ReSource Magazine May 2019

Cleaning up waste management in Africa

Recycling

Street waste pickers benefit

Hazardous Waste

Enforcing compliance in Africa

Sustainability Hero Veolia: Living circular

Energy Efficiency

SA’s renewable energy revolution

The people keeping it clean

Heavy industry is a critical part of our economy. But disposing of the waste they produce in a way that’s safe for people and the environment takes years of expertise, scientific savvy and biochemistry knowledge.

Not just anyone can do it. That’s why EnviroServ employs qualified professionals for the job.

Like Project Manager Yolandi Kruger. A keen cyclist, she’s just as passionate about protecting the planet as you are. Yolandi has participated in six 94.7 Cycle Challenges and most recently participated in a charity ride –each of the four days consisting of more than 100km per day – to raise funds for Bambanani Community Care. Yolandi is currently in training for the Panorama Tour – dubbed ‘the toughest Race on tar” which takes place over four days in the Sabie mountains.

With more than five years’ experience at EnviroServ, she’s the right person for this demanding job and takes pride in working for a compliant operation.

Because expertise is one thing, but employees who live the EnviroServ values of passion and integrity are dedicated to working towards delivering waste solutions that are environmentally responsible and effective.

Waste ash – sa’s grey gold

With millions of tonnes of coal ash produced in South Africa an nually, government is calling on entrepreneurs to help grow the economy by making use of this enormous, underutilised waste stream.

d I d yo U KN o W?

• Eskom’s coal-fired power stations consume approximately 120 million tonnes of coal per annum, producing 25 million tonnes of ash.

• Approximately 50 million tonnes of waste ash is produced in South Africa annually by coal-fired power stations, Eskom, Sasol and other smaller producers.

• 10% of the waste ash produced every year is used in the manufacture of cement powder and concrete bricks for the construction sector, as well as to treat acid mine drainage and remediate soil for agriculture.

• A modern coal-fired power station with a total output of 3 600 MW will consume ±50 000 tonnes of coal every day.

• Depending on the coal quality, heat and ash content, stations can produce around 17 000 tonnes of ash per day.

• Fly ash can be used for alternative building products, as volumisers for plastics manufacturing, in contouring for road, rail and landscaping infrastructure, as well as in dam building.

• Approximately 250 000 tonnes of ash from Eskom’s Lethabo Power Station was exported to Lesotho for the Katse Dam project.

• Coal ash is currently classified as hazardous waste; however, the South African Coal Ash Association (Sacaa) says there is a plethora of research that shows that there are many applications of ash that are not harmful to the environment or health.

A call to all waste-wise entrepreneurs

With government’s assistance, Sacaa has been given a target to increase ash usage to 20% of offtake and to create 26 000 new jobs in the process within the next five years.

This move is expected to unlock further opportunities for collaboration and innovation in the management of waste ash because anyone wishing to make use of the

‘grey gold’ is likely to get it at low or no cost, provided they can prove they have a viable usage and that the operation will generate revenue and jobs.

Source: South African Coal Ash Association & Eskom

Editor Danielle Petterson

Managing editor Alastair Currie

Journalist Nombulelo Manyana

Head of design Beren Bauermeister

Chief sub-editor Tristan Snijders

Contributors Liesl Frankson, Leon Grobbelaar, Randy Mott, Anton Nahman, Suzan Oelofse, Kate Stubbs

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ISSN 1680-4902

Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa

Tel +27 (0)11 675 3462 Email gail@iwmsa.co.za

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 of authors expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, editor or the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa.

Thinking climate

More than ever before, people around the world are calling for action against climate change.

In March, we saw thousands of young people across the globe walk out of their classrooms and into the streets, taking part in the internationally coordinated #YouthStrike4Climate.

In South Africa, thousands of school children gathered, calling for urgent government action in response to climate change and a change in mindset to save the planet. But is government responding to this call and working to promote the climate-smart agenda?

What is SA doing?

