ReSource February 2014 by 3S Media

The official journal of the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa

Promoting integrated resources management

Petco

Growing a sustainable recycling sector

Climate change Facing green challenges head-on

Landfills

Past, present and future performance

Sustainability

Finding ways to reduce carbon footprint

Technical innovations for the waste industry

is printed on 100% recycled paper

Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa

ISSN 1680-4902 R50.00 (incl VAT) • Vol 16, No 1, February 2014

contents

Waste management

Petco/EPRO colloquium

Awards

Recycling

Climate change

Cover strap

www.3smedia.co.za ISSN 1680-4902, Volume 16, No.1, February 2014

Mercedes-Benz Waste disposal has shifted its emphasis away from operations to evolve into an innovative and dynamic sector that serves as a reliable supplier of high-quality secondary raw materials to industry.

Waste management

RéSource offers advertisers an ideal platform to ensure maximum exposure of their brand. Companies are afforded the opportunity of publishing a cover story and a cover picture to promote their products and services to an appropriate audience. Please call Christine Pretorius on +27 (0)11 465 6273 to secure your booking. The article does not represent the views of the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa, or those of the publisher.

The way for ward

Don’t dump it, exchange it

What should be done with plastic waste?

Recycling Growing a sustainable recycling sector

Big role in recycling

Putting the soul back into communities

Greater par ticipation is needed

Bokashi Recyling saves on CO2 emissions

Landfills

Regulars President’s comment

Editor’s comment

Past, present and future per formance of landfills

Sustainability

Cover story Technical innovations for the waste industr y

Institute News Japan and South Africa share knowledge

Waste management licensing in Gauteng

Facing green challenges head-on Finding better ways to reduce carbon footprints In the eye of the beholder

infrastructure4

33 34 37

Industry news Waste-focused market for Isuzu in 2014 40

in association with infrastructure news

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www.infrastructurene.ws

RéSource February 2014 – 1

KINGJAMES 24116

When you dump used motor oil into drains, or dispose of it unsafely, you’re not only threatening the environment, you’re threatening your well-being too. Used oil is a hazardous waste that can contaminate drinking water. Always use ROSE approved collectors and recyclers to dispose of your used oil. For more information call the ROSE Foundation on 021 448 7492. Email: usedoil@iafrica.com or visit: www.rosefoundation.org.za

RECYCLING OIL SAVES THE ENVIRONMENT

Funded by:

President’s comment

Time, too precious to waste We will be well into the New Year by the time you receive this issue of RéSource and therefore New Year’s wishes are probably not appropriate. If you, unlike me, have managed to keep to your New Year’s resolutions, then you certainly have a good start to the year.

hen I was still at school, one teacher always used to say: “If February is over, then the year is over!” At the time, it seemed like a rather silly remark to scare schoolchildren, but now I am starting to see the wisdom of those words. Time flies and if you do not use your time effectively and efficiently, it will be gone forever, wasted… Let’s therefore take a moment and reflect on our own lives and apply the well-established waste management hierarchy to time. First and foremost, do not waste time! If you cannot avoid wasting time – this is unfortunately the reality since often other people manage to waste time on your behalf – then reuse or recycle it. I know this sounds silly, because time is not something tangible like waste, but if you see you are going to waste time, then reorganise and replan so that you can spend the time on something useful or optimise the use of time, adding extra hours to the day. This year, the Institute of Waste Management is making an extra effort to help you save time and/or make up for lost time by organising WasteCon 2014, in addition to the regular events and training courses that we offer. WasteCon 2014 will be held from 6 to 10 October at the NH Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West, Western Cape. During WasteCon, you will have the opportunity to catch up on the latest developments in the waste industry both locally and internationally and to meet all your old buddies in the waste industry, including those you last saw ages ago. You will also have the opportunity to expand your

networks, meet new people and explore new opportunities. If you are serious about saving time and helping other’s save time and money, then you would have submitted your abstracts by 1 February to ensure that you will get a slot in the programme to share your insights and learning with others and to open the door for debate to benefit from the collective wisdom of the audience. If you are serious about saving money, then you should register for the event at the Early Bird rates, which is only available until 31 May 2014. It is further advisable to book an exhibition stand, which will increase your exposure and benefits derived from the conference significantly. In another attempt to save time, money and frustration for our members and the waste industry in general, we will continue to engage with the powers to be to establish a quality assurance system for the waste industry. We believe that a quality assurance system is the first step towards increased ethics and efficiency in the industry. All the branches have developed exciting programmes for the year to ensure that you will have ample opportunity to make up for lost time and to avoid further wastage of precious time. May this year be fruitful with many extra hours each day.

Time flies and if you do not use your time effectively and efficiently, it will be gone forever, wasted."

Regards, Suzan Oelofse President, IWMSA

Patron members of the IWMSA

RéSource February 2014 – 3

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WASTE TRUCKS

Editor’s comment Publisher: Elizabeth Shorten Editor: Maryke Foulds Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 Head of design: Frédérick Danton Senior designer: Hayley Mendelow Designer: Kirsty Galloway Chief sub-editor: Claire Nozaïc Sub-editor: Beatrix Knopjes Contributors: Gareth Burley, Nick Mannie, Dr George Koerner, Dr Sumetee Pahwa-Gajjar Client services & Production manager: Antois-Leigh Botma Production coordinator: Jacqueline Modise Financial manager: Andrew Lobban Marketing manager: Hestelle Robinson Digital manager: Esther Louw Distribution manager: Nomsa Masina Distribution coordinator: Asha Pursotham Administrator: Tonya Hebenton Printers: United Litho Johannesburg Tel: +27 (0)11 402 0571 Advertising sales: Christine Pretorius Tel: +27 (0)11 465 8255 christine.pretorius@lantic.net

Publisher: MEDIA No.4, 5th Avenue Rivonia, 2191 PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117 Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 Share Call: 086 003 3300 Fax: +27 (0)11 234 7274/5 www.3smedia.co.za Annual subscription: subs@3smedia. co.za R200.00 (incl VAT) South Africa ISSN 1680-4902 The Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa Tel: +27 (0)11 675 3462 Email: iwmsa@telkomsa.net All material herein RéSource is copyright-protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or editor, but those of the author or other contributors under whose name contributions may appear, unless a contributor expresses a viewpoint or opinion in his or her capacity as an elected office bearer of a company, group or association. © Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.

RéSource is endorsed by:

Waste not, want not T

he newspaper headlines are currently filled with reports of wholly inadequate ser vice deliver y in the countr y. This feeds into the waste industr y – where the South African government has reacted by mandating waste management as one of the critical areas it needs to address in terms of ser vice deliver y and sustainability. According to some industr y sources, there is an urgent need to adopt a holistic view of waste management that includes total system planning to firstly consider the total waste system and then by developing the most appropriWASTECON 2014 will be held ate mix of infrastructure and ser vices from 6 to 10 October, 2014 at NH The Lord to manage the waste stream. The key Charles Hotel, Somerset West, Western Cape is to develop a comprehensive and which is nestled amidst the natural beauty of the practical system to involve all the Cape Winelands. The theme chosen for this year’s conference is processes of a waste stream. “WIRED FOR WASTE: VALUE * GROW * SUSTAIN”. Reducing landfills are of critical “Wired” implies that WasteCon 2014, the impor tance by also finding alterna- International Conference, is well positioned to provide solutions and inspiration for change and tive disposal methods. But the real transformation, with a multitude of specialists, crux lies in waste prevention. This is national and international, regularly attending, a challenge that we all face and one sharing their insight and lessons learnt. The goal that will have the biggest impact on of this multi-day conference is to re-energise change and offer solutions for debate. waste streams. RéSource is also ver y proud to repor t that it has seen a marked increase in the reach of the magazine through an aggressive digital campaign. The magazine’s digital version has increased by 142% and the infrastructurene.ws website has seen a 160% increase in unique visitors over the past year and a 103% increase in page views. This bodes well for the future. More awareness around resource management, especially in industr y, is needed to grow South African industr y and manufacturing in line with European trends. As this is my first issue as editor of RéSource, I would appreciate your feedback on any relevant and topical issues we can investigate for you. Please contact me directly at mar yke@3smedia.co.za.

Maryke Foulds Editor

RéSource February 2014 – 5

Cover story

MERCEDES-BENZ

Technical innovations In recent years, waste disposal has shifted its emphasis away from traditional disposal operations to evolve into an innovative and dynamic sector that serves as a reliable supplier of high-quality secondary raw materials to industry.

