Using the Western Cape’s ban as a national model

Most South African cities and local municipalities have very little landfill space left, with estimates suggesting that the country has between three and five years before all landfill sites are full. To help address this, the Western Cape is turning its attention to organic waste.

andfills are coming under increasing

Lpublic scrutiny as an unsustainable and harmful method of waste management.

In response to the ever-growing waste problem, the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs (WC DEA) announced a 100% ban on organic waste to landfill by 2027, with a halfway target of 50% by 2022. This means existing waste disposal facilities and new applicants alike will have to start reducing their intake of organic waste in order to comply.

At least 37% of waste generated in the Western Cape is organic. This waste stream includes food waste, animal waste, paper and wood clippings – basically, anything that is naturally biodegradable. Furthermore, according to GreenCape’s Western Cape Waste-to-Energy Position Paper

(2014), there are potentially 2 992 642 tonnes of organic waste available per year in the province.

Melanie Ludwig, chairperson of Organics Recycling Association of South Africa (Orasa), says diverting organic waste from landfill sites will not only save landfill airspace, but will help in reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from landfills.

Orasa, which was established to represent the organic waste recycling industry, has been championing the ban on organic waste to landfill – not only because it will help drive recycling and diversion but because it has great potential in helping to reverse the effects of climate change.

However, Ludwig asserts that, for the successful, nationwide adoption of an organic waste ban, the following structure needs to be in place: • by-laws that require separation at source • comprehensive waste diversion plans • changes in legislation at the municipal level • annual targets and time frames for all municipalities.

Reducing emissions

According to Hein Fourie, operations director at Zero Waste Technologies, disposing of organic waste in landfills is particularly harmful for the environment, as it rots and produces methane. This methane is 24 times more damaging as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

“There’s this idea that organic material just erodes away naturally and works its way back into the earth via landfill. While organic materials do deteriorate much quicker than processed materials, their place in landfills gives off potent greenhouse gases,” he says.

“Organic waste also creates leachate – a potential pollutant that can run off into local

“There needs to be an understanding that there is a cost to waste.”

water sources if not managed properly at landfills. This makes it all the more important to reduce the amount of organic waste taking up our already-scarce landfill space,” Fourie adds.

Leachate requires expensive landfill contamination barriers to mitigate surface- and groundwater contamination – which results in high logistical costs, further diverting funds that could have been used for other infrastructure, he explains.

Fourie notes that diverting organic waste from landfill will help in the following: • extend the lifespan of existing and future landfills • contribute to financial savings • reduce methane generation, assisting in meeting national greenhouse gas emissions targets.

Separation at source vital

Separation at source is vital to ensuring the success of an organic waste to landfill ban. Ludwig asserts that the first step towards enforcing separation at source would be creating enough awareness.

“Studies have found that there is more awareness about recycling in higher-income areas than there is in lower-income ones. Knowing that, we need to put in place an incentive system for those areas. There needs to be an understanding that there is a cost to waste,” stresses Ludwig.

Both Fourie and Ludwig agree that, for an organic waste ban like the Western Cape’s to work nationally, there needs to be participation from all spheres, especially the generators.

“Diversion in this instance is going to be vital. If companies do their part by implementing separation at source, the private sector and industry will be able to do their part,” says Fourie.

“Organic waste is a resource that has the potential to be of economic value if separated properly and used either for compost, nutrient extraction or as an energy source.”

He adds that separation at source is vital because it: • increases the value of recyclables • makes processing much easier and more cost-effective (does not require expensive pre-treatment technology) • adds value to the resultant material (due to a lack of contamination). Fourie insists that legislation like the ban will encourage a renewed focus on extracting nutrients and energy from organic waste. “Organic waste is a resource that has the potential to be of economic value if separated properly and used either for compost, nutrient extraction or as an energy source.” There are a variety of treatment options that can be implemented to transform organic waste into a valuable resource. The most common include: 1. Anaerobic digestion is a series of biological processes in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen. One of the end products is biogas, which is combusted to generate electricity and heat, or can be processed into renewable natural gas and

transportation fuels. 2. Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertiliser that can enrich soil and plants. Composting can divert as much as 30% of household waste away from the garbage can. Compost is rich in nutrients and can be used for gardening, horticulture and agriculture.

Reason to be optimistic

Fourie stresses that the reason why South Africa has struggled with utilising organic waste effectively is due to the lack of adopting the necessary technologies and a lack of the necessary expertise.

“Investor confidence is also quite low because of previously failed technology. Furthermore, energy and landfill costs are also not conducive to building a proper business model. However, I am optimistic that these are going to be resolved; we are very close to rectifying where we are lacking. We should see growth in this space in about two to three years,” concludes Fourie.