From landfill to revenue-generating resource

WASTE MANAGEMENT

FROM LANDFILL TO

revenue-generating

resource Globally, the mining industry’s journey towards sustainability has been gathering pace over the past decade as it shapes a future in which mining operations will have a radically There’s no doubt that different footprint. Mining companies are increasingly our future depends on the success of the mining investigating and deploying technologies that reduce harm to the environment, improve efficiency and move people out of harm’s way. The future is focused on the industry; however, what is circular economy (or closed-loop systems), which aims equally clear is that mining in its traditional form is to diminish over-consumption and eliminate waste by making the most of resources through reuse and recycling. This means the use of resources is designed unsustainable. It must from the start for reuse. The consumer becomes the user! become safer, more efficient, more harmonised with the The industry is working to build mines that will ultimately be waterless and carbon-neutral, using less energy and eliminating residue stockpiles. They needs of host communities, are actively reducing their waste footprint as part of a and with a smaller environmental footprint. broader sustainability strategy and a move towards a circular economy. Back in 2013, Anglo American Platinum set its ‘Zero By Hermanus Prinsloo and Dustin van Helsdingen* Waste to Landfill’ (known as ZW2L) target. It reflected a realisation that, with the world’s population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, we cannot continue to consume

Effluent dams are among the waste contributors in the mining industry (Credit: Precious Metals Refinery)

WASTE MANAGEMENT

resources at the same rate. We cannot just toss things into a waste bin when we are done with them. To ensure that our children inherit a sustainable future, for the benefit of our health and the natural environment, and to ensure compliance with environmental regulations, we had to radically reinvent our approach.

Innovating with waste

We started with a bold target: by the end of 2020, we would live up to the name of the strategy, and literally Zero waste to send no waste to landfill. At the time, and with an landfill is not just admittedly bigger operational footprint, we were sending more than 23 000 tonnes of waste to about keeping things out landfills each year. of landfills; it’s also about The problem with landfills is that they are not a reducing demand for sustainable way to manage waste. They are costly to develop, maintain and rehabilitate, and they things that are transient.” have various potential negative environmental aspects in the form of effluent, seepage, emissions and land use. However, transitioning to a zero-waste system does not happen overnight. It takes a fundamental mindset change in which we see waste as a valuable commodity. It means taking innovative approaches to reducing or avoiding unnecessary materials coming into the company, and reusing materials wherever possible. Where reduction and reuse are not possible, innovative new solutions need to be found. Anglo American Platinum remains committed to finding reuse and/or recycling solutions for all its waste streams – this approach aligns with South Africa’s National Waste Management Strategy and the associated waste management hierarchy. There are various practical examples. Paper, cardboard boxes, plastic, empty paint tins, glass, scrap metal, electrical scrap and cables are, for example, diverted from landfill and recycled through various recycling facilities. Sodium chloride (NaCl) and sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), by-products produced at our refineries, are sent to the off-take facility for use in water treatment, as a thickening agent in chemicals and animal feed, and an additive in washing powder, laundry soap and manufacturing soap. Other waste streams, such as food packaging and mixed waste, are used in refuse-derived fuel (RDF) facilities, while building rubble is utilised as a resource at the Klinkerstene waste management facility. By treating waste as a resource rather than merely sending it to landfill, various revenuegenerating and cost-saving opportunities have been unlocked. It also eliminated the need to build new landfills at our Mogalakwena Mine in Limpopo and Unki Mine in Zimbabwe, saving on capital and operational costs associated with these facilities. Selling gypsum, sodium chloride, scrap metal, sodium sulfate and used oil has also generated additional revenue at certain operations.

Ensuring long-term change

With three months to go until the end of 2020, the company is well on track to meet our deadline. Last year, we sent around 3 770 tonnes to landfill, 52% down on 2018’s 7 899 tonnes. Seven of the company’s 11 operations have already achieved three or more consecutive months of zero waste to landfill, while the remaining four are on track to reach this goal by the end of the year.

More importantly, ZW2L has gone beyond a waste reduction exercise to become a vehicle for long-term sustainable change at Anglo American Platinum. It has driven a mindset that has challenged conventional waste management practices. We had to think about how we manage resources in a way that their value and energy are conserved, moving away from a ‘use and dispose’ mentality. As a result, we are now in a better position to operate our business in a sustainable manner while we preserve environmental resources for future generations.

Zero waste to landfill is not just about keeping things out of landfills; it’s also about reducing demand for things that are transient, that we just throw away after using them, and to conserve our future resources. That’s not just a lesson for mining companies: it is a lesson for our times.

*Hermanus Prinsloo is the lead for environment and Dustin van Helsdingen is an environmental manager at Anglo American Platinum.