In his 2019 Budget Speech, Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni acknowledged the seriousness of climate change, promising that carbon tax would come into effect by 1 June 2019, and that there would be more renewable energy projects by Eskom.

A recent International Monetary Fund report found that, at US$70 (R1 000) per tonne of carbon dioxide, a carbon tax would be the most efficient means of cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, South Africa’s pricing falls far below this $70 per tonne.

South Africa’s carbon tax bill has been adopted and will be implemented on schedule on 1 June. The nominal tax rate for the first phase (which runs until 31 December 2022) is R120 per tonne. However, the bill provides for tax-free emission allowances ranging from 60% to 95%. There will also be a carbon tax of R0.09 per litre to be implemented on petrol and R0.10 per litre on diesel.

Although arguments have been made that the tax is too low to make a real difference, hopefully it will mark a step in the right direction, particularly since South Africa is reportedly not achieving its greenhouse gas emissions targets. Emissions were supposed to be reduced by 13% to 14.5% by the year 2015 and by 26% to 33% by 2035, without taxing for carbon emissions.

Promoting renewables

Part of the thinking behind the carbon tax is a move to more renewable energy resources. By incorporating renewable energy into all sectors, less money will need to be spent on carbon emissions.

Moreover, a renewable energy revolution presents the opportunity to create thousands

of jobs. However, it will be interesting to see how government and Eskom address this, as there have been several calls by trade unions for a strike against independent power producers (IPPs).

Earlier this year, Cosatu called on Eskom to end all its contracts with IPPs, deemed as too expensive, and focus on building its own capacity in renewable energy. However, given Eskom’s dire financial situation, IPPs may be the only way to quickly and effectively bring more renewable energy into the grid.

Minister of Energy Jeff Radebe stated in February that the assertion that Eskom incurs losses as a result of its IPP programme is misleading and false. In fact, IPPs are cost-neutral to Eskom, as the cost is passed on to the consumer. Radebe also noted that Eskom’s financial problems are largely related to cost increases, including the increased interest incurred during construction associated with the delay of the Medupi, Kusile and Ingula projects.

Given the still-looming threat of load-shedding as winter approaches, it seems government is turning to IPPs to help bolster the country’s power supply – in an environmentally friendly way. This is also in line with South Africa’s draft energy plan, which calls for 24 370 MW of generating capacity coming from wind, natural gas, solar and hydropower plants by 2030.

Embracing the shift

While it is clear that there is still a long way to go in developing and implementing appropriate policies, as well as creating the mindset shift needed to effectively address climate change, it is clear that there will be growing pressure from the public for this to happen.

Corporates and individuals should be implementing their own policies and practices, not only with regard to the carbon tax, but to promote the circular economy that is needed if we are to effectively manage our resources and protect the planet.

CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION

make time for waste

Leon Grobbelaar, president, IWMSA

The first quarter of 2019 has run its course and so has my first year in office, nearly. This time last year, I attended my first council meeting and we were planning for WasteCon 2018 . The point I’m making is: we do not have time to waste, with the emp hasis on waste.

As president and council, the IWMSA promised you change. I’m really pleased to announce that we are well on our way in steering this IWMSA cruise liner towards new horizons –filling the empty rooms with passengers and crew members that are passionate and excited to bring about change in the waste management sector. I’ve enjoyed every moment of my 28 years in the waste industry and have learned so many new things about waste. Our industry is exciting and ever-changing, and we have the opportunity to make a difference, take the next step towards sending zero waste to landfill, and steer the ship away from the old ‘dump-it-in-a-hole’ practice to actually practise what we preach by implementing the waste hierarchy with vigour and enthusiasm.

Think tanks

In March 2019, the IWMSA hosted four think tank sessions across the major provinces of South Africa, where our members, patrons and suppliers had the opportunity to participate in shaping the way forward. We are extremely thankful to all those who participated. Areas where the IWMSA could improve were identified and council will consider the recommendations in a strategy session, brainstorming and facilitating the method on how this can all be achieved to the benefit of our members and patrons. All we can say at this stage is: “Watch this space!”

