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Are we ready for a circular world?

In South Africa, we generate 108 million tonnes of waste per year – of which only 10% is recycled. The rest ends up at our 826 landfill sites, which are quickly nearing critical capacity. This must change.

ot only are many sites toxic for the

Nenvironment but they are proving to be detrimental to human health. A 2020 study found that those who live close to dumping sites are at higher risk of asthma, TB, diabetes and depression.

Additionally, this linear approach to waste management also means that considerable organic resources go unused. In sub-Saharan Africa, it is estimated that 57% of waste is organic, 13% plastic, 9% paper or cardboard, 4% glass and 4% metal, with the remaining 13% being other materials. This means that organic materials – which, if utilised properly can be turned into compost to grow crops or converted into methane in a bioreactor to produce electricity – make up the largest component of municipal solid waste.

There is an urgent need to find sustainable and innovative ways not only to improve waste management but to make use of the current resources we are ‘wasting’. So, what needs to be done?

Experts believe that moving towards a more circular economy is the only logical solution. A circular economy offers a shift away from the current linear take-make-waste extractive systems and introduces a regenerative approach. Circular systems design for durability, reuse, remanufacturing and recycling to keep products

and materials circulating for longer within the economy, thus improving the productivity of these resources. The circular economy framework is governed by three key principles: eliminate waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systems. If executed robustly, a circular system can help reduce the mounting levels of municipal waste, reduce CO2 emissions, stimulate innovation, boost economic growth, and create jobs.

Changing legislature

It is now more important than ever to embed circular economy principles into government legislature. We have seen this happening with Cabinet’s approval of the National Waste Management Strategy 2020, which builds on the successes of the 2011 strategy.

This places a renewed focus on circular economy principles, by promoting the design of products and packaging that reduce waste or encourage reuse, repair and preparation for recycling. The introduction of extended producer responsibility for various products – including paper and packaging, electrical and electronic equipment, and lighting – will also play a big role in diverting waste from landfill, thereby contributing to a circular economy.

But a circular economy requires everyone in the value chain to actively participate, be it financially or by simply going the extra mile to make more sustainable choices. It requires a national responsibility, which everyone (both business and consumer) must embrace. Are South Africans collectively ready for this responsibility and individually ready to make the necessary sacrifices for our environment?