ReSource November 2014

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

Promoting integrated resources management

Landfills

Cape Town pilot study leads the way

Recycling

New legislation brings fresh outlook

Waste into energy Garbage power to the rescue

Renewables

Wind, solar and so much more

REDISA ISSN 1680-4902 R50.00 (incl VAT) • Vol 16, No 4, Nov 2014

Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa

is printed on 100% recycled paper

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:

contents www.3smedia.co.za ISSN 1680-4902, Volume 16, No.4, Nov 2014 The official journal of the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa

Promoting integrated resources management

Landfills

Cape Town pilot study leads the way

Recycling

New legislation brings fresh outlook

Waste into energy Garbage power to the rescue

Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa

The RéSource team stands firmly behind environmental preservation. As such, RéSource is printed on 100% recycled paper and uses no dyes or varnishes. The magazine is saddle stitched to ensure that no glues are required in the binding process.

Renewables

Wind, solar and so much more

Solid waste

Recycling

REDISA ISSN 1680-4902 R50.00 (incl VAT) • Vol 16, No 4, Nov 2014

Cover story Tyre recycler Redisa leads the charge to look at solid waste in a new way, turning waste into worth 6

is printed on 100% recycled paper

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.

Regulars

Waste to worth

President’s comment

4

Editor’s comment

5

Addressing litterbugs

Celebrating cooperation

27

Waste to energy

Solid waste Lining for the future

8 10

Car manufacturer drives renewables

28

The first rule: is it feasible?

29

Opinion

Opinion

Recycling

Why care about carbon emissions? 30

PETCO celebrate 10 years

16

The fastest-growing waste stream in the world

18

Sustainability

Development partnership boosts recycling

19

Process safety hinges on leadership

33

Social energy transforms waste

Talkin’ ‘bout a waste revolution

37

21

Sustainability

Cleaner production

Landfills Getting over the ‘hump ‘n dump’ 24

Enhancing Johannesburg WWTW sludge digestion

in association with infrastructure news

Landfills

infrastructure4

}

www.infrastructurene.ws

39

RéSource November 2014 – 1

What is written on the truck?

Respect for Women!

Respect for You! Respect for Life!

Respect for Each Other!

Respect for Everything!

Respect for the Earth!

Tel: 086 110 1961

E-mail: oilkol@oilkol.co.za Web: www.oilkol.co.za

O I LKO L

OILKOL

A member of the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa

A member of the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa

Certified TĂœV SUD

‘n lid van die Afrikaanse Handels Instituut

President’s comment

Introducing Dr Suzan Oelofse Local Johannesburger, ballroom dancer and photography enthusiast Dr Suzan Oelofse has been involved in an industry perceived as a ‘man’s world’ for many years.

O

elofse, the research group leader for Waste for Development at the CSIR’s Natural Resources and Environment Operating Unit, joined the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA) in early 2006.

Although a botanist by training, and having obtained her PhD in Plant Physiology from the University of Johannesburg, Oelofse’s career in botany was short-lived. “I joined the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) in the pollution and waste section in 1996 where I was involved in the development of the White Paper for Integrated Pollution and Waste Management project as well as the first National Waste Management Strategy,” explains Oelofse.

Frequenting industrial sites early on in her career, Oelofse describes how she could not understand why the heaps of waste could not be used for something else.

“The thought that all waste generated is in essence the result of consumer demand and consumption made me realise how unsustainable human activities are and thus my passion for waste management was born,” says Oelofse.

Oelofse believes that perceptions are changing when it comes to the waste industry and the role of women in waste management. “Women are much needed in the waste industry and with more and more women pursuing careers in waste management – on every level – I envisage a radical shift over the next few years towards an ethical, innovative and properly legislated industry,” says Oelofse.

Being the president of the IWMSA provides me with the opportunity to influence the strategic direction of the IWMSA to ensure that we remain relevant and continue to make a difference in the waste management community.”

“Being the president of the IWMSA provides me with the opportunity to influence the strategic direction of the IWMSA to ensure that we remain relevant and continue to make a difference in the waste management community,” she says. Establishing a working relationship with the DEA has been an achievement that Oelofse is most proud of since having joined the IWMSA team.

As president, her main areas of focus will be strengthening relationships with government, supporting the role of the IWMSA in regulating the industry, and shifting the focus from waste disposal to realising the resource potential of waste and implementing innovative technologies.

“All new developments under the Waste Act have implications for our members and the waste industry as a whole,” says Oelofse. “It is therefore imperative that the waste sector's voice is heard at the appropriate level to have the necessary influence and impact towards improved waste

Patron members of the IWMSA

4 – RéSource November 2014

management standards and legislation. The IWMSA is currently updating all its training material to include all the latest developments in legislation.”

Given the increased need for a regulatory body to oversee the conduct of the waste industry, Oelofse says she will further endeavour to position the IWMSA favourably for taking up this role and working with the authorities towards establishing a mutually acceptable system.

“Other exciting news for the industry is that we can look forward to having qualified waste management professionals in the near future,” says Oelofse. The Department of Science and Technology, in collaboration with South African universities, is developing postgraduate qualifications in waste management.

For more information about IWMSA visit www.iwmsa.co.za or contact +27 (0)11 675 3462.

Editor‘s comment Publisher: Elizabeth Shorten Editor: Frances Ringwood Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 Head of design: Hayley Mendelow Senior designer: Frédérick Danton Designer: Kirsty Galloway Chief sub-editor: Tristan Snijders Sub-editor: Beatrix Knopjes Contributors: Maryke Foulds, Tony Stone, Hugh Tyrrell, Deepak John and Shaun Deacon 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: Tazz Porter Tel: +27 (0)11 465 5452 Cell: +27 (0)82 318 3908 tazz@connect.co.za

Publisher: 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 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, editor or The Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa, 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:

Times are a-changing Stepping in to take over the mantel from my colleague, former editor Maryke Foulds, it struck me that I have entered the role at a time of enormous opportunity for the waste management industry.

T

he first reason for this is internal to the publication, in that new features will be coming online, focusing on cleaner production. This comes in the wake of MCEP grants, available from the South African Department of Trade and Industry, where companies are awarded state funds if they are able to prove that they have improved resource efficiency in their production (page 38).

This shift from a linear way of thinking about waste to a ‘cradle-to-cradle’ approach is aligned with a general industry awareness that waste management comes part and parcel with the whole production process, from sourcing goods, to using energy-saving machinery, right down to the use of paint with good thermal qualities to reduce heating and air conditioning bills.

There are also exciting changes external to the publication, shaping the whole industry. These include government’s promulgation of the new National Environmental Management: Waste Act 2014.

Far from companies scrambling to align themselves, as can be the case in certain other industries when the regulatory framework changes, many waste management professionals have embraced the change.

Speaking of things coming full circle, working in cycles, or ‘recycling’ so to speak, the very first editor of makes an appearance in this month’s issue – Hugh Tyrell, who now owns Green Edge Consulting. His contribution appears on pages 37 and 38 and is well worth the read, as he delves into what the legislation changes could spell out for the industry.

Not only have new funding mechanisms and new laws come into place, the government has also introduced new postgraduate degree courses specifically for waste management professionals.

The president of IWMSA, Dr Susan Oelofse, talks about this in greater detail in her column on page 3.

All these green shoots spell one thing: the green revolution is at our doors, and it’s up to all dedicated waste management professionals to take the baton and run with it – as I hope to do as the incoming editor.

France

s

Frances Ringwood Editor

RéSource November 2014 – 5

Cover story

Turning waste into worth

In South Africa, it is estimated that we have millions of waste tyres lying in dumps and stockpiles, or scattered across the country in residential, industrial and rural areas.

Almost 10 million waste tyres are added to this number every year.

T

yres are designed to be tough and nearly indestructible, which is good when they are in use but a problem when they reach the end of their working life.

While some waste tyres make their way to recycling facilities via formal and informal networks of collectors, many of them are burned for their scrap metal content, releasing toxic fumes and liquids in the process. Before the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (Redisa) started out a little over a year ago, used tyres were

6 – RéSource November 2014

considered worthless waste and were piling up in landfills and in the veld. Redisa was developed to address the waste tyre problem, in a manner that stimulates job creation and entrepreneurial development.

Extended responsibility Core to Redisa is the belief that given the world’s finite resources, we need to focus on extending the life of products beyond the consumer stage, by recovering, recycling and reintroducing it into the economy. Completing

this cycle is what is known as extended producer responsibility.

Redisa collects a waste management fee of R2.30 per kilogram from tyre manufacturers and importers, and applies it to establishing and funding a transporter network of largely informal sector participants, establishing a string of depots around the country, and providing comprehensive support functions to entrepreneurs.

Given that the plan is focused on the development of a new recycling industry, the

Cover story

Redisa believes it is up to all South Africans to take responsibility and ensure a clean environment for future generations

Redisa currently collects tyres from 1 292 dealers, with expansion plans in the pipeline

majority of funds have thus far been spent on the function and infrastructure required to support and develop the new industry.

Participation Redisa’s participation at this year’s WasteCon further highlights its ongoing commitment to finding practical solutions to an everchanging environment. Redisa believes it is up to all South Africans to take responsibility and ensure a clean environment for future generations.

Members of the public are encouraged to contact Redisa directly to report any stockpiles of waste tyres or to deliver the tyres to

any of the depots nationally. They will not, however, be paid for this service unless they are a registered Redisa transporter.

As Redisa gains momentum, used tyres will grow in value. No longer seen as waste, they will vanish from our landfills and instead re-enter the economy as recovered raw materials, fuel, waste bins, paving, artworks, corporate gifts and even fashion accessories.

An industrial-type product like crumb is also made from tyre waste and is used in road building when mixed with asphalt for tar, as well as for sports surfaces, carpet underlay, playgrounds and matting, while bunker fuel is derived through the pyrolysis process.

Between December 2013 and September 2014, Redisa created 1 503 jobs. Redisa is currently collecting tyres from 1 292 dealers and, as the plan continues in its five-year roll-out, more dealers and collection points will be appointed nationwide. In addition, 83 SMME transporter operations are collecting tyres as per the Redisa plan and roll-out.

If you would like to learn more about Redisa and how you can turn waste into worth, please contact info@redisa.org.za or +27 (0)87 357 3873.

RéSource November 2014 – 7

Solid waste

Lining for the future South Africa’s groundwater is under threat but one local geosynthetic linings company heard the call to make a difference. Frances Ringwood reports.

N

ot acid mine water but groundwater protection is going to be one of South Africa’s biggest water management challenges in future,” says independent water expert Dr Mike Muller in a panel discussion held two years ago in Johannesburg answering the question, “Is Gauteng water facing a crisis?” It’s long been known among industry professionals that the country’s groundwater is under threat, both from pollution and over abstraction. Few people or companies were taking decisive action on the matter – until now.

Specialist Geosynthetic linings contractor Aquatan Lining Systems, a company that installs Geosynthetics in water containment reservoirs, pollution control dams, floating cover reservoirs, tunnels, canals and also landfills has invested substantially in recent years to develop a barrier system which overcomes major technical challenges which fulfils the unique climate, costs and legislative requirements of South Africa to ensure long term maximum groundwater protection.