The Euro VI series – moving away from traditional waste disposal

6 – RéSource February 2014

Cover story

for the waste industry A

ccordingly, the key focus at the world’s leading environmental technology trade fair, IFAT 2014, is on technical innovations, future- and practice-oriented solutions and cutting-edge expertise. Mercedes-Benz vehicles provide the backbone, ensuring the mobility of many private- and public-sector enterprises. From 5 to 9 May 2014, Daimler AG will be in the spotlight at the “Messe München” exhibition grounds in Munich, presenting specialised vehicles for tailor-made disposal

solutions inside at the Mercedes-Benz stand and partners’ stands as well as on the grounds outside. Decision makers, purchasers and practicians from the public service, waste disposal and utilities sectors will be able to view its new products in the areas of multifunctional trucks, lightduty trucks and vans. The focus will be on the innovative engine technology of the Euro VI model series, future-viable drive systems and, last but not least, comfortable and safe workplaces for

truck and van drivers. Various bodybuilder partners will additionally be presenting efficient solutions involving industry-specific bodies and conversions.

IFAT highlights The supporting programme at the IFAT covers an exceptionally broad range of subjects. Experienced practicians, influential national and international organisations, authorities and ministries will all help to make the IFAT the defining international event for the industry once again in 2014. The programme includes forums with company and panel sessions, country specials,

Mercedes-Benz vehicles provide the backbone, ensuring the mobility of many private – and public-sector enterprises expert discussions, special events and practice-oriented live demonstrations on the exhibition grounds outside.

Advice and discussions with customers The leading environmental fair also provides an ideal platform for dialogue with partners and customers. The emphasis here is on competent support and advice both before and after sales. The Euro VI European emissions standard, which came into force on 1 January 2014, has been fully implemented in the new model series from Mercedes-Benz. The environmentally friendly range of vehicles covers the Atego, Antos, Arocs and Actros, as well as the Unimog and Econic special trucks, the Sprinter and the latest generation of Fuso Canter models.

RéSource February 2014 – 7

Institute news

WASTE MANAGEMENT SEMINAR

Japan and South Africa share knowledge Japan and South Africa recently shared their knowledge and experience at a recent Sustainable Waste Management Seminar hosted by the University of Cape Town (UCT) and endorsed by the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA).

aste management is a challenge the director of Environment and Natural faced by ever y countr y on ever y Resource Studies Group at the Institute continent in the world. Issues of Developing Economies in JETRO, spoke faced by South Africa, while somewhat on various aspects of waste management, unique, can certainly benefit from the les- including collection, recycling and the fassons in other parts of the world. cinating “Eco Towns” in Japan. Angela The seminar was organised by UCT’s Blake from JETRO’s Johannesburg office Engineering Depar tment, the Japanese shared some of JETRO’s innovative waste Embassy in South Africa and Japan management activities, while independent External Trade Organisation (JETRO). The consultant and waste management speseminar, endorsed by the IWMSA, National cialist Susanne Karcher from EnviroSense Recycling Forum and Greencape, is one discussed the waste management chalof a series of conversations happening lenges faced by Cape Town today. between South Africa and other counAlso in attendance was UCT’s own Prof tries, which IWMSA Harro von Blottnitz “Waste management is a from the Chemical president Dr Suzan global concern. No two Oelofse believes is Engineering vital to making a Depar tment, who countries share exactly real difference in shared some of his the same challenges the waste managestudents’ work on and events like these ment arena. life cycle assessallow us to share our “Waste management of plasunique knowledge and ment is a global tics recycling in experience, and learn concern,” says Cape Town. Oelofse. “No two In the opening from the experience and countries share address, Minister expertise of others.” exactly the same Counsellor Yukio Suzan Oelofse challenges and Yoshii asked why events like these allow us to share our Japan is today considered one of the unique knowledge and experience, and world’s most environmentally advanced learn from the experience and exper tise nations. He then went on to explain that of others.” historically Japan was one of the most The seminar was well-attended and fea- environmentally damaged nations and that tured five key note speakers, including concer ted effor ts were required to combat two Japanese speakers. Michikazu Kojima, the effects of the environmental damage

8 – RéSource February 2014

FROM LEFT Susanne Kaercher, Harrow von Blottniz, Peter Silbernagl and Michikazu Kojima

caused by rapid economic growth. He also pointed out that over the next three years, Japan will spend US$2 billion (R21.56 billion) in development assistance in areas such as air pollution, water pollution and waste management. Many other interesting points were made during the seminar. Karcher, an integrated resource and waste minimisation specialist, discussed the issues facing South Africa, in par ticular the effects of urbanisation on waste. She also made an extremely interesting point about the definition of waste and noted that in many instances, what some might consider waste, could be considered to be material by others. Karcher proposed that we redefine waste and pay special attention to making a distinction between “waste” and “material”. She also pointed out that the reason there is so much waste is because we keep “buying things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress neighbours we don’t like”. Akiko Robinson from the CFP Corporation in Japan spoke about the opportunities that exist for converting plastics into fuel, in order to aid sustainable waste management. She proposed that instead of sending plastics to landfill sites, the plastic be cleaned in a special “washing machine” and then separated into many different categories of plastics. She explained that

Institute news

while PA, PET and PVC products cannot be converted to oil, PP, PE and PS plastics Prof. Harro von Blottnitz from the Chemical can. Three other types Engineering Department of the University of of plastics can further Cape Town be converted in variAngela Blake from JETRO’s Johannesburg office ous products: LDPE Waste management specialist, Susanne Karcher plastic can be used from EnviroSense to make pallets and other building materials, PET plastics can be turned into fibre for making clothes and shoes, and PP plastics can be turned into containers. In his closing remarks, Von Blottnitz reflected on the value of the workshop and the symbolism of having hosted it in UCT’s new engineering building, home to both Civil and Chemical Engineers. In his assessment, the challenges of achieving sustainable waste management solutions and getting really good at reducing, reusing and recycling, require a ‘new kind of engineer’: one who can avoid ecologically unintelligent product designs and poor operating practises, and one who has the cultural competencies to learn from the successes of others – of which the Japanese team presented plenty. “While South Africa still has a long way to go to creating a sustainable waste management system, we are constantly learning from the experiences of those dealing with similar issues in other countries and on other continents,” says Melani Traut, IWMSA Western Cape chairman. “The IWMSA is actively seeking out synergies and discussions on effective and sustainable waste management. We are especially looking for ward to the 2014 WasteCon, the largest waste management conference in Africa, which will be proudly hosted by Cape Town.”

FINES

SPEAKERS IN ACTION (From top) Michikazu Kojima, the director of Environment and Natural Resource Studies Group at the Institute of Developing Economies in JETRO

Waste management licensing in Gauteng

his and other pressing issues around licensing and legalities of operating in this space were discussed at a recent Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA) information session in Gauteng. Dr Suzan Oelofse, president of the IWMSA, indicates: “With the implementation of new regulations, the cost of landfilling hazardous waste will increase by about 20% and could double for general waste. It is important for us to keep our members informed about the latest developments and trends in the waste management sector, and therefore regularly host information and training sessions on pertinent waste related matters across the country.” During the session, guest speaker Zingisa Smale, director of Waste Management at the Gauteng Department of of Agriculture and Rural Development, indicated that although the province is the smallest in South Africa, it presents unique waste management challenges, due to high urbanisation and large industrial areas. Smale provided a comprehensive overview to delegates about all the regulations that are in place in Gauteng. Information was also shared about where to obtain licenses for waste activities in Gauteng, as well as which processes and channels to follow with the Department of Environmental Affairs for a national licence. For more information on licencing of your operation, contact the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on +27 (0)12 310 3897 (national) or for Gauteng, contact the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on +27 (0)11 240 2500. The IWMSA is a non-profit organisation comprising a body of dedicated professionals in their respective fields, who give freely and voluntarily of their time and expertise in order to effectively educate, promote and further the science and practice of waste management. For more information, visit: www. iwmsa.co.za.

RéSource February 2014 – 9

Waste management

PLASTIC WASTE

The way forward The negative impact of waste on the environment and on people’s health is of ongoing concern. In this article, Nick Mannie of Aurecon relates how Merafong City Local Municipality (MCLM) took bold steps towards ensuring sustainable waste management solutions and shares lessons that can be learnt from their actions.

oor waste management places significant, and at times overwhelming, pressure on the capability of municipalities to manage waste. In order to address this issue, waste management strategies that are advanced, yet easy to implement and have measurable outcomes, are required. Aurecon has a leading multidisciplinary team of waste specialists able to develop and manage appropriate waste management strategies. Local knowledge, combined with the group’s global expertise, produces innovative, best-in-industry solutions. Each phase of the waste management process is analysed and evaluated in order to produce the best possible solution tailored to the specific needs of a client.

Identifying low-hanging fruits In 2011, the MCLM was faced with the task of disposing of over 150 000 tonnes of waste, collected from 36 000 households

10 – RéSource February 2014

Poor waste management places significant, and at times overwhelming, pressure on the capability of municipalities to manage waste

and businesses. After assessing the situation, Aurecon identified numerous problems, in many cases due solely to the use of plastic bags for the storing and disposing of waste. Key issues were: • frequent spillages from torn or open bags resulted in unhygienic conditions, such as exposure to noxious streams of waste, flies and unpleasant odours • workers risked sprains from handling heavy bags and cuts from sharp objects in bags • the collection process was time-consuming as workers needed to pick individual bags up one at a time • the bags were unsightly and were frequently the source of windblown litter on residential streets. This was environmentally

poor practice as the bags themselves introduced a secondary waste problem.