In other news, the IWMSA has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the

Department of Environmental Affairs and we are extremely excited about this collaboration.

Key presentations at IFAT

We are participating in IFAT Africa 2019, scheduled to take place at Gallagher Convention Centre from on 9 to 11 July 2019 and will be hosting two exciting masterclasses, as well as two dialogue sessions. These are not to be missed. Details will be shared soon.

The masterclasses on public-private partnerships (PPPs) and implementing waste-to-energy facilities in South Africa are hot topics on the agenda of our politicians and municipal administrators.

The 54 million tonnes of municipal solid waste generated annually in South Africa provide real solutions to our country’s energy problems and the only way to secure the implementation of such facilities is through PPPs, which are much more complicated than you might think.

Our objective with the implementation of the waste hierarchy is to reduce, reuse and recycle through material recovery facilities (MRFs), but what we have seen over the past years is that local authorities just cannot implement this. Our landfill airspace is being depleted at a rapid rate. If we do not implement MRFs very soon, a tsunami of waste will reach our doorstep, with nowhere to go.

Our dialogue sessions at IFAT Africa will generate debate as to how we, the IWMSA, can assist the regulators and local authorities to reduce municipal, organic, construction and demolition

Patron members of the IWMSA

waste streams from our already overfilled and non-compliant landfill facilities.

The two dialogue session topics are:

• How do we transition South Africa’s dump sites to engineered landfills?

• How do municipalities drive a reuse and recycling economy within their cities/towns?

Both promise to be very exciting and I am sure we can expect some heated input from all spheres of the waste chain. A very experienced panel of experts will be present to share their experiences and opinions as to how we can fast-track these burning issues in South Africa.

Tackling noncompliance

We are proud to announce that the IWMSA has taken three local municipalities to task on noncompliance at their landfill facilities, located in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, respectively. The IWMSA will continue to do so. It’s time that we stand up and protect our environment. In doing so, we are prepared to align ourselves with environmental pressure groups to take those responsible to task.

The Western Cape Landfill Interest Group is hosting the biennial LandFill 2019 Conference in September 2019. More information will be made available on our website soon.

I started by saying that we have no time to waste, but sadly South Africans have no time for waste. This will ultimately be the downfall of our environment in the very near future if we do not act now!

Built for Africa

Overloading has become standard practice for much of the local waste collection industry. A new vehicle from Sinotruk has been designed with ov erloading in mind, overcoming the negative effects associated with this common pra ctice.

It is no secret that most waste compactors and other waste vehicles are regularly overloaded. Unfortunately, this has a negative effect on the chassis, suspension, transmission as well as the waste compactor bodies.

This practice is often the result of operators trying to maximise payload with the intention of reducing the number of trips required for a given collection route. Unfortunately, the reality is that there are no positives to be derived from overloading. In the case of rearend loading (REL) waste collection vehicles in particular, the compaction rate actually deteriorates the fuller the body becomes. This reduced performance detracts from the efficiency and simultaneously places undue stress on both vehicle and body. A cursory inspection of most waste compactors that have been in use for any reasonable length of time will reveal negative results of overloading.

Sinotruk has embraced this challenge with a view to provide a reliable, heavy-duty chassis specifically designed for the arduous conditions experienced in the waste handling and transportation industry.

Built for Africa

The Sinotruk Sitrak C7H 64350 compactor truck has been developed with suspension, drive train, transmission and power plant that will withstand almost any amount of abuse due to overloading. The truck is powered by a 350 hp power plant through a fully automatic Allison transmission. The front axle capacity of 9 t complements the two 16 t rear axles in terms of the manufacturer’s specification.

“It goes without saying that it is highly unlikely that any overloading will have a detrimental effect on the chassis as a whole,” says Mark Noble, dealer principal, Sinotruk Centurion.

The fully automatic transmission has been carefully matched to the power plant and rear axles. Similarly, the power plant, transmission and drive train have been matched to optimise performance and fuel consumption. Noble explains that the gradient ability of the vehicle when fully loaded is more than adequate when addressing steep climbs. Special attention has also been paid to the weight distribution and weight transfer in all operational conditions.