APPLICATIONS FOR AQUATAN’S STATE-OF-THE-ART LINERS • Landfills • Leach pads, canals and collection ponds • Toxic liquid waste containment (for multiple composite lining systems) • Tunnel liners and associated drainage products • Earth or concrete reservoirs and ponds • Storage tanks • Irrigation canals • Wetlands • Floating covers to potable water reservoirs molasses storage facilities and gas generating storage facilities • Drainage of highway and civil projects

8 – RéSource November 2014

Aquatan’s involvement in the geomembrane industry stretches from 1966 when, through its chairman Clifford Gundle, it developed manufacturing of suitably compounded and wide-width geomembrane sheeting. The consequent development of unique extrusion and later wedge seaming equipment resulted in many millions of square meters of successfully installed geomembranes. Most recently, about eight years ago, Aquatan developed and invested in its patented Enhanced Barrier System (EBS) driven by amongst other issues the rapid deterioration of geomembranes under continuous high temperature exposure such as is the case in landfills. The EBS, using a negative pressure, removes diffused VOCs from the space between the double composite liner system within a drainage layer between the two composite liners, hydrates and maintains the GCL hydrated and regulates the geomembranes temperature individually or together in the same liner system. Aquatan recently completed an EBS project for a very prominent

client where the purpose of the system was to remove VOCs and has in addition been commissioned to design and install an EBS cooling system for another prominent client.

Research and development As recently as 1994 the first law governing the prevention of contamination of groundwater from landfill sites was published. It was called Minimum Requirements for Waste Disposal by Landfill, First Edition, 1994. The result of the law was that proficient liners were used for the containment of hazardous wastes but general landfills themselves were usually lined with only the most basic clay-only liners with associated leachate collection and subsoil drainage systems.

These barriers provided at best minimal protection of groundwater from poisonous substances in waste leachate – comprising substances that emanates from chemical Ensuring membranes are properly installed is vital

Solid waste Heat from landfill can have an impact on liners' efficacy if the right technology is not in place

and biological reactions in waste to form volatile organic compounds (VOCs) hazardous to human health.

When VOCs diffuse through the barriers into groundwater it becomes dilute but given enough time, the effect of volatile organic compounds entering the water table builds. Locally and internationally, norms and standards were adapted to alleviate the concerns raised within the scientific community concerning groundwater quality.

South African legislation was improved over the years to take account of growing urban populations, rainfall, temperatures and the topographical and social positioning of landfills.

The current legislation governing the design of landfill liner systems in South Africa is the Waste Classification and Management Regulations with norms and standards gazetted under the National Environmental Management Waste Act (59 of 2008). It forms part of a number of laws coming into effect which now make it standard practice for all landfills to be lined using at least a single composite liner comprising a number of different layers and drainage systems, each with different protection functions. Not all such barriers are equal.

Because Aquatan is committed to creating a product that is competitive not only in terms of cost but also quality, the company invested in various research projects and assisted in funding the research of Civil Engineer Reon Pienaar of the international engineering consultant Aecom to research mitigating the diffusion of VOCs through HDPE Geomembranes.

“Although landfill liners are generally designed to provide indefinite protection, it has been proven that the liner, and specifically the HDPE component do lose some of their properties over time particularly when subjected to high temperatures which leads to rapid degradation of the HDPE that will over time result in a significant potential for pollution of the groundwater,” says Reon Pienaar, a civil engineer at Aecom in a paper entitled ‘Protection of groundwater beneath waste containment facilities,’ delivered at the recent WasteCon 2014 Conference held in Cape Town.

Pienaar further stated, “If there would thus be a way to cool down the liner it would greatly add to the long term effectiveness of the liner system.” Aquatan

has developed and patented the Enhanced Barrier System to mitigate the influence of heat thereby extending the life of the HDPE geomembrane. Aquatan and the National Research Foundation are two of the main funders of Pienaar’s research.

Technology Heat is one of the biggest factors influencing the lifespan of landfill linings, where the heat generated during the solid waste degradation process can drive temperatures high enough to reduce a normal geosynthetic liner’s lifespan of centuries to as little as 15 years. That means that even when a liner complies with legal requirements, its long-term efficacy may be compromised if there is no measure to mitigate temperature increases.

What makes Aquatan’s offering unique is that as well as comprising several layers of geosynthetic material paired with a leachate drainage system, it combines proprietar y technology which minimises temperature increases associated with exothermic reactions in landfill waste.

This is why the company calls its technology an ‘Enhanced Barrier System’. Using a fan or similar device, a fluid (gas, liquid or a combination) can be drawn through the leak detection system under negative pressure.

“By drawing fluid under negative pressure at a controlled temperature with a controlled moisture content, the detrimental temperature which can reduce the efficacy of geosynthetic liners is reduced. This increases their service life while simultaneously hydrating the clay component of the system,” explains Meyer.

Fur thermore, VOCs that would otherwise diffuse through the barrier into the

ground water are removed by the process of fluid continuously passing through the leak detection or leachate collection drainage system.

Leachpads, dams, wetlands and more Geosynthetic liners for dams and landfills are worlds apart right? Well, yes and no. Aquatan will go onto any site and recommend a liner for a specific application. The company’s patented Enhanced Barrier System is also particularly useful for application such as the heap leach pads of mines that use chemicals for heavy metals extraction.

Aquatan’s products are also specified for dams, reservoirs, floating covers, tunnels, canals, tailings dams, municipal dams, sewerage ponds, wetlands and a wide variety of other liquid containment and waterproofing projects.

Since Aquatan represents a geosynthetic linings company which not only says it cares about water but puts money where its mouth is, the company’s environmental credentials are second to none. Aquatan has sponsored students to study water and the environment since its first bursary in 1985 and since then has supported students in recent years to study water and the environment at Harvard University in the US. Aquatan is the only South African lining contractor which is an accepted member of the Geosynthetic Institute in the US.

TO READ A SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION of the technology, refer to the technical paper ‘Expanding Containment Barrier Boundaries’ delivered by Walter Meyer at the 10th ICG conference held in September 2014 in Berlin, Germany.

RéSource November 2014 – 9

Solid waste

Addressing litterbugs An action plan aimed at making Gauteng a litter-free province by 2010 failed. Johannesburg in particular is a problem. The question is: Why? It must be resolved as a matter of urgency, writes Tony Stone.

L

itter – which clutters most Gauteng city streets – besides being unsightly, poses a danger to public health. The problem needs to be understood and addressed with some urgency. However, the solution is not a simple one. The quick fix of street sweeping, which in many South African towns and cities seems to be ignored, will not suffice. The problem requires a deep-seated solution of which leadership, knowledge and custom are three essential components.

In the South African context, fast food containers, tissues, cigarette butts, plastic bags and bits of paper are just thrown to the ground without a second thought. Street vendors selling fresh fruit and vegetables often simply discard any overripe or rotting products in the gutters.

Besides clogging up storm water drains and causing flooding during heavy rains, as happened in and around Johannesburg in January this year, and which caused

numerous motor vehicle accidents, unsightly litter pollutes the country’s rivers, oceans and ground water and it is a breeding ground for bacteria. The four main requirements for bacterial growth are food, moisture, warmth and time. Food is readily available in discarded containers.

South Africa’s most populated areas have a subtropical climate with an average annual temperature of 17˚C in Cape Town and 17.5˚C in Pretoria, although these cities are separated by almost ten degrees of latitude.

Maximum temperatures often exceed 32˚C in the summer and reach 38˚C in some areas of the far north. The country’s highest recorded temperatures, close to 48˚C, have occurred in both the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga. Bacteria breed in the range 4˚C to 60˚C. Bacteria multiply rapidly between 4˚C to 60˚C. Some bacteria cause more serious illness than others, but only a few bacteria are responsible for the majority of cases. Below is information regarding nine prominent bacteria found on the streets of Johannesburg and Pretoria, which are the primary causes of illness in Gauteng, and the rest South Africa for that matter.

Campylobacter Jejuni • Found: Intestinal tracts of animals and birds, raw milk, untreated water, and sewage sludge.

• Transmission: Contaminated water, raw milk, and raw or under-cooked meat, poultry, or shellfish.

• Symptoms: Fever, headache, and muscle pain followed by diarrhoea (sometimes bloody), abdominal pain and nausea that appears two to five days after eating; may last seven to ten days.

Clostridium Botulinum • Found: Widely distributed in nature: in soil and water, on plants, and in intestinal tracts of animals and fish. These bacteria grow in only a little or no oxygen.

• Transmission: Bacteria produce a toxin that causes illness. Improperly canned foods, garlic in oil, and vacuum-packaged and tightly wrapped food.

In Yeoville, people don't care; they just dump their rubbish anywhere

10 – RéSource November 2014

Solid waste

•S ymptoms: Toxin affects the nervous system. Symptoms usually appear within 18 to 36 hours, but can sometimes appear within as few as four hours or as many as eight days after eating; double vision, droopy eyelids, trouble speaking and swallowing, and difficulty breathing. Fatal in three to ten days if not treated.

Clostridium Perfringens • F ound: Soil, dust, sewage, and intestinal tracts of animals and humans. Grows only in little or no oxygen.

• Transmission: Called “the cafeteria germ” because many outbreaks result from food left for long periods in steam tables or at room temperature. Bacteria destroyed by cooking, but some toxin-producing spores may survive.

• Symptoms: Diarrhoea and gas pains may appear 8 to 24 hours after eating; usually last about one day, but less severe symptoms may persist for one to two weeks.

Escherichia Coli • F ound: Intestinal tracts of some mammals, raw milk, unchlorinated water; one of several strains of E. Coli that can cause human illness.

• Transmission: Contaminated water, raw milk, raw or rare ground beef, unpasteurised apple juice or cider, uncooked fruits and vegetables; person-to-person.

• Symptoms: Diarrhoea or bloody diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and malaise; can begin two to five days after food is eaten, lasting about eight days. Some, especially the very young, have developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) that causes acute kidney failure. A similar illness, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), may occur in older adults.

Streptococcus A • F ound: Noses, throats, pus, sputum, blood and stools of humans.

• Transmission: People-to-food from poor hygiene, ill food handlers, or improper food handling; outbreaks from raw milk, ice cream, eggs, lobster, salads, custard and pudding allowed to stand at room temperature for several hours between preparation and eating.

• Symptoms: Sore throat, painful swallowing, tonsillitis, high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, malaise; occurs one to three days after eating, lasting a few days to about a week.

Listeria Monocytogenes • F ound: Intestinal tracts of humans and animals, milk, soil, leaf vegetables, and processed foods; can grow slowly at refrigerator temperatures.

• Transmission: Soft cheese, raw milk, improperly processed ice cream, raw leafy vegetables, meat, and poultr y.

Illness caused by bacteria that do not produce toxin.

• Symptoms: Fever, chills, headache, backache, sometimes abdominal pain and diarrhoea; 12 hours to three weeks after ingestion; may later develop more serious illness (meningitis or spontaneous abortion in pregnant women); sometimes just fatigue.

Shigella (over 30 types) • F ound: Human intestinal tract; rarely found in other animals.

• Transmission: Person-to-person by faecaloral route; faecal contamination of food and water. Most outbreaks result from

food, especially salads, prepared and handled by workers using poor hygiene.