A simple solution

In order to address the problem quickly and efficiently, Aurecon recommended a switch to 240 ℓ trolley ‘wheelie’ bins to replace the use of plastic bags. “Sometimes, when faced with massive challenges, it is best practice to identify easy actions that deliver big gains,” explains Mannie. “We found this to be true of the MCLM.” Apart from solving the problems listed above, the municipality benefitted through a significant reduction in health and safety costs among employees, as well as the creation of revenue from selling additional wheelie bins to members of the community.

Waste management Cover strap

Discontinuing the use of plastic bags also raised awareness among residents of the need for responsible waste management. In addition, reducing the quantity of plastics in the landfill results in a reduced carbon footprint, demonstrating the municipality’s commitment to the South Africa’s National Waste Management Strategy (2011).

Optimisation of service delivery

waste

collection

A major problem many local municipalities face is the issue of service delivery. “The MCLM was challenged by one service area in particular: that of their waste collection process,” says Mannie. “Once the municipality had addressed the immediate challenge of replacing plastic bags with waste collection bins, they needed to arrive at a holistic solution to their broader waste collection challenges.” In dire need of a tool to optimise the allocation of resources and improve efficiency, the municipality engaged Aurecon to investigate and develop a management system for the improved collection of waste in the local municipality area. Aurecon’s team – made up of Nick Mannie; Kobie Pretorius, project manager; Hentie Viviers, geographic information system (GIS) and data management professional; and Angela van Schalkwyk – undertook to completely review the municipality’s waste management procedures and implement a sustainable scheme with substantial benefits for all the stakeholders.

A holistic solution The solution lay in an effective information system that could measure service delivery at any given time. The new collection system was based on customised GIS modelling according to the MCLM’s specific requirements. The system was designed to take into account various factors such as the geographical area (location, population size and distance to the landfill or transfer station), future developments in the city, potential population growth, the timing and frequency of waste collection and, of course, the client’s resource allocation.

The GIS modelling for optimal route planning is a considerable improvement on the municipality’s existing approach, which had been to randomly designate certain days for collecting waste in certain areas. With this newly developed system, Aurecon was able to assess factors such as risk areas, inefficiencies and costs that were incurred daily during the waste collection process and report back to the MCLM on their findings with innovative and practical recommendations. The latest information on all the solid waste sites and services within the jurisdiction of the municipality was also incorporated into a database, allowing for the comprehensive compilation of best waste management practices. “The system we developed can now govern waste collection in order to make it optimal, through the calculation of factors like waste generation per suburb and the number of the rubbish trucks required,” explains Mannie. Aurecon’s GIS mapping and database also assisted the municipality strategically in terms of long-term planning to ensure that resources, equipment and personnel will be efficiently utilised. Some of the wide-ranging benefits of the system’s optimised route planning were: • the MCLM’s collection backlog was eradicated • the risk of drivers missing areas or collection points was eliminated. Travelling distances were lowered, reducing chances of truck breakdowns and significantly reducing fuel costs, which in turn effectively lessens the MCLM’s overall carbon footprint. Productivity was improved: the revised time scheduling demonstrated that the waste collection service could be maximised by implementing an additional shift per day. The use of equipment and personnel more efficiently neutralised the amount of overtime taken by municipal workers and the new system motivated them by allowing them to leave work early if they had completed their routing for the shift. Customer satisfaction improved with the well-organised collection of waste,

reflecting in minimised complaints from the 36 000 residents. In addition, the MCLM is now better equipped to identify potential problems in advance and take timely preventative measures by re-optimising the routes.

Lessons learnt When reviewing the way in which the MCLM handled its waste collection challenges, two important lessons emerge: Making small, simple changes (such as replacing plastic bags with bins) all the way through to a complete redesign of the current working system (as with a new waste collection route planning system) all have a place in the adoption of a holistic view of waste management. Instead of incorporating waste management only as a means of cleaning up a messy and unhygienic situation, it is far smarter and more cost-effective to avoid the situation by integrating an effective waste management plan from the start. “Aurecon not only has the experience and capability in waste management, but we also ensure we understand a client’s precise needs and consider all the relevant factors in order to develop the most suitable combination of infrastructure and ser vices. This approach results in solutions that are comprehensive, realistic, effective and sustainable,” Mannie concludes.

ABOUT NICK MANNIE, technical director: waste at Aurecon, has a multidisciplinary range of experience that includes leading teams of specialists, supervising subcontractors, assessing financial plans and quality checks, liaising with clients, business management, maximising efficiencies, floramapping and developing biodiversity action plans in relation to diverse waste streams. He believes in finding long-term environmental and economic benefits through tailor-made solutions that keep the surrounding community in mind and uphold clients’ commitment towards sustainability at all times.

RéSource February 2014 – 11

Waste management

NELSON MANDELA BAY

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dump it,

exchange it

Recycling waste is now a part of our everyday lives. It goes beyond conservation and into a notoriously difficult subject: conserving space in our landfills. by Gareth Burley, The Southern African Association for Energy Efficiency

andfill sites are growing at a rapid rate and waste has direct and indirect impacts on human and ecosystem health, including contamination of surface and ground waters. In addition, methane emissions from waste contribute an estimated 2% of the greenhouse gas emissions profile of South Africa. These impacts could be significantly reduced with improved waste management practices.

12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; RĂŠSource February 2014

In Port Elizabeth, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) decided to launch a campaign in 2008 to stop waste to landfill by asking residents to not dump waste but rather exchange it to save the environment. It was called the NMB Waste Exchange (WX), and is one of the waste reduction projects of the Integrated Waste Management Plan. It is a free web-based system that enables

generators and users of waste material to exchange waste material at no cost to them, thereby reducing waste to landfill. Once a user is registered on the system, they can either post a listing or advert for wanted waste material or search on the listings of unwanted waste material posted by other users. Waste material can be anything that can still be used by someone else such as cardboard boxes, left over building material, recyclables, wood, obsolete furniture or building rubble, to name a few. By making use of the WX, users can benefit by saving on transport, disposal and storage costs. It may also assist in giving your company a competitive edge in the sustainable usage of natural resources and assist in locating alternative material suppliers that offer input material for your business, at a competitive price, thereby lowering your raw material or input costs. By signing up and taking part, residents help the Nelson Mandela Bay reduce the carbon footprint while improving their business environmental and social responsibility image. Although waste exchanges are well-known in other countries such as New Zealand, Europe and America, it is a new concept in South Africa, with WX being the second in South Africa. The other is in the City of Cape Town and is referred to as IWEX (Integrated Waste Exchange). Various challenges have been identified in the development and running of the project. Intensive marketing is necessary to expose this unknown concept to key stakeholders in business and industry, which can become an expensive and tedious process. It is also difficult to gage the success of the project, as it can only be done through users reporting successful exchanges. Limited access to computers and the internet may also exclude certain people from participating and the lack of involvement from local and provincial government can be a problem as they do not participate and promote the system. Complementing the work done by the NMBM are the entrepreneurs who have started business around waste and recycling. The Waste Trade Company (WTC) was established in the NMBM by Howard Bulkin, a man who saw the opportunity to transform other peoples waste into opportunities and revenue. His love of nature and passion to make a differALL IMAGES NMB Waste ence was the drivExchange is one of the ing force behind waste reduction projects building a comof the Integrated Waste Management Plan pany that would

Waste management

not only benefit him, but would also be the vehicle to transform and develop the lives of his employees. Bulkin and his team continue to successfully grow and develop the WTC, which now has 102 permanent employees and 43 casual staff members. WTC strives to act responsibly in preserving our natural resources and ensuring a cost-efficient, safe and quality service by exploring innovative opportunities. Now globally recognised for its recycling, waste management and transport industry, the WTC continues to create sustainable wealth for all stakeholders. At the heart of the WTC is the schools programme, which empowers kids with the knowledge and principles of recycling. It was initiated as part of the company’s social responsibility campaign and has since signed up 145 schools in the NMBM. Understanding the nature of children, the project was built on the following principle: Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I may not remember, involve me and I’ll understand. Children are encouraged to bring recyclable materials from home, which they get to

distribute in the waste separation area after being separated. Businesses and industries attending the theoretical info session. This in the NMB Metro now have the opporfun activity involves the participation of the tunity to donate their waste to schools,” children and aids their understanding and says Bulkin. Both WX and the learning experiWTC are promoting ence. The para culture of recycling ticipating schools and entrepreneurship benefit from the through their reliable free collection of cost-efficient servicrecyclable matees, empowering both rials and the business and the rebate received youth through educafrom WTC for Although waste tional initiatives. the recyclaexchanges are well“99% of what goes bles. The funds known in other countries to landfill can be are usually put used in a business towards buying it is a new concept in model. Upcycling and spor ting equipSouth Africa recycling of waste ment, upgrades or even creating soup kitchens in the can start new businesses and create jobs, as seen by the WTC. Business transformed underprivileged communities. “This initiative has been a huge success by this mindset can truly serve nature and and we are also facilitating educational field play an essential role in moving South Africa trips to our depot. The children can now have forward towards manageable waste,” says a first-hand experience of the magnitude of Andrew Phillips, co-founder of Green Leaf waste processed per day and see how it is Sustainability Services. RéSource February 2013 – 13

