to find quicker and greater funding mechanisms for waste diversion projects in South Africa by viewing waste as a resource. Beyond helping to reduce emissions, the recycling and reuse of waste streams would potentially support the development of new industries and jobs (and greeneconomy jobs), as well as ensure the more efficient use of natural resources. This forms part of the circular economy, which is regenerative by design and aims to gradually decouple growth from the consumption of finite resources. Limited municipal funds and the prioritisation of solid waste diversion projects remain the largest constraints in the way of the efficient implementation of landfill diversion projects. Available resources are also being rerouted to what are considered more pressing priorities at present. This is despite the severe waste crisis currently facing the countr y.
Low waste recycling uptake According to Statistics South Africa, only 10% of all waste in South Africa is recycled, with the estimated remaining 98 million tonnes finding its way on to landfill sites. Individuals in South Africa generate up to 2.5 kg of waste per day, on