• Symptoms: Disease referred to as “shigellosis” or bacillary dysentery. Diarrhoea containing blood and mucus, fever, abdominal cramps, chills, vomiting; 12 to 50 hours from ingestion of bacteria; can last a few days to two weeks. Sometimes, no symptoms are seen.

Staphylococcus Aureus • Found: On humans (skin, infected cuts, pimples, noses, and throats).

• Transmission: People-to-food through improper handling. Multiply rapidly at room temperature to produce a toxin that causes illness.

• Symptoms: Severe nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhoea occur one to six hours after eating; recovery within two to three days, longer if severe dehydration occurs.

Tackling the problem Those responsible for addressing the litter problem are the Provincial Government, mayors, municipal managers, municipal departmental managers, ward councillors, the South African Police Service, the Metropolitan Police Services and waste collection agencies such as Pikitup and the like. However, it all begins at home, with the kids. Education is an imperative. The Department of Education needs to introduce into the curriculum, if it’s not there already, health and hygiene, and why they should not litter. Parents and teachers need to teach children not to litter, and as adults they need to set an example. Perhaps the MEC for Health in Gauteng will take note.

Salmonella (over 1 600 types) • F ound: Intestinal tract and faeces of animals; Salmonella enteritidis in raw eggs.

• Transmission: Raw or under cooked eggs, poultry, and meat; raw milk and dairy products; seafood.

• Symptoms: Stomach pain, diarrhoea, nausea, chills, fever, and headache usually appear 6 to 48 hours after eating and may last for one or two days.

Don't be fooled, this is a litter-blocked stormwater drain

RéSource November 2014 – 11

OILKOL SHOWS RESPECT

Members of the Oilkol Team show their respect for Mother Earth by ensuring that the "wheels keep on rolling" to recycle used engine oil and oil related hazardous waste.

Oilkol at Wastecon 2014

le App IPad

O I L KO L

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And the worthy winner of the Apple IPad at Wastecon 2014 was Silke Louw from Jones & Wagener, Consulting Engineers.

A member of the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa

A member of the Institute For Waste Management

Certified TĂœV SUD

R

‘n lid van die Afrikaanse Handels Instituut

Recycling profile

Packaging and timber join forces Tetra Pak, the global food processing and packaging solutions business, is working with home improvements retailer Kingfisher and Swedish furniture giant IKEA to promote the benefits of legal, responsibly sourced and sustainable timber, and clarify the role of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification in the delivery of these values.

Forest stewardship Established in 1993, the FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation that promotes responsible management of the world’s forests. Over the past two decades, the FSC system has been widely recognised for its strong multistakeholder processes and carefully defined social and environmental criteria for forest management.

However, it has often been a challenge for businesses producing FSC-certified products to quantify and demonstrate the value the system brings to the better management of the world’s forests.

The two-year initiative of the three founding members – Kingfisher, Tetra Pak, and IKEA – aims to develop a methodology to analyse the impact of FSC certification, enabling businesses to understand what value they derive from specifying FSC-certified timber and paper through their procurement policies.

Dennis Jönsson, president and CEO of Tetra Pak, says: “On average, our packaging contains 70% paper derived from wood fibre.

Certification is important to us as it gives us the opportunity to make sure that we source from responsibly managed forests. This, of course, requires a certification standard that lives up to its promises. As a long-standing supporter of FSC, we are proud to be one of the founding partners of this initiative.”

Partner organisations The initiative is supported by the Sustainable Trade Initiative and coordinated by the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling Alliance (ISEAL).

It is independent of the FSC but is designed to be useful to the organisation by providing a tool that shows the contribution it makes to the social, environmental and economic values of the world’s forests. Lessons from the initiative will be shared with other certification

schemes, as well other sectors beyond forestry, that are covered by more than 20 certification schemes that are members of ISEAL.

On average, our packaging contains 70% paper derived from wood fibre.” www.tetrapak.com

Dennis Jönsson, president and CEO, Tetra Pak

RéSource November 2014 – 13

Recycling

Wood waste hots up A new type of wood pelleting machine has been developed by German plant making company Amandus Kahl to handle greater capacities and produce a more efficient product.

T

hree years ago, a large US-based wood pelleting firm had Amandus Kahl present them the modified wood pelleting press type 60-1250 with 600 hp – an energy output comparable to that of the fastest muscle cars – and was soon convinced of its capacity (on average 6 t/h) and its sturdiness.

Today, 37 Kahl flat-die pelleting presses are in operation in their four works.

About 60 Kahl pelleting presses produce a total of 3 million t of wood pellets per year in the US – most of them industrial pellets used in power plants for cofiring with fuels such as coal. This year, Amandus Kahl has accepted an order for another 24 presses by the same company, which will be commissioned next year.

Flat-die pelleting presses There are two common types of large-scale pellet mills: flat-die mills and ring-die mills.

The flat-die pelleting press in operation in the US

14 – RéSource November 2014

The presses supplied to the US manufacturer were of the flat-die type. The mills demonstrated particular attention to detail, such as reinforced press bodies, robust cutting devices, breathing air filters preventing moisture in the gear interior, an oil filter with flow meter and pan grinder head stop for optimum adjustment of rollers and die.

Energy efficiency too was prioritised. Kahl considered the complete plant, from the reception facilities to the finished product silos. With an improved press control, clear machine monitoring and the use of a traffic light control system, downtimes were cut and the service life reduced. The long service life and the simple rework of the pelleting tools, such as die and pan grinder rollers, result in low operating costs and high overall efficiency.

Kahl’s presses can also be used economically as a pan grinder mill for other applications, e.g. crushing wood chips, torrefied wood, waste tyres, domestic and industrial waste.

Torrefied trend ‘White’ pellets are still on the upswing and could yet be replaced soon in popularity by so-called ‘black’ pellets. These are pellets of torrefied biomass that have a higher calorific value, a higher energy density and a high water stability, making them a better fuel source. Amandus Kahl is also involved in some important projects for this technology.

Torrefaction is a process that changes the chemical composition of biomass forms such as wood, making it undergo Maillard reactions – a type of chemical reaction between sugars and amino acids in the material – which results in the darker colour.

Interestingly, the same type of chemical reaction occurs in browning brioche bread or searing a steak.

In the next few years, Amandus Kahl expects further growth in the broad field of pelleting renewable raw materials, which will result in a massive contribution to improved sustainability.

Recycling

Commitment to collecting 80% used oils One of the world’s largest independent lubricants companies, Fuchs Lubricants, has, in partnership with the Rose Foundation, committed itself to collecting at least 80% of its collectable used oil from customers in the mining, automotive, industrial and related sectors.

S

ays John Anderson, manager: Automotive OEM, “Our aim is to create awareness that used oil is a hazardous but a recyclable resource. We want to influence customer behaviour in the handling and disposal of used oil through educational and marketing campaigns. We are developing synergistic, stable and sustainable partnerships with groups that have similar objectives and, in the process, we are raising

awareness of Rose’s efforts and initiatives within member companies.”

This will enable the role of the National Oil Recycling Association of South Africa to be clearly communicated and understood.

Fuchs Lubricants is also considering investments in improving the handling of various used oil containers at collector and bulking facilities to increase the volumes collected.

ReSource05+1114-Tyres-Kahl_ReSource-Tyres 20.11.13 11:36 Seite 1

The products carry approvals from a wide range of international automotive and industrial equipment manufacturers, including: Mercedes-Benz Deutz

Cummins

MAN

Porsche

Mack

Cummins

Volvo

Caterpillar

GM

Voith

Scania

MTU

Komatsu

BMW

Flender

ZF

SEW-Eurodrive

Hansen

Volkswagen

CNH Global

Jenbacher

SAME DeutzRenault Fahr RéSource November 2014 – 15

Waste Tyre Recycling Plants

■ Most Advanced Technology ■ Most Efficient ■ Most Professional ■ Less Maintenance ■ Less Energy ■ Less Spare Parts ■ Integrated Rubber Granulate Production AMANDUS KAHL GmbH & Co. KG Dieselstrasse 5, D-21465 Reinbek / Hamburg, Germany Phone: +49 (0)40 727 71-0, Fax: +49 (0)40 727 71-100 info@amandus-kahl-group.de www.akahl.de

Johannes Schuback & Sons (S.A.) PTY Limited, Johannesburg / RSA Phone: +27 11 7062270, Fax: +27 11 7069236 jsssa@mweb.co.za

Recycling

PETCO celebrates 10 years of success Recycling company PETCO recently celebrated 10 years of achievement at their AGM held at The Venue Green Park in Morningside, Johannesburg. Over the past decade, the organisation has driven change across the PET plastics recycling industry, found new opportunities for sustainable recycling growth, and returned excellent value to its members and stakeholders.

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ith more than 130 people attending, the celebration was shared by representatives of the full value chain of resin producers, converters, bottlers, brand owners, retailers, consumers, collectors, recyclers, partners and authorities. Awards were handed out to top achievers in PET recycling, while Cheri Scholtz, CEO of PETCO, presented an overview of the activities of the organisation over the last decade, and also looked towards the future.

She pointed out that the steady improvements made with collections in recent years “need to continue, so that our future targets BELOW AND OPPOSITE Top achievers in the PET plastics industry show off their awards

16 – RéSource November 2014

can be met and less plastic waste will be sent to landfill. To achieve our objectives, there are a number of challenges to overcome, including standardising waste management procedures and processes, facilitating improved infrastructure, devel-

A decade of achievement Scholtz says it has been “10 years of tremendous dedication by our members, whose voluntary contributions via the recycling levy and grants-in-aid enable PETCO to expand its collection network, fine-tune its programmes

PETCO also contributed to a reduction in unemployment across South Africa, by supplying almost 41 000 indirect income opportunities in 2013 oping the market for recyclate, increasing consumer awareness and understanding, and embedding design for recycling into the development of packaging.”

and strive for ever-increasing recycling tonnages. From the resin producer, through to the converters, bottlers, brand owners, retailers and consumers, all enable us to support the

Recycling entire PET value chain and entrench PETCO as a successful model for voluntary extended producer responsibility in South Africa. It’s testimony to the vision of our partners, collectors and recyclers, and the commitment of government, that PETCO is enjoying such success in a relatively short time.”

A major achievement, and the legacy of a decade of targeted PET recycling, has been a growth in collection and recycling of post-consumer PET, from 9 000 tonnes to just short of 60 000 tonnes – equalling 1.9 billion bottles per year and almost one in every two bottles produced last year alone.

PETCO escalated its targets from 16% to 48% of post-consumer PET bottles recycled in 2013. Other highlights include progress towards drafting and refinement of the Industry Waste Management Plan (IWMP) for the paper and packaging industry, and committing to regulatory requirements in respect of PET. PETCO also contributed to a reduction in unemployment across South Africa, by supplying almost 41 000 indirect income opportunities in 2013, the facilitation of skills development and the creation of over 196 000 sustainable livelihoods over the decade. At the same time, the company participated in an investment in infrastructural development estimated at R665 million in replacement value, while supporting innovation in post-consumer PET end-use applications and the realisation of bottle-to-bottle recycling.

Scholtz stresses that PETCO pursues its objectives in a manner that “demonstrates a commitment to sustainable development (social, environmental and economic) and to the realisation of government’s strategies of improved waste management, minimisation and recycling.”