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Waste management

PLASTIC WASTE

What should be done with plastic waste? How can plastic products be made more sustainable over their entire life cycle and how can the effects of plastic waste on the environment be reduced?

avoiding waste instead of disposing of it, ensuring greater producer responsibility and improving product design, resource efficiency and resource conser vation. Never theless, say the authors of the green paper, the current EU waste legislation does not go far enough: The general call to give priority to avoiding and recycling waste over other methods of disposal is, in view of the special characteristics of plastics, not enough. One of the declared aims of the latest EU initiative is therefore to create better framework conditions to take into account the aspects of recycling and waste avoidance at the early design stage of a plastic product.

hese are some of the questions asked Avoiding waste from the beginning in a recently published green paper The main reason for the recent questions posed by Potočnik, says the green paper, from the European Commission. EU Environment Commissioner, Janez is the international dimension of an enviPotočnik, focuses on the high resource ronmental problem that is seen, among efficiency that can be attained with plas- other things, in the growing accumulation tics if recycling management systems function properly and high recycling rates are made possible as a result. He calls on all interested par ties to consider “how plastics can become par t of the solution rather than 26 answers to a better the problem”. environmental policy It may perhaps not be immediThe relevant facts and ately obvious that plastics play opinions are being collecta ver y effective par t in relieving ed on the basis of replies the burden on the environment to 26 questions in a surduring their life cycle. vey that ran in 2013. The They enable multi-functional answers will help with an par ts to be produced with low evaluation of the effects of effor t, which are both light in plastic waste and be used weight and ver y load-resistant. to adapt European legislaAnd while a packaging may weigh High resource efficiency can be attained tion so that the recycling of only a few grams, it still gives when recycling systems function plastic waste has priority the contents a long storage life. properly over landfills. Low weight essentially means The green paper also asks low material consumption and energy savings during transpor t, there- of plastic waste in the world’s oceans. The questions about the ef fectiveness of by conser ving resources. At the end of problem is that many countries still regard potential recycling targets, about postheir ser vice life, plastics are valuable plastics as an inexpensive one-way mate- sibilities for making the chemical design raw materials that can be returned to rial and therefore have correspondingly low of plastics more suitable for recycling, the material cycle in an environmentally recycling rates. The authors also bemoan about reducing the discharge of plastic friendly manner, so that they can signifi- the dumping of around half of Europe’s waste into the sea and about the need to cantly reduce the amount of virgin material plastic waste in landfills despite the pos- provide financial suppor t for biodegradsible accompanying environmental effects. able plastics. required for many applications. According to the EU, the result of the surEven their thermal recycling makes As an alternative, they highlight the potenecological sense, because they still tial economic benefits and the resource- vey will be reflected in political action from 2014. In par ticular, it will have an effect contain the energy of the fossil feed- saving effect of higher recycling rates. With regard to the handling of plastic on the general revision of the waste policy stocks from which they were originally produced. The “genes” themselves are waste, the European Waste Framework in which the targets for waste recycling thus good. The challenge globally is to Directive (2008/98/EG) places the focus and landfills are to be examined. use them as efficiently as possible. on aspects such as thinking in life cycles, Source: RIGK

RéSource February 2014 – 15

Recycling

PARTNERSHIPS

Growing a sustainable recycling sector Petco’s international colloquium with EPRO set the stage for global partnerships in recycling

here is no Planet B. We are all a part of the global market and live on a planet with finite resources. We have the same aspirations and visions, but will have to find a unique strategy when it comes to our waste management and recycling challenges.” This was the message that came out of the first South African and European Colloquium on recycling that took place in Cape Town in November entitled “Global Partnerships for a Sustainable Recycling Sector: Sharing. Dialogue. Action”, which was hosted by PETCO, the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling company. Addressing just shor t of 200 delegates who attended the conference via video feed, Janez Potočnik, European Union Commissioner on the Environment, congratulated PETCO on taking the initiative to host the conference. He further highlighted the value of waste as a resource and that it should not be landfilled or burnt, as well as the need for a transition to a circular economy as a more sustainable economic growth model. He also encouraged joint effor ts and initiatives aimed at increasing material

recover y and reducing the impact of litter on the environment on a global scale. Potočnik’s address was followed by six plenar y sessions during which 15 members of the European Association of Plastic Recycling and Recover y Organisation (EPRO) and 15 of South Africa’s exper ts on recycling, waste management, recover y and sustainability delivered papers on the challenges, oppor tunities, latest trends and innovations in their respective areas of expertise. These and other points of discussion were debated and discussed in depth during a concluding panel debate, which allowed members of the audience to pose their questions and comments to local and international exper ts. “South Africa can be proud of its accomplishments in the area of plastics recycling; one of the key building blocks of a Green Economy,” said Cheri Scholtz, CEO of PETCO and local host of the conference. Explaining the impor tance of the South African/European colloquium for future par tnerships, she added: “South Africa is clearly leading the rest of Africa in this regard and is not lagging far behind its European counterpar ts with its impressive

The colloquium has set the stage for ongoing partnerships, dialogue and joint initiatives to fuel the pursuit of a resilient, innovative and sustainable recycling sector

ABOVE Cheri Scholtz, CEO of PETCO, flanked by EPRO delegates Francis Huysman, EPRO co-chairperson/Val-l-Pac (left); Geraud Delorme, EPRO co-chairperson/Valorplast (right) and EPRO secretary-general Peter Sundt (far right) BELOW CSIR colleagues Dr Linda Godfrey and Dr Suzan Oelofse, president of the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa, take time out at the Colloquium to compare notes

recycling figures and innovative solutions developed for recycling and waste recover y. Imagine the impact we can have if we take hands across the globe and find ways to recycle better, smar ter and more efficiently? The goal of inviting EPRO to South Africa to have their first-ever general

RéSource November 2013 – 17

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Recycling

meeting on African soil and to par ticipate in this pioneering international recycling colloquium was to create a platform for the sharing of ideas and set the stage for future global par tnerships that would make this possible.” According to Scholtz, the international delegation made it clear from the outset that they were not only eager to share with South African audiences their wealth of knowledge and the valuable lessons they had learnt in Europe and the US, but that they also wanted to learn from our experiences across all packaging streams in Southern Africa, the BRICS countries and other developing countries who were represented on the programme. “Countries are all somewhere on the recycling continuum,” Scholtz said. “They are either in star t-up phase or could be years down the line with elaborate setups for recycling and many products containing recycled material that have market acceptance. In developing countries, like South Africa, where in 2012 we achieved a 50.5% packaging and paper recycling rate, the recycling industr y is often seen as a means to provide income, skills development and create sustainable livelihoods. For this reason, waste management in South Africa, as a major element of the Green Economy, places a lot of emphasis on job creation and ser vice deliver y. However, it is also impor tant for us to learn from developed countries and to avoid making costly mistakes that could other wise have been avoided as

we transition from a change society into a circular society, backed by Extended Producer Responsibility, consumer commitment and cooperation from all stakeholders in the value chain” she said. This was confirmed by Peter Sundt, secretarygeneral of EPRO, who had led the European delegation on their South African trip. “We were very impressed by the innovation and commitment seen on South African shores. As is the case in Europe, Extender Producer Responsibility is the main driver to stimulate collection and recovery of materials, where we achieved a recycling rate of 34% for plastic packaging in the EU in 2012,” said Sundt. He added that they enjoyed discussing recycling issues and initiatives with their

South African counterpar ts and having the oppor tunity to visit various recycling plants around Cape Town on the last day of their visit. “It was a highly successful colloquium that increased the total intellectual capacity of all in attendance.” Looking ahead, Scholtz said: “The colloquium has set the stage for ongoing partnerships, dialogue and joint initiatives to fuel our pursuit of a resilient, innovative and sustainable recycling sector. Thanks to the sponsors of the colloquium, the National Research Foundation, the City of Cape Town, POLYCO, Mpact Recycling and Plastics|SA, which through their support have showcased how we can work together and support our industry as a driver of the Green Economy.”