“The truck is powered by a modern Euro III spec engine, which will surprise many

due to its familiar design. An Allison fully automatic transmission, paired with either a Muncie or Chelsea power take-off (PTO), has been included specifically for the stop-start operation that is characteristic of well-matched REL waste compactors,” adds Noble.

The axles, diffs and chassis allow this vehicle to have a manufacturer’s spec GVM of 41 t. This is significantly higher than the requirements of the South African road ordinance rules, and it accommodates the growing African market.

“This vehicle comes with high credentials and is designed primarily for the African waste market. There is no doubt that this well-matched chassis will revolutionise the South African waste management market,” says Noble.

“We will be launching this new 6x4, 22 m3 rear-end loader at the IFAT Exhibition taking place in July this year, where visitors will be able to see the truck and all it has to offer.”

Cab and crew platform

Particular attention has been paid to the ergonomic design of the cab and crew cabin, so as to afford the driver and operators the best

possible working conditions. The waste compactor is fitted with optional bin lifters for traditional wheelie bins, as well as with an integrated top winch system used for handling skip containers.

Waste compactor

Waste compactor bodies ranging from 19 m³ to 27 m³ can be fitted to the chassis. The crew cab and bin lifting and handling systems are optional. The wheelie bin lifting system can manage wheelie bins from 120 ℓ through to 1 100 ℓ bins.

The top winch arrangement can be used at any time without the need for the removal of the wheelie bin lifting component. This makes the operation extremely versatile and practical when collecting various types and sizes of waste containers on any given route.

Container handling equipment

The same chassis can be used for RORO (rollon/roll-off) applications, especially where larger containers need to be handled and transported. This combination is well suited for applications on waste disposal sites and other areas where steep gradients and uneven terrain are encountered.

In addition to the conventional hook-lift containers, the load body is capable of loading ISO-type containers, and the optional ZF manual transmission is also available for this application.

Highlights of the new Sitrak C7H 64350

• 350 hp power plant

• Euro III spec engine

• Allison fully automatic transmission

• Muncie or Chelsea PTO

• 41 t GVM

• Ergonomic cab and crew cabin

• Suitable for 19 m³ to 27 m³ waste compactor bodies

• Comprehensive factory warranties and service packages backed by Sinotruk SA

Global backing

Sinotruk is a Chinese manufacturer of heavyduty trucks. The company is state-owned and its vehicles are regarded as being among the best in terms of quality and resistance to arduous operational conditions.

Stringent Chinese mining specifications have been applied to the manufacture of the product, which is why Sinotruk supplies a large portion of the Chinese government’s heavy-duty fleet. Over 20 000 units a year are delivered to African countries; due to its heavy-duty specifications, this vehicle is ideally suited to and performs very well in arduous African conditions.

“There is no doubt that Sinotruk is the market leader in China and many African countries, and these vehicles are gaining market share every year. Sinotruk enjoys a well-deserved reputation and presence in Africa, having proved its worth since first introduced to the continent,” says Noble.

A clearly defined footprint in Africa is supported by sales outlets, spares backup and service facilities where these vehicles operate. South Africa boasts seven dealerships, split between being fully fledged dealerships and service/ spares agents.

The range of Sinotruks sold in South Africa includes three models of truck tractors, ranging from 430 hp up to a 540 hp Euro III spec engines. Two models of tipper trucks for the construction market are also available in 6x4 and

8x4 configurations, with 12 m3 and 18 m3 load bodies respectively. Sinotruk also supplies a 6 m3 concrete mixer and a water tanker truck for the construction market.

All Sinotruk vehicles come with comprehensive factory warranties and service packages available to suit all customers’ requirements, backed by Sinotruk SA.

Sinotruk Centurion

“Sinotruk Centurion is a flagship dealer that has been with Sinotruk SA since it opened its doors in South Africa several years ago. We have a fully functional, 24-bay workshop, two wash bays and a dedicated spares department,” says Noble.