A major achievement, and the legacy of a decade of targeted PET recycling, has been a growth in collection and recycling of post-consumer PET, from 9 000 tonnes to just short of 60 000 tonnes

Some specific developments Some of the specific developments during the past year in terms of PETCO and its partners’ operations have included the following: “The South African plastics industry is an advocate for achieving world-class standards on recycling. To achieve this, everyone involved – from the raw material producers, through to manufacturers, retailers, consumers and recyclers –needs to play their part in the solution,” says Scholtz.

PETCO is on track towards recycling 70% of post-consumer beverage PET by 2022, but this will not come without challenges.

“The current shift in legal regime, with the government's National Environmental

Management Waste Amendment Bill and the formation of the Waste Bureau, makes waste management charges and the proposed array of economic instruments unclear,” says Scholtz. The impacts on the economy and current recycling value chain, as well as the potential effects on livelihoods are yet to be quantified.

Industry is nevertheless engaging with the Department of Environmental Affairs through the Industry Waste Management Forum, and PETCO hopes to be supported and even strengthened by new partnerships and services.

Among others, it sees the potential for increased research and international cooperation and is in particular engaging with the CSIR and Mutualfruit in preparing the Waste Research and Innovation Roadmap for the Department of Science and Technology. PETCO has joined the Global Product Stewardship Council and Cheri Scholtz has been appointed as an expert advisor for a two-year term. The organisation is also the only African organisation that is a part of EPRO, and is an active member of the EPRO working groups: Plastic Bottle Group, Mixed Plastics, Energy/Chemical and Communication Group.

RéSource November 2014 – 17

Recycling

The fastest-growing waste stream in the world

Electronic waste is targeted at African cities such as the Ghanian capital Accra. At the world’s fastest-growing e-waste site at Agbogbloshie, the smell, a blend of burning rubber and chemicals, pinpoints waste sites. Maryke Foulds reports.

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uelled by the world’s apparently insatiable desire for all electronic devices, the huge global growth in such products has led to the creation of new e-dumps across the developing world, where impoverished young children and adults strip down obsolete goods in the search of re-usable items with which to eke out a living.

According to a UNEP report, the e-waste market is a vast and growing one, estimated at about 50 million tonnes a year. Much of it is dumped in Ghana and Nigeria where, without proper regulation or health controls, pieces can be extracted and recycled by unemployed youths. New dumps are also springing up in Latin America and Asia.

In the European Union, e-waste is the fastest-growing waste stream with estimates of between 1 to 20 kg per person per annum, and is increasing at about three times greater than normal municipal solid waste.

Some 22% of the yearly world consumption of mercur y is used in electronics manufacture.

The report by UNEP and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime also states that organised crime cartels, already active in drug smuggling in the region, were moving into the lucrative e-waste trade. The UN promised a

18 – RéSource November 2014

coordinated approach in an attempt to keep it in check.

The repor t said: ‘Organised crime is attacking West Africa because of the intrinsic weaknesses of these countries – the results of poverty, underdevelopment and corruption.’

That underdevelopment is visible at the Agbogbloshie scrapyard. Scores of young boys, some as young as five, join men in scouring over mounds of computers, televisions, monitors, fridges and microwaves.

E-waste contains more than 1 000 different substances, many of which are toxic, such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, selenium, hexavalent chromium and flame retardants.

In total, about 70%of the heavy metals (mercury and cadmium) in most landfills come from e-waste and 40% of the lead in landfills comes from electrical and electronic equipment.

All the items contain small but valuable amounts of aluminium, copper, cadmium or other minerals. Many of the devices also contain material that, if handled incorrectly, becomes toxic, including lead. Natural levels of lead in soil range between 50 ppm and 400 ppm, but the lead levels from these dumps are often 100 times above the norm.

A popular method used by these children is to melt or burn the plastic coating around a computer or television’s internal wiring – a process that releases dangerous chemicals such as phthalates, which are known to damage reproductive systems in animals, and cadmium and antimony, which have been found to contain cancer-causing chlorinated dioxins.

Since its existence, UNEP has been at the forefront of trying to ensure clean, effective environmental management, which has multiple socio-economic benefits.

Unsafe chemical use and unsound waste disposal mostly affect the poor because of their occupations, living standards and lack of knowledge about the effects of exposure.

For example, almost all deaths from pesticide exposure occur in developing countries.

The management of this fast-growing e-waste is a challenge, compounded by the fact that these products contain numerous hazardous substances but also many strategic metals such as gold, palladium and rare earth metals, which should be recovered and recycled. This challenge, as mountainous as it may be, needs to be tackled with some urgency. Left unchecked, developing countries may end up suffering the most.

Recycling

Development partnership boosts recycling A new recycling depot in Cato Manor will boost BBBEE and local development in the region.

A

number of highly placed dignitaries, which included Barbara Thompson, Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr Andrew Venter, CEO of Wildlands, Mntu Nduvane, stakeholder engagement manager: Corporate Affairs at Engen, Councillor Lindiwe Ntaka Mhlongo of the Mayor’s Office and local community members in Cato Manor recently attended the launch of a new recycling facility.

This recycling depot has been built and equipped under a multimillion rand enterprise development par tnership between Engen Petroleum and Wildlands Greenpreneurs. Tasneem Sulaiman-Bray, GM: Corporate Affairs at Engen, says the facility is the latest initiative to come out of the leading fuel company’s R4.5 million investment deal with Wildlands Green-preneurs, which was announced in October 2013.

“Engen’s investment will significantly boost recycling efforts while promoting black empowerment and local enterprises,” says Sulaiman-Bray. “In return, we will receive carbon credits, supporting our sustainability and planet-change agenda. The partnership aims to benefit multiple initiatives serving a variety of key

causes, namely broad-based black economic empowerment, local enterprise development and green issues,” she says.

The first such undertaking came with the upgrade of Wildlands’ recycling transfer station near Midmar in Howick last year, and has been followed by the Cato Manor facility, which has been erected for around R600 000.

Ur vashi Haridass, project manager: Recycling at Wildlands, says the funds from Engen went towards a range of infrastructural interventions at the Cato Manor site.

“We built two sheds, one of 10 m x 12 m and another of 12 x 12 m. In addition, we concreted the full yard, refurbished our containers – three in total – and installed a water line and ablution facility.” Electricity has been installed to allow the facility to commission additional machiner y to enhance efficiencies.

Wildlands Green-preneurs have also developed a significant partnership with the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) under the auspices of the Green Fund, of which the DEA is the custodian. The Green Fund is investing into the operation of the Cato Manor recycling facility. This follows on the heels of the Waste-preneur programme,

Mntu Nduvane, stakeholder engagement manager: Corporate Affairs at Engen; Thandeka Cele, public affairs refinery manager; Councillor Lindiwe Ntaka Mhlongo, representing the Mayor’s Office; Cato Manor local Councillor Bhekisisa Richards Mngadi; Dr Andrew Venter, CEO of Wildlands; and Ms Barbara Thompson, Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs gathered in Cato Manor on Friday 22 August, to launch the opening of a new recycling facility in the area (Photographer Roy Reed)

RéSource November 2014 – 19

Recycling which is also implemented through the fund with Wildlands Conservation Trust as the appointed project developer and has exceeded the employment target of 4 400 jobs.

The Green Fund was established to facilitate investment in green initiatives in support of the transition to a low carbon econo-

Green Economy Accord, which focuses on waste recycling, reuse and recovery. She also added that the private sector and civil society were key partners in addressing the matter of job creation and transitioning to a green economy.

“The opening of the depot will encourage the matter of further sorting, separation and

The Green Fund has also enabled the purchase of (and running costs for) four 8 tonne trucks, the employment of four drivers, eight loaders, one project manager and one local facilitator in the greater Durban area my for mitigation of climate change, poverty reduction and job creation. The Green Fund has also enabled the purchase of (and running costs for) four 8 tonne trucks, the employment of four drivers, eight loaders, one project manager and one local facilitator in the greater Durban area.

Deputy Minister Barbara Thompson said that the opening of the Cato Manor facility will contribute to Commitment 5 of the

subsequent recovery of waste generated during the production process. Government cannot manage and fund the transition to a green economy and address unemployment and poverty alleviation alone. Private sector and civil society play a key role and hence we celebrate the partnership and launch of the Cato Manor facility.”

Wildlands CEO Dr Andrew Venter says the organisation’s recycling initiatives make

use of ‘waste-preneurs’, who bar ter recyclable waste they collect from in and around their homesteads with the organisation (Wildlands) in exchange for vouchers that can be redeemed for livelihood items such as food, clothing, education suppor t, JoJo tanks and solar panels.

From July 2013 to June 2014, 290 waste-preneurs in Cato Manor have traded 951 000 kg of recyclable waste, and have been rewarded with R144 764 wor th of livelihood suppor t items.

“Engen’s investment, together with the investment of the Green Fund, will greatly benefit this cause as it allows us to equip plants with infrastructure that will increase our output, thus boosting recycling in the region, benefiting more waste-preneurs and ultimately allowing us to employ more people,” says Venter.

“We are ver y excited about our par tnership with Engen and the Green Fund.

Thanks to these key par tners, Wildlands is better equipped to do what it does best – green the economy.”

20 – RéSource November 2014

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Recycling

Social energy transforms waste

S

ocial networking…for many of the hardworking folk in the recycling industry, spending precious daylight hours – necessary for doing business – on something so frivolous may make the phrase seem even worse than a bad word. However, if used correctly, social networking can be operationalised to leverage on-going stakeholder engagement in a given brand, bringing more opportunities for waste streams, grant money and revenues into the fold.

‘No time’ is no excuse There isn’t one person who can say they don’t have ‘dead time’, those dead minutes of the day when time is spent in an elevator, waiting to see a client, waiting for the computer to boot up or, for those who’ve learned to wrap their

smart devices in a Ziploc bag, while hanging out around the pool after a Sunday braai.

Twitter for beginners Take for example a conversation RéSource had recently with one of its stakeholders on the social networking platform Twitter. After seeing tyre recycling company Redisa’s Twitter handle, @wasteintoworth, one member of the public said that he had large volumes of glass to recycle, and could he drop it off with Redisa? People in the recycling industry know that glass recycling in the Johannesburg area is done by The Glass Recycling Company.

So RéSource entered into the conversation, using its twitter handle, @infrastructure4, to supply The Glass Recycling Company’s contact details and a link showing the latest statistics

on Redisa’s tyre recycling initiatives. It turned out that same person also had some tyres he needed to drop off, so the exchange ended up being a win for everyone involved.

The benefits of social networking are evident. So for those who haven’t got a business account on Twitter yet, take the plunge and do it – because business networking doesn’t have to stop just because the conference is over.

Be warned though: if you wouldn’t feel comfortable being quoted saying something on the evening news, do not say it on Twitter. This maxim wasn’t taken to heart by New York PR executive Justine Sacco, who was sacked over a racist tweet this time last year.

RéSource November 2014 – 21

Recycling profile

Demolishing waste for good South African mobile equipment supplier AfrEquip is introducing something new to the local market: a fast, simple and effective way for organisations to green their operations and save.