THE CONFERENCE IN NUMBERS

2 2 3 4 7 11 14 18 26 200

Jim Petrie, director: Energy and Green Economy in the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism opens the proceedings with a provincial overview

NGOs leading retailers leading South African universities bottlers from South Africa and Namibia government departments local converters nations (including South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Namibia, Belgium, Norway, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, UK and the US) international and local industry bodies recyclers delegates RéSource February 2014 – 19

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Packaging/recycling

PACKAGING INDUSTRY

Big role in

recycling

Recent studies have revealed that South Africa boasts the second-highest plastics recycling rate in the world, with 18% of all virgin plastics produced in the country being processed for reuse. While the ranking is impressive, there is room for improvement, particularly within the local packaging industry.

lthough the annual percentage of plastic recycled in South Africa is slowly increasing, the total amount of plastic that is not recycled is rising due to annual increases in the amount of the material being produced. As a result, South Africa still has a considerable way to go in tackling the current estimated total annual production of 1.3 million tonnes of virgin plastic. Johannesburg-based packaging solutions provider Damax Sebenza Pack operates from a 3 500 m2 manufacturing facility that specialises in the production of plastic packaging for numerous products, including food, cosmetics, gardening and industrial applications. The company processes 75 tonnes per month of a variety of plastics, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene and

high impact polystyrene (HIPS), to satisfy industry specific requirements. Damax Sebenza Pack’s managing director, Brian Lovell, notes that PVC is particularly well recycled in the local industry, while PET is generally not. He does, however, highlight the fact that a highprofile retail client is currently driving a major initiative to use up to 30% recycled PET (R-PET) in its food and beverage packaging by 2014 – a move Damax Sebenza Pack fully supports. “PET is a non-toxic and hygienic material that is ideal for the storage of food and drinks. It is easily recyclable and, in addition to minimising environmental impact, R-PET

The purchase of recycled products ensures sustainability, in addition to stimulating the plastic recycling process.” Brian Lovell, MD Damax Sebenza Pack’s

20 – RéSource February 2014

is also considerably more cost effective than virgin material. This ultimately reduces the carbon footprint of the retailer, while passing on packaging savings to the end user in challenging economic conditions,” says Lovell. Another major environmental advantage of PET and PVC is the fact that the raw materials do not go to waste during production. Lovell adds: “One of the greatest advantages of these materials is that almost nothing goes to waste during the manufacturing process. The by-products from both materials are used in the manufacture of numerous items, ranging from pipes, even to fillers for shoes.” Although PET is recyclable, he does admit that it is not biodegradable. “In the US, a polylactic acid polymer (PLA) bioplastic – manufactured from

Packaging/recycling

carbon found in simple plant sugars – has proven to be highly popular, as it is easy to mould and form. PLA is manufactured by NatureWorks, a US-based company jointly owned by Cargill and PTT Global Chemical. Lovell points out that the implementation of PLA in packaging locally is challenging, as it is almost double the price of other materials, with no local recycling facilities. In South Africa, plastics are either collected directly from homes and businesses, or they are extracted from municipal landfill sites, predominantly by informal waste pickers. The sor ted plastic is then sold on to formal collectors who sor t and bale the plastics before selling them to recycling companies for reprocessing. Lovell points out that organisations can help to improve plastic recycling rates in South Africa by separating waste

South Africa still has a considerable way to go in tackling the current estimated total annual production of 1.3 million tonnes of virgin plastic at source and by purchasing recycled plastic products. “Even if there are no recycling companies nearby, waste can still be easily separated at source to ensure easy access for

waste pickers, who are able to increase the efficiency of their collections, thereby increasing collected tonnages. This not only increases the earnings of the individual waste picker, but also the total amount of plastics being recycled,” he says. According to Lovell, the purchase of recycled products ensures sustainability, in addition to stimulating the plastic recycling process. “Packaging film such as wrapping, supermarket carrier bags and garbage bags amount to approximately one third of recycled plastic products in South Africa. By making the simple decision to consciously purchase everyday products that are manufactured from recycled plastic, individuals and companies can continue to play their role in ensuring that South Africa remains a world leader in plastic recycling,” he concludes.

RéSource February 2014 – 21

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Recycling

AWARDS

Putting the soul back into communities The annual ABI School Recycling Awards was an uplifting event, showcasing young learners' talent and commitment to recycling, writes Maryke Foulds.

malgamated Beverage Industries (ABI), supported by the PET Recycling Company (PETCO) recently rewarded environmental excellence at the School Recycling Awards ceremony. Between the throng of excited students, enthusiastic teachers, dedicated stakeholders and industry players, this is the kind of initiative that gives people and communities their dignity back. The competition aims to make recycling a culture in schools and to educate students, teachers, parents and the whole community about the importance of waste collection and recycling for a sustainable future. The winner was FF Rebeiro Primary School from Mamelodi West, which walked away with R50 000. The first and second runners up, Boikgantsho Primary School from Mamelodi East and Isekelo Primary from Tembisa, won R30 000 and R20 000 respectively for infrastructural development for their schools. The schools were rewarded for volume collected as well as spirit embodied in their programmes, which includes motivation of learners, use of the educational material, innovation in recycling, as well community involvement. Surprise winners announced were the 10 recycling heroes from each of the 10 finalist schools, who each walked away with school fees for the year, school uniforms, stationery and school bags, and the two most motivational programme facilitators walk away with iPads. The highest PET collecting school was rewarded with R10 000, and a R50 000 prize was awarded to the top business collector partner. “On behalf of our partners, we would like to congratulate all our winners for

an outstanding effort in greening their schools,” said Gaopaleloe Mothoagae, sustainable development manager at ABI. “We thank and commend the teachers who supported this learning opportunity to enhance the educational experiences for the students and impart invaluable life skills to them. “It has been a long but rewarding journey for 240 primary schools within ABI territories in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State. The focus was on primary school children; in order to change the behaviour patterns of our country we need to change the mindset of a generation. “At ABI, it is built into our business culture that we must develop the communities in which we operate. We recognise that the success of our business is intrinsically linked to that of the communities we operate in, and we aim to become more than just a business – we are part of every community,” continued Mothoagae. ABI has empowered 22 youths (aka Recycling Soldiers) through the programme by providing them with business skills development and entry to the job market. These youths mobilise the collection of recyclable material in the schools by enhancing schools’ performance, creating healthy competition, and monitoring and evaluating the schools. “The success of the campaign was in achieving and exceeding collection volume expectations. We also recorded overwhelming support from parents and communities.

Mamelodi West Winner of the ABI recycling awards scoops recycling award of the year 2013.

The partnerships with the local recycling collectors that were forged last year and re-established this year has seen a better understanding of recycling in the various communities becoming evident. “This is a perfect example of one simple action by young people, supported by us, having a far reaching impact. We can all learn from this and a great achievement towards caring for the environment we live, work and play in,” Mothoagae concluded.

THE AWARDS IN A NUTSHELL

240

primary schools in Gauteng, KwaZuluNatal and the Free State participated in the School Recycling Programme

255

tonnes of waste in total has been collected and recycled during the programme

177 461

children have benefitted from the program to date One recycled tin can saves enough energy to power a television for hours

one recycled plastic bottle would save enough energy to power a light bulb for three hours

60 W

R150 000

worth of prizes were awarded to the top participants of the School Recycling Programme

RéSource February 2014 – 23

BEYOND RECYCLING

BlackAfrica Group _ 2541

Let’s not waste our earth’s scarce resources. When you recycle with Mpact Recycling, your waste paper is used to make paper and other products, saving many of these resources and contributing to a sustainable future not only for you but for the next generation. Not only is Mpact Recycling the largest collector of paper for recycling in South Africa, Mpact is the largest producer of paper made from recycled materials in the country. Mpact is involved in the entire process from collecting discarded paper all the way through to making the paper from it and converting it into boxes. What’s more, by recycling, you are helping to employ over 30,000 people involved in the industry. Having empowered over 170 small businesses to facilitate their own recycling collections, Mpact is also actively leading change in the industry through smarter, sustainable thinking.

Recycling

JOB CREATION

Greater participation is needed Recycling can be a great contributor to the South African economy with job creation opportunities and direct benefits to the environment. Maryke Foulds asks John Hunt, MD of Mpact Recycling, to take us through the process. ecycling rates are distressingly low He suggests that a great way to start ABOVE Mpact recycling plant Springs One among South African households and recycling is with paper. “Recycling paper, BELOW Recycling has a direct link to employment opportunities businesses. Hunt explains that paper which includes cardboard, old newspapers, consumed in people’s homes and offices magazines, outdated directories or school- sites, creating employment and reusing items that are simple to sort and represents the biggest opportunity to grow paper recycling in “People don’t realise that when they recycle from home,” says Hunt. Businesses are also encourSouth Africa. Currently only 5% recycle, they are creating a future for aged to join the broader comof all paper collected for recyothers through job creation and direct munity in paper recycling. cling comes from households benefits to the environment” “Mpact has different recycling and 1% from community depots. “Recycling par ticipation rates range books, is a simple process that goes a programmes for businesses of all sizes,” between 20 and 30%, and such low rates long way to reducing the impact on landfill concludes Hunt. threaten the viability of continued recycling collections,” he says. Low rates of recycling have a direct impact on employment. “People don’t realise that when they recycle, they are creating a future for others through job creation and direct benefits to the environment. This alone should be a great motivator for more households and businesses to par ticipate in recycling programmes,” says Hunt. Mpact’s recycling division currently has seven sites across the countr y and 42 buy-back centres where traders deliver waste for payment. It also buys from more than 90 independent dealers throughout the countr y. “We have empowered over 40 entrepreneurial companies to facilitate the company’s collection strategies,” says Hunt.