The branch is situated on the R21 highway between O.R. Tambo International Airport and Pretoria, making it easily accessible. The workshop offers on-site repairs such as panel beating, spray painting for accident damage, as well as all hydraulic, pneumatic, electronic and mechanical repairs.

“Service and repairs on any of the load bodies on the Sinotruk range of vehicles can also be done at our facility, making for a one-stop destination for our customers,” says Noble.

For enquiries, contact

T: +27 (0)11 206 8958 C: +27 (0)82 226 2220 (Mark Noble, dealer principal)

SUSTAINABILITY NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Biodegradable security seals set for SA delivery

The problem of plastic pollution has received much attention of late, prompting a local security seal specialist to adopt environmentally friendly options for its range of tamper-evident plastic security seals.

Brent Cramer, director, TruSeal, says the security seal industry, which aims to help logistics-based industries secure moveable goods and high-value assets, uses a lot of plastic.

“Security seals are ubiquitous and, once used, have the potential to become an environmental nuisance if not properly managed,” he explains.

“Currently, plastics only break down into smaller constituent parts. This has remained a source of concern for some time, so we’re especially pleased to have sourced a green

solution to help our clients respond to the issue of single-use plastics adding to their carbon footprint,” Cramer adds.

The new security seals are made from a special biodegradable material sourced from Malaysia. Once this material comes into contact with an environment where certain naturally occurring microbes are present, like a landfill or compost heap, it will begin to biodegrade.

Biodegradable security seals are used by a mere handful of companies across the globe, with TruSeal being the first in South Africa to roll out this green solution. The company says it prepared an impressive 250 000 biodegradable security seals for delivery across South Africa in the first quarter of 2019.

Plastics | SA has had great success with removing discarded fishing line from beaches with its fishing-line bins made from PVC pipes, prompting the lolly-stick bin project

TruSeal says it will eventually phase in a biodegradable option across all of its product lines

Lolly-stick bins to reduce plastic pollution on SA beaches

Plastic sticks such as those typically used for earbuds, lollypops and straws continue to be among the biggest pollutants on South Africa’s urban beaches.

In an effort to address this challenge, Seadog Sport, Plastics | SA and DPI Plastics have come together to create a new retrieval project that will help reduce the number of plastic sticks and straws on the beaches.

The project will see close to 400 ‘lolly bins’, made from PVC pipe off-cuts donated by DPI Plastics, installed at select Blue Flag beaches, as well as other coastal areas, throughout South Africa. The white lolly bins are easily visible and the black and brightly coloured labels highlight their usage.

John Kieser, sustainability manager, Plastics | SA, says members of the public are urged to help pick up any of these sticks they see lying on the beaches and throw them into the bins.

“These sticks are made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) – both recycled in South Africa. If enough of these sticks are collected, they can be used to create a wide range of different products, such as non-food-grade packaging, rope, toys, piping, recycling bins and other household items,” he explains.

The IIASA’s findings confirm the urgency of a transition away from fossil fuels as well as the importance of reducing methane emissions from other sources, in particular livestock and waste

Neutralising the natural gas threat

The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet, causing the carbon-containing permafrost that has been frozen for thousands of years to thaw and release methane into the atmosphere, ultimately contributing to global warming.

The permafrost of the Arctic landscape has been described as a ticking time bomb by climate scientists

While this may be startling, a recent study by the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)

has found that it may be possible to neutralise this threat.

As one of the largest natural reservoirs of organic carbon in the world, the permafrost of the Arctic landscape has been described as a ticking time bomb by climate scientists, who point out that when the permafrost thaws, microbes contained in the soil can turn the carbon into carbon dioxide and methane, which are both greenhouse gases.

Recycling biosolids to make sustainable bricks

A team of researchers from Australia has found a way to recycle the world’s stockpiles of treated sewage sludge and boost sustainability in the construction industry at the same time – by turning biosolids into bricks.