D

riven by requirements and local mandates such as green waste diversion rules and no-burn regulations, private contractors and government entities are joining the growing ranks of those who chip, grind, screen, compost and otherwise process waste. Some do it for profit, some do it as a public ser vice, but one thing they have in common is the need for specialised equipment to tackle this demanding job.

Flip Breytenbach, national sales manager for AfrEquip explains to RẽSource what AfrEquip does and what the company’s Morbark range of equipment has to offer.

To date, AfrEquip has been better known for supplying purpose-built forestry equipment for the last decade, representing prestigious brands like Tigercat and Log Max, however AfrEquip has made the decision to branch out into other areas.

“The reason we entered the waste market and also the industrial market, is that Morbark’s industrial range has an established reputation for its recycling products. These are not only beneficial in that they contribute to cleaner production but also respond to the highest government regulations. Another governing factor to consider is that recycling waste actually saves money,” Flip comments.

An interesting point is that Morbark’s machines have been used for more than 20 years in South Africa and are well established locally. Owners of the equipment vary from large municipalities and landfill contractors to leading compost manufactures. The reputation and durability of the product is such that most of the customers continue to reinvest in Morbark equipment.

Even though the Morbark range has been available in South Africa for 20 years, AfrEquip has only recently attained the distribution rights for its industrial range of equipment. The smallest of this range is the 950 Tub Grinder, which is used for more general grinding applications; the largest, and impressive, Barracuda slowspeed shredder can be used on tyres, as well as other materials.

MORBARK

BARRACUDA

APPLICATIONS: • Construction and demolition wood • Industrial waste • Plastics • Green waste • Tyres and rubber • Household waste • Mattresses, and more

TOP This 950 tub grinder, like all Morbark equipment is a long-lasting, durable machine with great service support and parts availability ABOVE The Barracuda is an aggressive, versatile slow-speed shredder that can be used as a pre-shredder or for making the required end product

Fierce Barracuda performance The Morbark Barracuda is just one of a list of equipment designed and built by Morbark to respond to industry demand. The Barracuda design team set themselves quite a challenge to create one machine to do it all: a machine that can be used as a pre-shredder or for making the required end product in one go.

The Barracuda is a universal machine that is able to work with wood (demolition wood, green waste and more), industrial waste (construction, demolition, tyres, plastics and the like) and other waste streams (general skip waste, mattresses and similar). This means that users can choose to have higher capacity or a desired end product, or both! This innovation should terminate the need to shred in two

stages by using a primary and secondary shredder, which decreases your upfront investment and your operational costs.

This single-rotor, slow-speed shredder is powered by either a diesel engine or electric motor, which drives the hydrostatic transmission. The control system is programmed to use fuel as economically as possible under all circumstances. By using a pump distribution gearbox, a compact design is possible and the engine can run at reduced speeds; this also makes it incredibly mobile so it can easily be relocated from site to site.

These measures will not only benefit the end-user’s wallet, but also the environment by minimising exhaust and noise emissions.

Therefore making it a win-win situation.

The full Morbark range can be viewed by contacting AfrEquip on +27 (0)33 386 5034 or Flip Breytenbach directly on +27 (0)72 708 9091

RéSource November 2014 – 23

Landfills

Getting over the ‘hump Diverting waste from landfill is gaining traction.

Former editor Hugh Tyrrell of GreenEdge Communications takes a look at best-case practice among some Western Cape municipalities.

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aste management has undergone a major change in recent years.

Previously seen as a transport and logistics operation, where trucks collected garbage from homes and factories and took it out of town to be dumped in landfills, this 'hump ‘n dump' approach is no longer considered appropriate.

National government is spearheading the change to divert waste from landfill in various ways, including passing legislation requiring municipalities to provide recycling services to householders. Yet most municipal solid waste departments are staffed by engineers whose backgrounds often lack an understanding of the recycling industry or the social behaviour and communication issues involved in making a success of separation-at-source diversion programmes.

In essence, these programmes have to deal with managing the transfer of a “free” commodity (domestic recyclable waste) temporarily owned by a public utility to a private commercial contractor whose business model is dependent on optimum quantities of the commodity being supplied by residents, whose participation is vital, but is on a voluntary basis. This is clearly a complex system which needs careful design, implementation and management.

Research project PlasticsSA has a mission of zero plastic waste to landfill by 2030 and funded qualitative research into at-source recycling amongst several Western Cape municipalities in a project initiated and undertaken by GreenEdge Communications.

Most of the separation-at-source programmes in the study require residents to sort their waste into two bags for kerbside collection – black bag for “wet” materials, (ie all food-contaminated or otherwise non-recyclable waste which the municipality takes to landfill) and “dry” (or plastic, tins, paper and glass which is collected by the contractor and then sorted and sold on for

24 – RéSource November 2014

re-processing.) Sometimes a third bag is provided for green waste.

Findings from five out of the ten municipalities researched are described in brief below.

City of Cape Town Cape Town is the largest municipality in the Western Cape with some 830 000 formal households. After a round of pilots, the programme was branded as “Think Twice” and rolled out to be implemented by contractors in selected groups of middle and upper income suburbs.

Tender specifications were tightened to include a R300 000 minimum budget per contract towards public education and behaviour change. A minimum household participation rate was also set for the contractor, below which financial penalties would apply.

Recyclables collected at kerbside are taken to the City’s large materials recovery facility (MRF) at Kraaifontein to be sorted by technical means and by hand.

By 2011, over 120 000 households were receiving the service. The overall average participation rate is estimated by the municipality at more than 60% of households. During the 2012/13 financial year, 17 353 tonnes of recyclables were diverted from landfill by kerbside collections.

Drakenstein Drakenstein Municipality includes Paarl and Wellington with some 40 000 households.

Kerbside recycling began in 2011 and now serves 10 700 households. Public education and behaviour change marketing has been managed by an outside service provider through information leaflets and fridge reminder cards with feedback on progress in the local newspaper.

Initially a private contractor operated her own vehicle for collections and also managed the municipal-owned MRF. When the contract ended, the municipality took over and brought in Extended Public Works

Programme) workers to assist with collections and operating the MRF. At present household participation averages 24%.

During last year, 1 541 tonnes of recyclables were diverted from landfill.

Knysna One of seven in the Eden District Municipality, Knysna Local Municipality is mainly a tourism resort and retirement area and includes Sedgefield, Karatara and Buffels Bay. Households number some 22 000.

Separation-at-source recycling began in 1989 when residents started their own system, taking recyclable materials to a centre in the town run by a local recycling company. Collection was later taken over by the municipality.

Public education is activated through local media, with information on progress and achievements. The percentage of households participating is estimated at 55%.

From January to December 2013, 1 259 tons of recyclables were taken out of the waste stream and diverted from landfill.

Overstrand Overstrand Municipality includes Hermanus, Kleinmond, Stanford and Gansbaai.

Households number some 31 800. A private company initially began recycling and since 2004, collection has been run by the municipality. Bags are transported to sorting facilities owned by the municipality and managed on contract by a recycling company.

Articles in the local newspaper and leaflets in rates bills encourage participation, as

Landfills

‘n dump’ ABOVE Jan van Niekerk of Walker Bay Recycling and Johan van Taak from Overstrand Municipality LEFT A cooperative relationship between municipality and contractor is key to successful recycling diversion

Located in the central Western Cape, the main towns in the district municipality are Ceres, Wolseley, and Tulbagh. The estimated number of households is 16 500. Three bags are put out for kerbside collection – black for refuse, green for garden waste and clear bag for source-separated recyclables. The municipality picks up the first two while a contractor collects the recyclables for sorting at its own MRF. Public awareness and education is done by the municipality and is outsourced. Schools are also involved in recycling education programmes. Household participation is estimated at 20% while the programmes diverts some 3 500 tonnes per annum from landfill.

In addition, a thorough, ongoing educational and behaviour change programme aimed at communities to whom the service is being provided is essential. This can often be downgraded as a “soft” option, but successful municipalities realise that adequate emphasis and budget for this component is necessary in their budget or terms of reference for tenders.

Also important is a cooperative relationship between municipality and recycling contractor for economic viability of the programme. Contractors who can bring long experience of the recycling industry are valuable partners.

Diverting waste from landfill through a separation-at-source system is best seen as an interlinking set of different elements which need to be in harmony for it to work best. Greatest efficiencies arise from understanding the elements of a programme as a whole system.

The research and responses offer insights and practices that can be put to use elsewhere. They help fill a gap in current knowledge, assisting diversion and recovery of valuable re-usable materials while supporting the long-term aim of zero waste to landfill.

Insights

Acknowledgements

Responses from this qualitative research project show municipalities in different localities rely on similar factors for success. Important among these is providing infrastructure systems that make it as convenient as possible through, for example, the provision of free bags, easy separation-at-source at home, namely the two bags for wet or dry waste, and weekly same-day kerbside collection of recyclables.

Thanks to PlasticsSA who sponsored the research, the Western Cape Directorate of Waste Management.

do promotions at schools and the annual Whale Festival. Permanent residents’ participation rates average 55 to 60% which increases over the holidays. On average, 1 500 tonnes of household materials are diverted from landfill annually

Witzenberg

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Hugh Tyrrell is an independent marketing communications and behaviour change consultant specialising in the recycling industry, he can be contacted on: hugh@greenedge.co.za

RéSource November 2014 – 25

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Waste to worth

Celebrating cooperation The City of Johannesburg faces massive challenges caused by illegal dumping and littering. Just one negative result has been the widely reported rat plague spreading over the metropolitan. At the core of the city’s strategy to deal with the problem, is raising public awareness and creating a platform for community engagement – with cooperatives playing a central role.

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e spend R83 million of our budget per year on collecting waste from illegal dumping. And our street collection is costing us R434 million. That eats up about a third of Pikitup’s budget. The entity as a whole feels that if that money could be put to better use, then more jobs could be created for local communities,” says Les Venter, general manager: Environmental Management at Pikitup.

A new model for delivery During the budget speech on 27 May this year by the MMC for Finance, Councillor Geoffrey Makhubo said, “Jozi@Work, our developmental service delivery model, is an innovative paradigm shift for the city. In the future, services will be delivered through a partnership between the city and the community using their strengths and assets, thereby creating collective ownership and job creation over the next two years.” Pikitup has invested a considerable amount of time, effort and money into making the plan a reality.

Jozi@Work “Pikitup is implementing Jozi@Work, as are other Joburg City entities, as a mobile project to get communities involved, especially in service delivery,” says Venter.

The state-owned entity’s engagement with the concept is being effected through a web

package, in which it identifies specific areas, such as places within informal settlements, where it will ask those communities to take full responsibility for all waste, from separation at source, illegal dumping and street cleaning, to recycling.

“We will then pay stakeholders according to their performance: the cleaner the area, the more money those managing the waste will make. Through these means, we encourage entrepreneurs within these areas to have a stake in developing one-on-one relationships with local residents,” says Venter. The idea behind the initiative is to motivate communities to get involved with the all-important task of separating their waste at source, which is one of the biggest challenges associated with getting a mass recycling movement to take off.

Entrepreneur advantage The most visible advantage of the programme is that it will influence a mindset change at grassroots level. Important stakeholders in this ‘cooperative model’ are community members, who will be given access to funding and networks to buy bundling machinery and work together to pay for transportation and storage costs of waste streams.