RéSource February 2014 – 25

Recycling

COMPOSTING

Bokashi Recycling saves on CO2 emissions Over the past few months, Maropeng has embarked on an exciting new recycling initiative: the bokashi process. Maryke Foulds speaks to Robere Brockman, maintenance manager at Maropeng, about its implementation.

ow were you introduced to the bokashi recycling process? A few months ago we met with a representative from Pro-Biotic, who took us through the bokashi process. We looked at pricing and where we could set up the drums and got the process under way. Since the star t, we have had a number of meetings with Pro-Biotic for training as well as advice. We decided on this type of recycling as it meets a need at Maropeng and can assist the surrounding community.

Please explain the process We currently have 15 bokashi drums that are rotated between various venues at Maropeng and Sterkfontein Caves. We didn’t need to build anything special, merely brought the drums in. Prior to installing the bokashi system at Maropeng, food waste was going to landfill. In addition, organic landscape matter was also being sent to landfill. This has now changed due to the bokashi process. Bokashi is a method that uses a mix of microorganisms that cover food waste to decrease smell. Food waste is layered with bokashi in anaerobic digesters (closed bins). The bokashi then star ts a fermentation process, stopping rotting and eliminating

the production of greenhouse gases. Following fermentation, the fermented matrix can then be safely composted trenched or fed to composting worms. A key advantage of the bokashi system is that all food waste including cooked and uncooked food including meat, bones, sea food and dair y can be processed and quickly composted, safely and without odours. The bokashi system fits into the waste hierarchy at the second level of recycling and nutrient recover y. In addition, measurement is easily obtained and this leads to reduction in food waste. Ultimately, the system diver ts food waste from landfill and upcycles it into a high-value nutrient feed for gardening and agriculture. The anaerobic then composting process saves 435 kg CO2 emissions vs dumping into landfill. In addition, separating food waste at source allows for 32% increase in dr y recyclable volumes.

they are emptied, they need to be washed out.

At the bokashi drums at Maropeng are Levy Modise (left), Maropeng handyman, and Robere Brockman

Where is the composting product used? Maropeng

vegetable gardens. Maropeng plans to extend the project in the coming months to supply feed for vegetable farmers in the area who supply Maropeng with fresh produce.

currently uses the recycled material to feed its gardens and is assisting Maloney’s Eye School with feed for its

Is maintenance required? No particular maintenance is required, but training on a daily basis to ensure drums in the four kitchens are kept closed at all times. The drums are heavy when full and need to be man-handled to the storage area for the two weeks. Then they need to be transported to the compost heap. Then, after

BOKASHI is a fermentation and composting process that diverts food waste from landfill and upcycles it into a high-value nutrient feed for gardening and agriculture. It also saved 435 kg of CO2 emissions when compared to dumping in a landfill.

RéSource February 2014 – 27

Landfills

TECHNICAL PAPER

LANDFILL CONFERENCE

Past, present and future performance of landfills Historically, landfills have been the most common method of waste disposal around the world. Dr George Koerner of the Geosynthetic Institute in Pennsylvania looks at the history of landfills as the most common method of waste disposal.

Origin and background In an ideal world, we would not throw anything away. We would reuse or recycle everything. In the real world, however, many things are thrown away and usually end up in managed landfills. These large outdoor sites designed for the disposal of different waste streams are built in suitable geological areas with liner and cover systems to isolate and minimise risk to the environment. Dumps have been around since the existence of cities. The origins and behaviour of degradation of organic matter as applied to municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are well discussed. The coalescence of the essential components for a perpetual landfill (i.e. the geosynthetics, filling operations, bio reacting and mining) are then reviewed. The incremental plan embodied in the perpetual landfill concept is then detailed insofar as incoming waste streams from 500 to 10 000 tonnes per day. The recognition that the organic matter (newsprint, foodstuffs, vegetative matter, etc.) contained within MSW degrades over time has been known for centuries. However, a technical-based model of this behaviour is much more recent. Other necessary components of the perpetual landfill concept have developed over time and include the following: the emergence of geomembranes, geonets, geocomposites and other geosynthetics; Landfill gas collection and cogeneration in the 1990s; landfill mining, separation, screening and reuse in the late 1990s; and finally the use of flexible solar panels on exposed geomembrane covers in 2000.

Geosynthetic systems

he concept of landfilling waste is by no means stationary. Present trends and developments in regard to design, construction and operations of landfills are constantly changing and in this evolution of the modern landfill, they are currently being considered as reactors that can be a viable and abundant source of materials and energy. In the design and construction of modern landfills, it is important to consider “Future Trends” such as wet landfilling, banning the disposal of untreated waste, post-closure beneficial landfill uses and

28 – RéSource February 2014

redirection of recycling efforts to create the perpetual landfill. The essential components for a perpetual landfill is reviewed in the context of geosynthetics, filling operations, microbial degradation and waste mining. In addition, design changes brought about by the introduction of these modifications to the operation of the facility will be discussed as to the accuracy of stabilisation time predictions, amount of unreached waste, cell and landfill footprint requirements, and landfill cogeneration and renewable energy opportunities.

It is impossible to discuss the modern landfill and not at least take a cursory look at flexible membrane liners or geomembranes. They came into use as a result of a growing world population putting increasing demands on our ever more precious water resources. Humans were polluting these resources at an alarming rate. Materials such as compacted clay, asphalt or concrete did not perform well enough or were too expensive to utilise as effective liners. Geomembranes have been used in civil engineering applications since the 1960s and went through a slow developmental and acceptance process. As environmental

pollution pressures grew, interest and research in geomembranes as a solution accelerated. Early geomembranes included polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Hypalon (CSPE) and compounded butyl sheeting for pond, canal and reservoir lining. These membranes had several attributes that made them very desirable. They were very flexible, which allows them to conform to irregular surfaces easily. They also had a low modulus, which let them stretch to conform to point stresses such as gravel. They had good puncture resistance and relatively good tear resistance for an unreinforced material. Sheets could be easily fabricated into large panels using chemical or heat welding. Unfortunately, these early flexible geomembranes had weaknesses. They were not chemically resistant and they also had durability issues. This provided an opening for polyethylene and the rest is history. Proper functioning of a landfill liner is critical to effective containment over time. Considerable attention has been given to the development and design of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;linerâ&#x20AC;?, which is actually a liner system. During the past few decades, the trend has been to use composite liner systems comprising both clay and synthetic barriers. The liner system retards migration of leachate to an underlying layer and is interspersed with a drainage layer to reduce hydraulic head on the liner. Layer-after-layer of geosynthetics is being used to line modern landfills. This use is prompted by many justifications, such as rapid deployment, low relative cost (to natural materials), savings of air space and excellent performance. The US Environmental Protection Agency report on liner performance justifies the use of geomembranes on the basis of the lowest leakage rates of any alternative. Good performances have been further demonstrated by double composite landfill liner systems in New York and Florida, which report annual liner system efficiency of greater than 99.9% for GM/GCL composite liner systems. Regarding the cover of a MSW landfill after filling, US Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulations require a complicated multi-lined system that is excessive in the context of the perpetual landfill. Far preferable is an exposed geomembrane cover, which can be rapidly placed during the degradation period and rapidly removed and possibly reused when the methanogenic stage is complete. Since the concept of the perpetual landfill depends on wet landfilling, i.e. the addition and circulation of liquids through the waste mass, the proper functioning of the drainage system at the base of the landfill is critical. In this regard, both natural soils (sands and gravels) and geosynthetic materials (geonets and geocomposites) are appropriate choices.

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Filling the cells Landfill operations such as placing the waste materials in a landfill cell are always important but they are critical to the success of the perpetual landfill. This applies not only to the stability and manoeuvrability of the bulldozers and compactors, but to the liquid distribution as well. In addition to leachate recirculation, greywater, sewage treatment residuals and industrial wastewater will be needed to bring the waste to field capacity, thereby optimising the degradation process. Even further, all of the waste must be at field capacity (which is typically at 40 to

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Bioreacting the individual cells

60% moisture content) and fully degraded in order that non-reacted waste need not be transferred to the cell being filled thereby using valuable air-space for incoming MSW. Regarding the discrete cells, they will necessarily be separated by small berms for the interior of the landfill footprint. However, the exterior perimeter berm of the landfill will be an engineered berm,

properly called a mechanically stabilised earth wall with geogrid reinforcement. In addition to an exposed geomembrane cover above the waste mass when a cell is filled, the daily cover for each lift of waste will be a reusable geosynthetic, which is placed after each lift is completed and then removed the next morning for additional waste placement.