Approximately 30% of the world’s biosolids are stockpiled or sent to landfill each year, using up valuable land and potentially emitting greenhouse gases. Meanwhile, over 3 billion cubic metres of clay soil are dug up for the global brickmaking industry.

Lead investigator Associate Professor Abbas Mohajerani says the research conducted by his team sought to tackle these two environmental issues.

The research, which was published in the journal Buildings, revealed that making biosolids bricks only required around half the energy of conventional bricks. Not only are the

In order to neutralise this threat, research from the IIASA suggests that we need to drastically reduce the release of man-made carbon and methane emissions into the atmosphere. The researchers believe that this highlights the importance of an urgent transition away from fossil fuels.

“It is important for everyone concerned about global warming to know that humans are the main source of methane emissions and that if we can control humans’ release of methane, the problem of methane released from the thawing Arctic tundra is likely to remain manageable,” explains Lena Höglund-Isaksson, senior researcher: Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases Program, IIASA.

biosolids bricks cheaper to produce, they also have a lower thermal conductivity, transferring less heat, to potentially give buildings higher environmental performance.

“Using biosolids in bricks could be the solution to these big environmental challenges,” notes Mohajerani.

About 5 million tonnes of the biosolids produced in Australia, Canada, the EU, New Zealand and the USA currently go to landfill or stockpiles each year. Using a minimum 15% biosolids content in 15% of bricks produced could use up this 5 million tonnes.

“It’s a practical and sustainable proposal for recycling the biosolids currently stockpiled or going to landfill around the globe,” he adds.

Associate Professor Abbas Mohajerani with a biosolids brick (Photo: RMIT University)

Living circular

contending with the impact of climate change and the broader issues of environmental sustainability will soon be an economic reality for every South African. this follows the introduction of a carbon tax from 1 June 2019.

With a developing economic and regulatory framework encouraging people, business and industry to reduce their carbon output, environmental businesses have been given a small gap to apply their technologies to help companies optimise their carbon footprint. The benefit will be not just greater ecological performance and sustainability: an environmental revolution will be a significant driver of new jobs and develop new skills within South Africa.

Among the leading companies internationally on the front line of the fight against climate change is the Veolia Group. In South Africa, Veolia has been behind many of the country’s most progressive recycling and reuse projects in the water treatment industry, from

the 47.5 Mℓ/day Durban Water Recycling plant, to Distell’s 95% self-sufficient wastewater treatment plant in the Western Cape.

In addition to the Water Technologies division, the Group also comprises specialist Waste Management and Energy Recovery divisions. They all work together to reduce carbon dependence and optimise resource use and management. In 2018 alone, Veolia installations produced nearly 56 million MWh of green energy and converted 49 million tonnes of waste into new materials and energy.

Realistic solutions

Under the banner of #LivingCircular,

Veolia’s WEEE recycling plant achieves raw material purity rates of 96% to 98%

Pécs is a pioneer in Europe and nicknamed Hungary’s green city because it is 100% heated by a biomass cogeneration plant fed with straw

Veolia is partnering with a wide and growing assembly of companies, initiatives and innovators.

“A large part of our success in transitioning to a more sustainable economy depends on introducing the right technologies at the right time,” explains Chris Braybrooke, GM: Marketing at Veolia South Africa.

“Successful, scalable projects depend on a favourable combination of three things: technological maturity (whether the solution is capable and effective); commercial maturity (whether the solution is economically competitive); as well as the positive impacts this can have on local employment,” Braybrooke continues.

Veolia’s short-term objectives focus on: energy efficiency of industry and buildings; development

of cogeneration; recovery of organic waste; incineration of non-recyclable waste; increase in the performance of drinking water systems; adaptation of seawater desalination; wastewater reuse; and recycling of plastics and other waste. This strategy has enabled the Group to set up businesses that are both economically viable and environmentally beneficial.

Heating an entire town with straw

In the Hungarian town of Pécs, heating for 150 000 residents is supplied by a Veoliaoperated biomass cogeneration plant that uses straw, corn, sunflower and wood waste from surrounding farms to produce electrical and thermal energy.