“While community members will be able to group themselves together to form

cooperatives, Pikitup will manage the overall system and look at optimising efficiencies,” adds Venter.

Pikitup will not be getting additional funding for the initiative but rather money will be taken out of the portion of the budget hardest hit by littering and illegal dumping. A portion of the entity’s repairs and maintenance budget will also go to the initiative, meaning that some of those functions will be delegated to cooperative contractors, which is already happening at one Sowetan recycling depot, concludes to Venter.

WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO? PIKITUP DELIVERED a presentation at this year’s WasteCon conference, detailing the cost of Johannesburg’s litterbug problem: “Eleven Pikitup waste management depots are strategically located throughout the city, collecting refuse from approximately 1.2 million formal and informal dwellings. The inner city/CBD precinct, represented by Pikitup’s Selby depot, collected 88 869 tonnes of waste during the 2013/14 financial year. This is partly due to the congestion and high density of people within any given business day and the fact that the inner city precinct is cleaned 24 hours per day.”

Pikitup’s research also found that there is a misconception among citizens that littering creates work for people like street sweepers. In actual fact, the reverse is true in that a dirty city costs jobs.

RéSource November 2014 – 27

Waste to energy

Car manufacturer drives renewables German luxury vehicle manufacturer BMW’s South African company has signed a power purchasing agreement with energy firm Bio2Watt. The partnership will bring renewable energy to the car maker’s manufacturing plant in Rosslyn, Pretoria.

W

hen the off-take project comes on stream in the first quarter of next year, between 25% and 30% of the Rosslyn facility’s energy requirement will be generated from renewable sources.

The BMW/Bio2Watt initiative is a private deal, and marks the first commercially viable biogas-electricity project in South Africa. Power will be supplied from the 4.4 MW installed capacity Bronkhorstspruit Biogas Plant, on the premises of one of South Africa’s largest feedlots (Beefcor), which provides the project with its primary fuel supplies, grid access and water from Beefcor’s stormwater collection dams.

Converting organic waste into electrical energy primarily for digester heating purposes is a proven method, which has gained traction worldwide as the swing to renewable energy alternatives gains momentum and becomes price competitive with more widely used forms of power generation.

Sustainability “Corporate sustainability is firmly established as a guiding principle of our company’s strategy and culture. This project further demonstrates our commitment to sustainability,” says Tim Abbott, managing director of BMW South Africa.

“Since its inception in 2006, BMW Group’s CleanProduction initiative has tried to maximise production efficiency and reduce energy consumption at all of

28 – RéSource November 2014

BMW Group’s manufacturing plants worldwide. Our vision is to achieve a completely carbon-neutral energy supply for the BMW Group. With this in mind, we set ourselves the goal of becoming a leader in the use of renewable energy by 2020.

“As a result of our local CleanProduction initiatives, we’ve saved more than R60 million in energy overheads in the last five years at our plant and our Midrand head office, which has been recently renovated to achieve a four-star Green Star rating. We expect to make further strides in the area of sustainability with the introduction of our renewable power supply next year through the Bio2Watt project,” adds Abbott.

Legislation boon South African legislation in the form of a comprehensive Waste Management Act, which effectively bans organic waste from landfills by 2015, adds impetus to this renewable energy initiative.

According to Sean Thomas, CEO of Bio2Watt, the act will boost the conversion of organic waste material (cow manure, food and abattoir waste, fruit and vegetable waste, dairy waste, etc.) into electricity through anaerobic digestion.

“This year’s Waste Management Act amendment represents the basic regulatory condition for Bio2Watt’s continued success. That said, we prefer to not rely solely on the Renewable Energy Independent

New additions for BMW’s Rosslyn production facility, north of Pretoria, to contribute to the grid using bio waste are in the process of installation

Power Producer Programme, but to deal with willing buyers of renewable power from the private sector who, as in the case with BMW South Africa, place a value on creating sustainable business relationships,” says Thomas.

Support Thomas explains that the project received tremendous support from various stakeholders, including BMW South Africa, Eskom and the City of Tshwane as enablers of the grid connection. Tshwane is also a key supplier of organic waste, diverting the bulk of its organic waste away from landfills, to be processed directly in the biogas plant.

Other supporters are Dutch sustainable development agency NL Agency, for development funding, and other private investors including Norfund, ChloroPhil, representing a private family, Bosch Holdings and the Bertha Foundation as equity providers.

“We were looking for large industries wishing to make a meaningful and sustainable contribution to progressing waste management and climate change mitigation in Southern Africa,” says Thomas. “We’re glad one of the world’s most sustainable car makers, in the form of the BMW Group, heeded this call.”

Waste to energy

New generation and supply solutions South Africa’s power supply is taking strain and with the country’s grid nearing peak demand, an intervention is needed. To this end, several alternatives are being explored but there is a growing need for more sustainable methods of power generation and demand-side management.

A

ccording to the National Waste Information Baseline Report, of the total 108 million tonnes of waste, 90% goes to landfills.

As a result, South Africa’s landfills quickly run out of space and a viable solution presents itself in the form of waste-to-energy.

Dr Urishanie Govender, general manager: Environmental Services Sector at engineering consulting firm GIBB, indicates that waste-to-energy presents a crucial opportunity to address the energy gap.

“Waste-to-energy is a proven and environmentally sound process that provides sustainable recovery of energy,” she says.

Another expert on the subject of power, Paul Fitzsimons, GIBB’s general manager: Power and Energy, says that South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan 2010 allows for about 1% of alternative sources of energy, within which waste-to-energy can play a role.

“The process includes generating energy in the form of electricity or heat, or both, generally through the combustion of waste that powers a steam-driven turbine.

This is usually the first port of call, but another popular method is through landfill gas-to-energy, which involves capturing

gases (primarily methane) produced from decomposing buried waste,” he says.

Govender meanwhile suggests that South Africa looks to the East and West for working examples of waste-to-energy programmes.

“The technology is used extensively in Europe and developed nations in Asia, such as Russia, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan.

Interestingly, every tonne of solid waste processed in a waste-to-energy facility avoids the mining of one-third of a tonne of coal and its associated impacts,” she said.

While there is a strong case for waste-toenergy in South Africa, before any projects get underway, a bankable feasibility study needs to be conducted.

GIBB is involved with two waste-to-energy projects in the country. Actually conducting a waste characterisation study is no easy feat as landfill sites do not accurately monitor their waste streams. GIBB analyses the site and compiles detailed studies of what waste streams actually go into the site. After the waste has been characterised, it then follows a waste hierarchy process, where reusing and recycling become higher priorities.

“At the moment, our landfills don’t tend to recycle, which is always the first step. So

LEFT Dr Urishanie Govender, general manager: Environmental Services Sector, GIBB RIGHT Paul Fitzsimons, general manager: Power and Energy, GIBB ABOVE South Africa needs to look to the East and West for examples of better waste management.

For example, the US state of Massachusetts now has caps on certain waste streams

once you have reused and recycled what you can, and implemented a system to do that continuously, only then can you determine what kind of waste you have to work with, and thus, which technology is most suitable to produce energy,” says Govender.

The issue is that most private firms and municipalities have hurdle rates for their capex projects, so due diligence needs to take its course.

Solid waste management funding is a major challenge for waste projects in this space. To assist, GIBB offers project preparation and advisory services.

RéSource November 2014 – 29

Opinion

Why care about carbon emissions?

By Deepak John

Carbon emissions typically refer to greenhouse gases emitted by humans through the burning of fossil fuels. It is true that nature is a large emitter of these very same greenhouse gases and the Earth’s emissions are in balance. What is emitted by the Earth is absorbed and the level of these greenhouse gases has been fairly consistent in the Earth’s atmosphere for over 800 000 years.

T

he main greenhouse gases in our atmosphere are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and water vapour. These gases trap infrared radiation that leaves the Earth and is instrumental in maintaining the Earth’s habitable climate. Without greenhouse gases, the Earth would be completely frozen as the annual global temperature plummets to -18°C. Very little life would be

supported. The level of these greenhouse gases was just right at pre-industrial levels and kept the Earth’s global annual temperature at 18°C. With the Industrial Revolution, man started burning fossil fuels in vast quantities and slowly added to the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

When compared with the entire climate system, the level of human carbon emissions

is tiny – so small it seems ridiculous that human activity can have any impact on the atmosphere. Claims that these carbon emissions are altering the climate seem absurd.

Yet, this tiny increase in carbon emissions can make a difference and keeps a little additional energy, which would normally escape into space, in the Earth’s climate system. This happens every day, 365 days a year. This has been going on for around 200 years. A rapid growth in population and increased reliance on fossil fuels have put more of these greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Even more energy is now being trapped and scientists estimate that today ABOVE Even with increasing regulation on vehicular emissions, exhaust gas remains one of the biggest culprits, pumping nitrogen, water vapour and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere LEFT Geothermal imaging shows that the ozone layer may have started to recover but scientists cannot yet confirm whether this is the case

30 – RéSource November 2014

Opinion LEFT One of the most heart rending and immediate results of climate change has been the depletion of polar bear's natural habitat due to the melting of the polar ice caps

an additional 0.6 W/m2 is being kept on earth as a result of increased carbon emissions. It doesn’t sound like a lot but, when taken across the entire globe, this additional energy is equivalent to 400 000 Hiroshimasized nuclear bombs. This is every single day of the year. Lucky for us, the oceans have absorbed most of this extra energy and, because the oceans are so large, the atmosphere has taken a long time to warm up.

Greenhouse gases make up such a small portion of the atmosphere they are measured in parts per million (ppm) or parts per billion (ppb). Carbon dioxide has recently breached 400 ppm, from 280 ppm during pre-industrialisation. Methane is even less sparse in the atmosphere and is now 300 ppb, from 100 ppb during pre-industrial periods. Scientists have calculated that global temperatures have increased by 0.85°C over this period as a result. It

is difficult to conceive why such a small rise in temperature is any cause for concern. The problem is that some areas have experienced more significant temperature increases than others – especially the cold polar regions.

The Earth might be only 0.85°C warmer but its 5°C warmer in the Arctic. This has caused the Arctic to melt faster and the volume of ice at the end of summer in 2012 was 25% of what it used to be 30 years ago.

There has been a massive decline in the region’s sea ice, which has accelerated due to self-reinforcing feedback loops in the climate system. A self-reinforcing feedback is a process that feeds on itself and quickens the process that started it. A simple example of such a feedback is the albedo effect.

The ice in the Arctic acts like a mirror and reflects most of the Sun’s energy that hits it. Dark water and land, on the other hand, absorb most of the energy received from RéSource November 2014 – 31

For sustainable energy.

Opinion

Not all carbon dioxide emitters are equal, the developed world puts out far more greenhouse gasses than developing countries

the Sun. As the Arctic melts, more water and land is exposed. The exposed water and land absorb more heat, melting more ice and exposing more water and land. It is a vicious cycle. Warming the global temperature by less than 1°C has triggered numerous such climatic feedback loops.

The problem with feedback loops in the climate is that they are out of human control.

Once they start, there is nothing humans can do to reverse them. Scientists refer to them as positive feedbacks, not because

they are good but because they amplify their effect as the process continues. The melting ice in the Arctic is so obvious to experts that all major fossil fuel companies are on a race to mine the Arctic seabed for oil and gas reserves, which were previously inaccessible because of dense sea ice.