Bioreacting of waste can be accomplished in several ways, all of which depend on the desired time for stabilisation. Stabilisation is when outputs are completely managed, residues are environmentally non-threatening, long post-closure care is not necessary and future use of site is not compromised. This, in turn, dictates the liquid management strategy to be used. For the perpetual landfill concept to work, either aerobic or anaerobic bioreactor strategies are necessary. That said, an aerobic bioreactor results in extremely high landfill temperatures, which will decrease stabilisation time greatly, but possibly lead to landfill fires which cannot be allowed. Thus, the strategy being suggested for this plan is anaerobic bioreacting with a targeted stabilisation time of five years.

Landfill mining For the purpose of the perpetual landfill, proper and rapid mining of the degraded waste is necessary. This requires initial separation of large nondegradable materials

30 – RéSource February 2014

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GENERATION

Landfills

FIGURE 3 Sequential sketches of “The Perpetual Landfill” as described in this paper

Plan view of an 8-cell continuous landfill Cell C ll “B”

Cell C ll “C”

Cell C ll “D”

Gas & Solar Energy

Cap with EGC

Fill with MSW

Mine & Separate Checkk Liner

Cell “H”

Cell “G”

Cell “F”

Cell “E”

Gas & Solar Energy

— —

—

C ll “A” Cell

— —

—

— —

The perpetual landfill concept

—

As can be seen in Figure 3, the landfill footprint is rectangular and consists of eight individual cells. These cells are again rectangular and of dimensions depending on the amount of incoming waste. Considerations for incoming waste streams of 500 to 10 000 tonnes per day are considered sustainable. As mentioned previously, the individual cells are separated from one another by small berms and the outer perimeter of the landfill is contained by a large mechanically stabilised earth berm. If the site is such that a below grade excavation can be made, the height of the perimeter berm above grade will be reduced in accordance with it.

— — — —

Mine & Separate

— — —

—

Gas & Solar Energy

EGC – Exposed Geomembrane Cover — – MSE Wall

followed by screening of the remaining bulk. In so doing, the material not passing the screen can be further separated and hopefully utilised, e.g., plastics, glass, metals, etc. The material passing the screen can

space which could be more profitably used by the incoming waste stream.

possibly be used agriculturally or otherwise. What cannot be directly used, however, must be moved forward to a cell being filled along with incoming waste. In this regard, it is a negative factor in that it takes up air

This paper has been edited for publication. For the full technical paper, please contact the editor: maryke@3smedia.co.za. RéSource February 2013 – 31

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Sustainability

CLIMATE CHANGE

Facing green challenges head-on Climate change is a reality. Johannesburg has experienced unusually extreme weather conditions. Besides its other impacts, environmental pollution produces greenhouse gases, which are considered to be the major cause influencing in climate change.

he City of Johannesburg (COJ) is ensur- The composting plant processes about landfill gas, which would have otherwise been ing that the environmental pollution im- 150 000 tonnes of green waste per year released into the atmosphere. Construction pacts stemming from waste are averted into soil-enhancing compost. This compost is of the Marie Louise project commenced in and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In- then sold to the agricultural sector and to city February 2012, with 28 wells installed. A tegrated waste management operation incor- homeowners for suburban gardens. total of 19 042 CERs have been amassed porates waste separation at source; garden Tau says: “Garden sites divert green waste and 3.16 million Nm3 of landfill gas was dumping sites and composting plants. from being disposed of at the landfill sites, destructed since May 2012. COJ has successfully implemented as they take up a lot of airspace and contribConstruction for Goudkoppies, Ennerdale two landfill gas-to-energy projects. At the ute a lot in terms of methane generation.” and Linbro Park will commence shortly. In Robinson Deep landfill site and the Marie The COJ is disposing about 1.6 million October 2013, the project was approved and Louise project, landfill gas is extracted, com- tonnes of waste in the four operational land- agreed to sign a Power Purchase Agreement busted and flared as carbon dioxide to gener- fill sites each year. The city’s transportation (PPA) with Eskom for 18 MW contribution, ate electricity. Soon, a total of as part of the Independent Power 19 MW of electricity will be gen“The city is investigating further options Producers programme. The proerated from five landfill sites, in partnership with the private sector ject was registered with UNFCCC enough to power about 12 500 in December 2012 wherein it can and by collaborating with C40 cities to now start selling carbon credits middle-income households. resolve the challenges.” Mpho Parks Tau under Kyoto Protocol. As Johannesburg confirmes its readiness to host the “The city is investigating furprestigious C40 Cities Climate Leadership costs are high, and the volume of waste ther options in partnership with the private Group Mayors Summit on 4 to 6 February being transported also contributes green- sector and by collaborating with C40 cities 2014, the executive mayor of Johannesburg, house gas emissions from the trucks. to resolve the challenges. The people of Councillor Mpho Parks Tau says: “Pikitup’s Landfill gas is mainly made up of methane, Johannesburg are instrumental in helping the waste separation at source project encour- carbon dioxide and oxygen, of which meth- city to manage its waste. The choices we colages residents to separate their waste; ane is the most harmful on the ozone layer. lectively make today will determine the future paper goes into orange bags and recyclables Methane is sucked through the combination of our city,” concludes Tau. like bottles and cans in colourless bags. To of vertical and horizontal pipes to the flare According to the Institute of Waste date, 264 889 households are participating system where it’s burnt and released as Management of Southern Africa, recycling in the waste separation at source project. carbon dioxide, which is less harmful than reduces the amount of waste going to our There are plans to rollout this project into methane gas. landfill sites, prolonging the lifespan of other areas too.” The Robinson Deep landfill was completed these sites. The city has created garden dumping sites in May 2011. 68 gas wells were installed and for the disposal of light garden waste, will be increased during Phase 2. It has pro- For more information: where it’s chipped into manageable sizes duced 137 888 Certified Emission Reductions visit http://c40summitjohannesburg.org or and transported to a composting plant. (CERs) and destructed 18.28 million Nm3 of www.joburg.org.

RéSource February 2014 – 33

Sustainability

CARBON FOOTPRINT

Finding better ways to reduce Businesses that strive to be environmentally sustainable must find better ways to measure and reduce their carbon footprint. Organisational goals for environmental performance areas, including the aim of carbon neutrality, and sustainability reporting are not sufficient catalysts for change. By Dr Sumetee Pahwa-Gajjar

hat is required is an integrated corporate resilience framework for building enterprise resilience and ecological sustainability. This interdisciplinary tool captures strategies towards lower carbon emissions alongside other performance areas, addresses the multifaceted challenge of corporate environmental sustainability, and assists businesses to reduce their overall environmental impact. Moreover, it pinpoints deep, ecological drivers for strategic decisions in corporate practice areas of environmental performance and exposes the strategic weakness of some strategies in terms of building long-term corporate resilience. Spier Holdings, a well-known wine and leisure business outside Stellenbosch, South Africa, may serve as a case in point. In 2009, Spier initiated an in-house project to calculate the carbon footprint of one bottle of wine, as well as the carbon and water footprints of the business itself. In the same year, Spier allowed the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University access to its business operations and environmental reporting practices to help track its progress towards environmental sustainability. Spier has established sustainability as a

complexity and systems perspective, Spier is made up of flows of energy, waste, water and information, which are found across the individual business units of winemaking, leisure and farming. As a human environment system, the business responds simultaneously to social, economic and environmental drivers. It also responds to external risks related to natural resources (such as biodiversity and water), physical infrastructure (for sewage or electricity) and knowledge networks. Spier has instigated some commendable initiatives. A trigger matrix system that switches off geysers in unoccupied sections of the Spier hotel, for instance, was installed soon after the 2008 electricity blackouts in South Africa. At the same time, an energy audit of the main buildings was also commissioned. Sizeable investment in a biological wastewater treatment plant on the estate was made to improve the system in line with government regulations. Over the past decade, Spier has continued to explore ways to generate clean energy on-site. In the process, it has increased its knowledge in the field of renewable energy. However, the risk of huge capital outlay in a technology that may soon become obsolete or redundant has discouraged actual investment. Five years ago, the director for sustainable

Spier initiated an in-house project to calculate the carbon footprint of one bottle of wine, as well as the carbon and water footprints of the business itself brand identity, declared that carbon neutrality as a macro-organisational goal in response to the global challenge of climate change, and sought scientifically and technologically appropriate ways of addressing this specific challenge. When viewed from a