The ice in the Arctic used to serve as a seal on the large stock of methane stored in the land mass surrounding the Arctic and its seabed. Methane, which is stored in organic matter in this region, was kept out of the atmosphere in a deep freeze. As the Arctic melts, this stock of methane is slowly released into the atmosphere from the tundra, boreal forests and Siberian ice shelf.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and 250 times stronger than carbon dioxide in trapping infrared radiation over 10 years. The amount of methane stored in this region dwarfs human carbon emissions. It would take only a small percentage of this methane to be released and the global greenhouse impact of methane could be doubled or trebled, drastically increasing warming.

If the Earth’s climate starts emitting more carbon emissions than humans, it won’t matter if we stop burning fossil fuels completely. The Earth’s feedback loops will take over and continue warming the planet until it cannot sustain life. Previously it was thought that this process would take hundreds of years, however the power of multiple feedback loops and methane is making scientists reassess their projections. Now, abrupt climate change is expected in a matter of decades and the window of opportunity to curb Earth’s current trajectory is closing fast. We must change direction or we will end up where we are heading.

32 – RéSource November 2014

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Sustainability

Process safety hinges on leadership The Chemical and Allied Industries’ Association (CAIA) recently hosted a special breakfast presentation. Issues discussed included the importance of process safety at all levels. Delegates included senior executives and managers from across the chemical and allied industries. Maryke Foulds reports.

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roceedings kicked off with a keynote address by Judith Hackitt, who has a wealth of knowledge of the chemical and process industries, process safety, and health and safety challenges.

As the current chair of the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the government agency for regulating workplace health and safety, Hackitt’s presentation highlighted the importance of having a clear understanding of the need for process safety leadership, the role of leadership in creating/setting the culture, risk ownership and management, and the role of company boards in process safety.

She called for a change in the mindset and culture towards process safety, starting with the boardroom. Key themes that emerged from the presentation included the role of the regulator, leadership in process safety, risk ownership, open communication and safety as a core value, not a priority.

LEFT Judith Hackitt, chair of the UK Health and Safety Executive RIGHT Delegates attending the process safety breakfast presentation

Speaking of the leadership challenge ahead, she says: “Boards who do not focus on process safety have a very serious gap in their corporate risk register and are potentially taking a gamble with the survival of their business. The leader who asks to understand

Signatories of the Responsible Care initiative are committed to the safe operation of their plants and processes. Responsible Care provides a process safety code, a management practice standard with guidance on how companies should take action

Process safety performance should be measured by using appropriate and effective leading and lagging indicators what the process’s vulnerabilities are and how they need to be addressed will create a very different climate in their organisation.”

She continued her presentation by saying that process safety knowledge and competence should be recognised as fundamental to anyone who takes on a position of responsibility within the chemical industry.

Discussions served as a reminder to executives and senior managers that the absence of conventional safety accidents and injuries in an organisation should not, in itself, be taken as a positive assurance of an overall good performance in process safety. Process safety performance should be measured by using appropriate and effective leading and lagging indicators.

to prevent major explosions, fires and accidental releases during their manufacturing, processing, handling and on-site storage of hazardous chemicals. However, for this to be successful, an interdisciplinary approach should be adopted so that process safety is integrated into the areas of management leadership, technology, facilities and employees.

Louise Lindeque, manager: Responsible Care, CAIA, says: “Process safety is an important component of Responsible Care.

CAIA recognises the importance of encouraging dialogue and ideas around issues pertaining to process safety at the quarterly process safety forums that meet in Johannesburg and Durban.”

RéSource November 2014 – 33

Sustainability

Take environmental measures or face the consequences

In its recent report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) revealed that South Africa is responsible for the majority of Africa’s carbon emissions as a result of its coal-intensive energy production.

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verage temperatures across South Africa will increase by 2°C along the coast and 6°C inland by the end of the century, if no action is taken. The report notes however, that South Africa has the infrastructure and expertise available to ‘climate proof’ itself in order to lower carbon emissions.

According to Arthur Chien, vice-president of Talesun Energy, the ongoing and unrestricted burning of fossil fuels is one of the major causes of climate change, and should therefore be in the interests of South Africa’s public and private sectors to reduce carbon emissions, offsetting the effects of global warming in the country. He notes, however, that through the implementation of renewable energy strategies, the country can make remarkable advances in decreasing the negative impacts that fossil fuels have on the environment.

The UN reported in its most recent global warming study that the world needs to triple the amount of energy it receives from renewables to avoid dangerous levels of global warming and that countries need to

34 – RéSource November 2014

make more of an effort to implement renewable energy projects such as solar parks.

‘By making use of photovoltaic solar energy instead of fossil fuels, the public and private sector can help alleviate the effects of global warming. Solar energy, which is widely available in South Africa due to the sun producing around 2 500 hours of sunshine each year, has a non-evasive effect on the environment and therefore makes it an appealing alternative energy source. This is in comparison to coal, which has the highest carbon intensity of major fossil fuels, resulting in coal-fired plants having the highest output rate of CO2 per kilowatt hour.

‘When fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are burnt, CO2 is released into the Earth’s atmosphere, and the build-up of CO2 has an alarming warming effect that lasts many years. This is the reason for the increase in temperature.’

Al Gore, former American vice president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, spoke at the Climate Reality Leadership Corps training

The solar revolution in Africa is being led by South Africa but other African nations are also embracing the renewable energy source

in Johannesburg in March 2014. He stated that South Africa, the 31st driest country in the world, is projected to get much drier by 2030 as demand for water exceeds supply.

Many scientists agree that in many cases climate change is the root cause of the increasing frequency of extreme weather and temperatures. An increase in temperature leads to increased levels of evaporation, and this in turn causes clouds to form faster and rain more frequently, resulting in some regions receiving greater concentrations of rain, and possibly floods, and other regions receiving less rain and droughts.’

South Africa is well positioned to benefit from renewable energy solutions such as photovoltaic solar energy, especially as the country has been rated the world’s most promising emerging market for photovoltaic solar and other renewable energy, by IHS Technology, a global information company. A recently released report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development also reflected that by 2020, 80% of the world’s population will be living in countries where solar electricity is cheaper compared to fuel produced from coal and other sources.

Sustainability

New branch for energy specialist

VERMEER HELPSCover strap SHRINK YOUR

WOOD WASTE AND COMPOSTING CHALLENGES.

A company specialising in energysaving systems for the industrial, commercial, domestic and agriculture sectors, has recently opened a branch in Korsten, Port Elizabeth.

T

he establishment of our new outlet in the Eastern Cape follows the opening of our Johannesburg facility earlier this year,” says Bronwynn Fine, director, ThermoWise.

“The company’s expansion programme encompasses a strategy to establish a network of dedicated ThermoWise branches in key regions in South Africa, which are geared to ser vice our growing customer base around the countr y. We will shortly be opening a branch in Bellville, Western Cape.”

ThermoWise, which is committed to helping companies reduce energy consumption and optimise production efficiencies, suppor ts an extensive range of energy-efficient systems, with a specialist project and energy-saving solutions ser vice.

The ThermoWise range of energy-saving systems encompasses a full range of air-to-water heat pumps from 3.5 kW to 1 000 kW output; calorifiers designed and custom-made to exact specifications, as well as energy-saving and vandalresistant shower heads.

THIS IS WHERE THE NAME ON THE MACHINE MATTERS MOST. Whether you’re facing the need to clear some land, clean up after a storm or recycling wood waste, Vermeer and our global dealer network will be right beside you. We know the conditions you face are demanding – that’s why we make sure our equipment is up to the task. Our complete lineup of horizontal and tub grinders, trommel screens, compost turners and brush chippers were designed to take on your big challenges. So when it’s tough going out there, look to Vermeer – the trusted name for proven equipment and reliable support.

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RéSource November 2014 – 35

Vermeer, the Vermeer logo and Equipped to Do More. are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the U.S. and/or other countries. © 2014 Vermeer Corporation and Equipment Suppliers (Pty) Ltd. Southern Africa. All Rights Reserved.

Sustainability

Delivering project services for Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm In first for South Africa, a full scale wind energy project has been completed in Jeffreys Bay and the 60-turbine 138 MW per day plant supplying renewable electricity to power about 115 000 homes at full capacity.

I

n November 2012, Murray & Roberts awarded global project delivery company WorleyParsons the design of the civil and structural works for the construction of the wind farm. “The Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm is one of the first full-scale wind energy projects to be constructed in South Africa, and WorleyParsons was very excited to be directly involved,” says Willem Hofmeyr, the project leader for the wind farm and manager: Port Elizabeth office, WorleyParsons. The scope of work included the design and quality control of access roads, concrete foundations for the wind turbines, geotechnical verification, and modifications on the N2 highway for the wind turbines to be transported from the Ngqura deepwater harbour to the site.

The development stretches across eight farms, covering an area of over 3 000 hectares. Wind turbines on-site have a hub height of 80 m and a 110 m rotor diameter, and will collectively generate 138 MW per day. Each turbine is supported by a reinforced concrete foundation. Other key components of the project included gravel-surfaced hardstand areas adjacent to

36 – RéSource November 2014

each turbine, a substation, a single-storey operation and maintenance building, a permanent wind-measuring mast, 50 km of gravel-surfaced roads for providing access to the turbines and substation from the existing public road systems, and temporary facilities to serve as a construction site and laydown area for the assembly of the turbines.

“Designing wind farm access roads and turbine foundations is a first for WorleyParsons RSA, and a number of new principles had to be investigated and mastered. We are proud to have set new industry benchmarks for a project that is one of the first of its kind in South Africa,” says Hofmeyr.

The contract used joint expertise from WorleyParsons’ regional offices in Port Elizabeth and Pretoria, assisted by WorleyParsons’ global Renewable Energy division. The civil works were executed by the local office in Port Elizabeth, while the structural design for the concrete foundations was

undertaken by the Pretoria office, with the assistance of Danish consultant COWI, a company that has designed more than 12 000 wind tower foundations.

Despite a number of challenges, including role players scattered across the country and globally, complying with strict project specifications application from suppliers, and tight time frames, the project progressed well, with zero time lost due to injury, reports Hofmeyr.

The turbines’ operational life is expected to be a minimum of 25 years.

BELOW Each wind turbine on site measures 80 m high INSET Reinforced concrete foundation, one of 60 at the Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm

Sustainability

Talkin’ ‘bout a waste revolution In recent years, the South African government has passed a series of laws which are fundamentally changing the landscape of the waste and recycling industry. These laws – the National Environmental Management: Waste Act and its amendments – have set the scene for wholesale regulatory and institutional reform of the multibillion rand industry which delivers jobs by the tens of thousands.

By Hugh Tyrrell, independent communications and behaviour change consultant specialising in the recycling industry at GreenEdge Communications

W

e are standing at the threshold of a waste revolution” says Mark Gordon, deputy-director general in the directorate of chemical and waste management in the Department of Environmental Affairs at the recent WasteCon industr y conference. Several factors are emboldening the government to take steps to shake things up: landfills are filling up fast, waste is seen as a resource, and the opportunities opening up in the ‘circular economy’ can help address the cr ying need for jobs.

“There will be a quadrupling of waste by 2030 from the growth of the middle class,” says Gordon, creating a picture of over worked municipalities tr ying desperately to maintain waste ser vices by continuing to dump waste into already overburdened landfills, a vision which is clearly untenable.

“Waste and pollution is a market failure,” continues Gordon in his address at the conference. This not only points to the tendency of our present linear economy to externalise its environmental costs, but also to open the way for government to use

the provisions of the new legislation to, as he put it ‘commoditise waste’ by means of various fiscal and institutional measures.

The thinking appears to be that by valuing waste and putting a price on it, government will be able to diver t waste from

landfill, increase the throughput of volumes of waste into the recycling economy while creating jobs aplenty.

Will this require a bold triple-play by a farsighted depar tment? Maybe, but what are the instruments by which this is hoped to be achieved, and which are causing consternation amongst the present status quo and its stakeholders in both municipalities and industr y?

Waste pricing strategy Firstly, it is developing a Waste Pricing Strategy which the CSIR has been commissioned to under take. This draws from international research and practice and presents a range of fiscal options with which the government is now empowered to “catalyse the waste economy,” as Gordon puts it.

These could include fees, incentives, taxes, levies, deposit schemes and the like, which would generate significant revenue. The aim is to increase the value of waste as a resource and to generate a flow

Kraaifontein sorting line RéSource November 2014 – 37

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Sustainability of revenue into the treasur y that can be pooled and redirected through a new depar tmental Waste Bureau to deser ving projects and programmes that stimulate the waste and recycling economy, diver t waste from landfill and create jobs at the same time.

Despite pleas to ring-fence the incoming revenue through fiscal measures and so avoid a repeat of the ill-fated Buyisa-e-bag project.

The depar tment is bound by stipulations that any funds arising from taxes must go through Treasur y, as it maintains it has the power and is best suited to administer them. Other fiscal means to accumulate funds such as levies, deposit schemes and soon are not required to go through Treasur y.

Private and public sector entities seeking to apply for funds collected must first draw up business plans outlining inter alia how much they want, how they will stimulate the recycling economy and how many jobs will be created in the process.

New Waste Bureau The new Waste Bureau is being set to be operational by April next year which will manage the application process and present funding plans to Treasury which will have final say over who gets what.

Other provisions and possibilities have the recycling and waste management industry, especially the packaging sector worried. The various plastic, paper, metal, glass recycling organisations, funded by their producer companies, have grown in effectiveness to be partly responsible for South Africa ranking high among other countries in seeing that their respective materials are recovered and re-used.

EPR looming large Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), a concept widely accepted by the producers, is looming large in the new government plans as a stick to pressure them to increase recycling diversion from landfill, with the carrot of providing possible funding (on its terms) with which to do so. The concern is that

the government might cause, inadvertently or otherwise, the demise of these long standing organisations who are directly or indirectly are enabling the employment of some 100 000 people, many of them at the lowest and neediest levels of our society.

Waste Management Council Also in the department’s plan is a new Waste Management Council seen as a public-private cross-sector stakeholder body to advise and guide the direction of the waste recycling industry into a brighter, less wasteful and more prosperous future. Hopefully it will be sufficiently representative to include experienced industry stakeholders who have a deep understanding of how the recycling business works in practice.

The depar tment is holding a Waste Summit in March next year to bring industry and government together to debate issues and help smooth what otherwise may be a rocky road ahead.

For more information visit www.greenedge.co.za

Air blowers integrate screw technology to reduce energy costs Atlas Copco’s Compressor Technique low-pressure ZS and ZS+ variable speed drive (VSD) air blower range with twin screw design is based on the company’s pioneered oil-free screw technology improving energy efficiency in the low-pressure compressed air market.

P

roductivity solutions Group Atlas Copco’s industrial air division’s positive displacement blowers provide a continuous and reliable supply of 100% oil-free air, TÜV-certified according to ISO 8573-1 CLASS 0 (2010), offering customers the benefits of high efficiency, reliability, quiet operation (less than 80dB (A), high controllability, easy installation, low maintenance and long equipment life.

Low-pressure compressed air is widely used for applications such as waste water aeration at treatment plants, dilute phase pneumatic conveying of dry powders, fluegas desulphurisation of emission stacks

38 – RéSource November 2014

and similar. “The blower market for small volume flows has been largely dominated by blower technology such as twin-lobe and Roots-type (typically used for early turbochargers in vehicles) which has not seen any major technical improvements over the past 50 years,” according to Pieter van Wyk, Atlas Copco business line manager.

Recognising a market need, Atlas Copco developed an air blower solution based on its oil-free screw technology which uses internal compression instead of external compression, a technology which Van Wyk says is superior to any other traditional blower technology. “This development

enables us to offer the market an alternative low-pressure blower which runs at a similar duty to traditional lobe-technology units, but includes all of the features and benefits associated with modern screw compressors.”

The ZS range integrates the proven benefits of screw technology and will cut energy costs by an average of 30% when compared twin-lobe and Root-type blowers. Although the ZS blower does not represent the lowest capital cost solution on the market, these significant energy cost savings associated with the efficiency of a screw compressor lowers the life-cycle costs substantially.

Cleaner production

Enhancing Johannesburg WWTW sludge digestion

The recent increases in electricity tariffs imposed by Eskom have had a direct bearing on the cost of wastewater treatment in Johannesburg and could lead to an additional financial burden for the water services authority and provider in the future.

Adapted from a technical paper by Shaun Deacon*

I

n order to safeguard against this potential burden, Johannesburg Water has embarked on the implementation of a combined heatand power-generation programme, using biogas produced at their wastewater treatment works.

In 2013, the five large treatment works operated by Johannesburg Water had the potential to generate 9.5 MW of electricity.

This would have accounted for 54% of the treatment works’ electrical power requirements and resulted in a saving of R80 million in electricity supply costs.

This article describes some of the various technological improvements evaluated

by Johannesburg Water for the enhancement of the existing digester operation in order to fully comply with the 2006 Sludge Guidelines, increase biogas production and electrical power generation, and control struvite precipitation.

Introduction The recent increases in electricity tariffs imposed by Eskom have had a direct bearing

on the operational cost of wastewater treatment in Johannesburg and the cost could rise from 81 c/m³ in 2013 to above 124 c/m³ by 2020. This probable increase will place an additional financial burden on both the City of Johannesburg and the stateowned company Johannesburg Water.

In 2010, Johannesburg Water (JW) began implementation of a combined heat and power (CHP) programme that would assist in reducing the impact of this financial burden.

In 2013, JW treated 998 Mℓ per day of wastewater, 249 dry tonnes of sludge and consumed 17.5 MWe of electricity at their six wastewater treatment works. The five large wastewater treatment works had the potential to generate 9.5 MWe of electricity by enhancing their sludge digestion operations. Fifty-four per cent of the electricity required for wastewater treatment could have been generated on-site and resulted in a saving of R80 million in electricity supply costs.

An overview of the biogas-to-energy plant at Johannesburg’s Northern WWTW

CHP generation programme The revised Sludge Guidelines were promulgated by the Department of Water Affairs (now the Department of Water and Sanitation) in March 2006. One of the ten options offered in the guidelines for sludge stabilisation was anaerobic digestion and this option was considered the most cost-effective and sustainable process for Johannesburg.

In order to comply with the new Sludge Guidelines, JW had to embark on a major sludge digester refurbishment programme that included structural repair and the installation of heating and mixing equipment at Northern, Olifantsvlei and Goudkoppies works. New mesophilic sludge digesters have been recently installed at both Driefontein and Bushkoppie works.

During 2013, the successful installation of a 1.14 MWe CHP unit at the Northern works led to the decision to extend the programme

RéSource November 2014 – 39

Cleaner production

Cost of wastewater treatment

• improved sludge stabilisation and a reduction in odour and vector attraction.

to Driefontein Wastewater Treatment Works by the installation of 2 x 380 kWe reciprocating engines.

Additional sludge thickening The present problem with the steady production of biogas at the Northern works is that the digesters are being fed with gravity-thickened, waste-activated sludge of < 2.0% dry solids concentration. The feed sludge therefore contains an excessive amount of water and it is necessary to increase the digester feed solids concentration from <2.0% to between 5% and 6% in order to enhance the volatile solids reduction and biogas production rates.

Cell lysis Cell lysis involves the breakdown of cell clusters and disintegration of the cell membrane of waste-activated sludge prior to sludge digestion, which allows the release of the organic fraction to be readily available for enhanced biogas production. Some of the advantages of incorporating cell lysis technology into the existing sludge digestion operation are: • an increase in the carbon available for biogas production • enhanced electrical power generation • a reduction in digester foaming • a reduction in the mass of digested sludge produced

Anticipated improvement in sludge treatment operation

digestion operation at the Driefontein works, it is estimated that the following reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would be achieved: • CO2 6 690 tonnes/year • SO2 113 tonnes/year • NOx 31 tonnes/year • CH4 26 tonnes/year • CO 20 tonnes/year.

If all five large treatment works in Johannesburg incorporated the enhanced digestion operation, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would then be: • CO2 146 000 tonnes/year • SO2 2 480 tonnes/year • NOx 672 tonnes/year • CH4 582 tonnes/year •C O 438 tonnes/year.

Conclusions

It is anticipated that the following could be achieved by the enhancement of the existing sludge treatment operations: • 25% increase in volatile solids reduction during digestion • 25% increase in biogas production • 15% increase in electrical power generation • 20% decrease in digested sludge production • 50% to 55% decrease in the wastewater treatment electrical power costs.

Enhanced sludge treatment operation In order to enhance the existing sludge digestion operation in a cost-effective and efficient manner, a combination of technologies is required. After thorough investigation, the correct technologies were chosen.

The recommended sludge treatment processes are to be installed at the Driefontein Wastewater Treatment Works in order to verify the assumptions made for digester volatile solids loading, volatile solids reduction, volume of biogas produced, electrical energy generated and the reduction in the mass of digested sludge to be dewatered.

Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions By implementation of an enhanced sludge

Future increases in electricity tariffs will place an addition financial burden on both the City of Johannesburg and state-owned company Johannesburg Water, especially for powerintensive activated-sludge-type processes.

An improved anaerobic sludge digestion operation enables wastewater treatment plants to fully comply with the 2006 Sludge Guidelines, increase biogas production and enhance CHP generation.

The proposed enhancement of the sludge digestion operation will ensure reductions in future electricity supply costs for wastewater treatment.

The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is dependent on the amount of kWh of electricity produced, and large reductions in CO2 emissions could be achieved by the wastewater treatment works, incorporating CHP generation from the biogas they produce.

*DEACON’S ORIGINAL PAPER also dealt with struvite removal, which has been left out of this version as it is a highly technical description, possibly of more interest to water professionals than clean production and recycling experts.

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS AfrEquip 22

Envitech Solutions

Africa Energy Indaba

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Jan Palm Consulting

Rose Foundation

IFC

Amandus Kahl

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Engineers 32

Rose Foundation NORA

26

Aquatan 21

Kaytech OBC

Tetrapak 13

Barloworld Equipment

Mills & Otten

Vermeer Equipment

20

Duncanmec IBC

40 – RéSource November 2014

Oilkol

25

37 2, 3 & 12

Redisa

OFC, 6 & 7

Suppliers 35

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