34 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; RĂŠSource February 2014

development at Spier, Tanner Methvin, developed 10-year macro-organisational goals for environmental sustainability, including carbon neutrality, zero wastewater, zero solid waste, water sustainability and nature conservation. As the target date to reach these goals neared the midway mark, Spier management spun off several processes to ensure that the business was moving well towards meeting them. The processes included group environmental reporting,

carbon footprints

such as the calculation of business and product carbon and water footprints. Carbon footprint calculation is fraught with scientific ambiguities linked to issues of scope and lack of access to information. It is biased towards savings in electricity consumption and may not capture investments made by a business in conserving nature, raising ecological awareness among its employees, or exploring alternative technologies. Water footprints can be tested with scientific rigour, but this requires extensive information about a production process and highly analytical skills for calculations. Most importantly, a business may not have control over large sections of a production process (such as the generation of grid electricity in South Africa), which impacts on their carbon or water footprint. The managers did not realise that not all the investments and innovations that had been made towards environmental sustainability could be captured in accounting-based goals. Therefore, a compost site, which uses organic waste generated on the estate and supplies neighbouring farmers with organic fertiliser, could not be factored into a reduced carbon footprint. Neither could the indigenous trees and plants that are slowly replacing alien vegetation, or a strategic decision to convert 25% of the estate to natural wetlands. The case of Spier demonstrates that businesses in the developing South, which aspire to confront challenges

Reconfiguring business with nature

such as climate change and water scarcity, should invest in appropriate and affordable technologies, conserve energy and water, and establish reliable knowledge networks. These will build business resilience in the face of unforeseen shocks and resource uncertainties in the future. It is therefore more important to understand the business and its needs from a strategic, resilience-building perspective than to focus on accounting-based and marketing-led terms such as being ‘carbon neutral’. Designed on the basis of Spier’s sustainability story, the corporate resilience framework has wider applicability and can assist other similar-sized businesses to reconfigure their relationship with nature.

ABOUT DR SUMETEE PAHWA-GAJJAR received her doctorate in Public Management and Planning from Stellenbosch University in December 2012. She currently works as a researcher on climate change at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements in Bangalore, India.

RéSource February 2014 – 35

Sustainability

In the eye of the beholder From a wind farm on the Cape west coast to a mine next to a Mozambican village, any development that affects an area’s sense of place could have an unacceptable visual impact. It’s no wonder that assessing and mitigating these impacts is becoming a specialised task.

RK Consulting has long been involved with investigating and advising on environmental, social and economic impacts of industrial projects and mines. The company’s Cape Town office now has a dedicated visual impact assessment (VIA) team comprising landscape architects Scott Masson and Larissa Heyns. “It’s a particularly useful skill set that we bring for VIAs, as we need expertise in fields like environmental planning, landscape analysis and geographical information systems (GIS) and mapping tools to create 3D models for clients,” says Masson. According to Heynes, their architectural training and experience also allows them to understand the implications of clients’ designs. “It’s important for us to be able to visualise what a project is going to look like before it is built, as this is vital for assessing and mitigating its visual impact,” she says. Like other specialist studies, the Superimposed image showing overburened dump

work starts with a baseline study to identify and investigate the visual landscape and the key components of the project that could visually impact the landscape. “We visit sites to identify the main view corridors and viewpoints from which the project will be visible,” says Masson. “Images from these points are overlayed using other mapping techniques to derive information about the visual character, visual quality and sense of place of the area.” After the af fected environment is described in this way, information about the project and its dimensions is analysed, and the two aspects are superimposed to create a ‘viewshed’, which refers to the project’s zone of visual influence. “Taking the example of a wind farm, the turbine is a certain height and we’ll know its proposed location,” he says. “We can then use GIS techniques to place that point on the landscape and establish points from where it will be visible, creating a map or viewshed of the area that predicts where most visual impacts will occur.

“We can then take it a step further by using a colour gradient on the map to indicate how many turbines will be visible from any one point.” A VIA has to consider the notion of visibility in various ways, including the viewing distance. If there are two farmsteads, the impact on the nearer farm is clearly going to be higher, since impacts attenuate over distance. “But we also have to consider the visual absorption capacity of the landscape – how effectively the landscape can screen or accommodate the project,” he says. “For instance, a project may be close to surrounding farmsteads but the topography or vegetation may hide the project altogether. In an urban environment, a building may be screened by other buildings, reducing its visual impact.” Another important aspect to consider is landscape integrity and sense of place: this refers to the compatibility of the development within the landscape. If a new building is proposed in an urban environment, the impact on the viewer or receiver is minimal as the building is congruent with the existing landscape. “However, this is not the case if a mine is constructed in a pristine natural environment, or an intrusive development is being considered in scenic winelands,” says Heyns. Fully assessing visual impact is not a purely objective task, she says, as different viewers (or ‘receptors’) will experience the same landscape in different ways. While farmland, for example, may be seen by some as simply a place to

RéSource February 2014 – 37

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Sustainability

grow crops, others may value the aesthetic sense of place and be less predisposed to a new development. Understanding the sensitivity of the receptors is therefore vital to every VIA, especially as South Africa strives to attract more tourists. “Tourists are often more sensitive to the visual landscape, so we need to take this into account, especially in provinces that are reliant on their tourism sectors,” she says.

As with most efforts to reduce environmental impacts, appointing visual consultants early in the project life cycle is advantageous Once sensitive receptors – which mayy include motorists on scenic roads, visitorss to national parks and inhabitants of rurall D settlements – have been identified, 3D modelling and photo simulation are usedd m to predict visibility of the development from key viewpoints and receptors in the projectt zone of influence. Most new developments require night-time illumination, which in rural areass par ticularly creates an unwanted impact.. n “Light pollution can be significant in remote places, especially where no light-ing is present prior to development,”” says Heyns. Once the main impacts are identified, the focus shifts to impact mitigation. “In the case of light pollution, for instance, down-lighting can be considered instead of more diffuse methods,” she said. “Service tracks and pathways in a rural setting can be directly lit with well-focused and covered luminaires, for instance, instead of lighting the whole area.” As with most efforts to reduce environmental impacts, appointing visual consultants early in the project life cycle is advantageous. SRK’s recent cooperation with architects designing a desalination plant on the Cape west coast was a good

example large scale example. “The plant – a fairly large-scale industrial complex – conflicted substantially with the area’s sense of place,” says Heyns. “However, the architects were keen to keep visual impact to a minimum, so they approached us for architectural guidelines to achieve this.” This included ways to reduce the scale of the building and fragmenting its design in keeping with the topography to make it less visible. Appropriate colours were recommended to blend in with the surroundings, as well as using a flat ‘green’ (planted) roof instead of a pitched structure. “This early interaction is really beneficial,

TOP landscape architects Scott Masson and Larissa Heyns ABOVE Design of a quarry development BELOW Photo montage of a farm in the Northern Cape

allowing early-stage consideration of a variety of innovative options,” she says. “Tr ying to mitigate the impacts of existing designs at a later stage is not nearly as effective.” While there are currently no legal ‘triggers’ for VIA studies, there is no doubt that increased stakeholder interest in development is moving visual impact higher up the developer’s agenda and VIAs are now routinely done for EIA studies.

39 RéS R RéSource éSou éS éSour our o ource urcce u e February Feb FFe eb eb brua rua rua ru uary ry 2014 201 20 2 01 014 – 39

Sustainability

TRANSPORT INDUSTRY

Waste-focused market for Isuzu in 2014 A highlight on the commercial vehicles calendar is Isuzu Trucks South Africa’s (ITSA) media briefing. ITSA announced record results in 2013 and gave us a glimpse of what can be expected in 2014, Maryke Foulds reports.

ccording to an upbeat Craig Uren, chief executive officer of ITSA, the company posted record sales of 4 000 trucks. The last time this milestone was reached was in 1981 when 3 890 trucks were sold. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that there were no significant

events such as the World Cup of 2010 to boost sales. Instead, dales were driven by supply – and the eventual cost savings that accrues by replacing older vehicles that are no longer subject to service guarantees and maintenance plans. “One of the biggest challenges facing the market is reducing margins. At Isuzu

we don’t sell cheap trucks; we sell expensive trucks that offer cost savings to our customer,” said Uren at the event. The expense incurred in buying a new truck will, over the long run, still provide a return on investment as it will give a client better returns over its lifespan. Uren is confident that the successes of 2013 will be repeated in 2014. “We currently have the second largest share of the market, and we are the largest selling cab-over-truck brand in the country. Factors that have contributed to our continued growth include a great product line-up and specifications.” A particular area of focus for ITSA in the heavy commercial vehicle segment is the waste transportation industry – a rapidly growing market with a continuous flow of new entrants to this dynamic industry. “Ownership of an Isuzu truck will alleviate the stress regarding the functionality of your transportation and allow you to focus more on the day-to-day operations of your business. The purchase of an Isuzu truck is the beginning of a relationship. It is a long-term commitment for us to ensure that your truck is always on the road and keeping your business moving. Our after-sales service is not just a service, it is an ethos,” Uren concluded.

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