The ash produced during combustion – rich in potassium, magnesium and phosphorous – is in turn harvested and utilised as agricultural fertiliser. In addition, using agricultural by-products to supply the boilers has reduced gas consumption, avoiding the emission of 400 000 tonnes of CO2 per year. This project creates 170 permanent jobs and a further 500 seasonal jobs.

Optimising food carton recycling

Last year, Veolia and Tetra Pak joined forces to recycle 100% of the constituents used to make carton packages for food and beverage in Europe by 2025. PolyAL, the plastic and

In November 2018, Veolia and Tetra Pak joined forces in a new circular challenge to recycle 100% of the constituents used to make carton packages for food and beverages

85 000 tonnes of carton packages for food and beverages are sold in France every year. The paper, HDPE and PE Al constituents can now be reused for a range of downstream products

aluminium compound waste that makes up 25% of this packaging, is a flexible, waterproof, highly resistant and rot-proof material. This year, Veolia will start the development of a plant designed to recycle this material, which can be used to manufacture crates, plastic pallets and even outdoor furniture.

10 lives for milk bottles

Over the past few years, Veolia has been developing solutions to limit marine plastic pollution – this is being achieved by reducing land-based sources of pollution via a circulareconomy approach. One such project is Veolia’s

Dagenham recycling centre in the UK, which recycles 300 million high-density polyethylene plastic bottles into new bottles every year. This cycle can be repeated up to 10 times, meaning the amount of plastic produced for milk bottles could be reduced by 90%.

Valuable resources in household appliances

In France, Veolia manages the country’s largest WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling plant in Angers. The plant recycles almost 300 000 large appliances every year. With appliances such as refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners, appropriate treatment is essential as refrigerant gases have a global warming potential up to 10 000 times higher than CO2. Once decontaminated, Veolia recycles approximately 14 678 tonnes of material per annum at this plant.

“Common to all these solutions is their reasonable costs that produce convincing results, including environmental and social benefits,” Braybrooke says.

As South Africa gets ready to take a big step in its journey to a circular economy, it can be encouraged that a wide variety of proven technologies exists to help it meet its environmental objectives. “The longer we wait to act, the deeper our ecological debt becomes, and the greater our efforts will need to be in the long term to adapt to dramatic climate change,” Braybrooke concludes.

Recycling process of carton packaging

Power to the pickers

With waste pickers playing an increasingly essential role in the recycling economy, the city of Johannesburg is undertaking a programme to register those operating within the municipality.

The City of Johannesburg considers waste pickers key stakeholders in increasing the yield of recyclable materials diverted from Pikitup’s landfill sites, driving the municipality’s ultimate objective of waste minimisation. However, pickers’ contribution to saving the remaining landfill airspace cannot be quantified because of the informal nature of their business activities.

With this in mind, the city’s Environment and Infrastructure Services Department (EISD) in conjunction with Pikitup has already registered approximately 1 200 waste pickers, with the ultimate goal of registering them all, in order to assist them with training opportunities and participation in waste minimisation value chain projects.

The objectives of the registration process are to:

• integrate waste pickers into the city’s solid waste management system as stakeholders

• verify, record and quantify waste pickers’ contribution to waste minimisation by collecting statistics of the recyclable materials they collect

• ensure accurate records of the number of waste pickers in the city to inform planning programmes and selection for opportunities such as training, thereby ensuring fair and transparent processes

that can be properly monitored, guaranteeing equitable opportunities

• issue all waste pickers, both South Africans and documented foreign nationals, with a Waste Pickers Identity Card.

“Through this registration, waste pickers can be considered for training opportunities and benefit from waste minimisation value chain projects.

The EISD also has a forum in place where waste pickers are registered. We will, therefore, consolidate these lists to better engage with waste pickers in the future. We will engage on how we can assist with protective clothing, tools of trade, and inoculations through corporate sponsorship,” says Nico de Jager, MMC: Environment and Infrastructure Services, City of Johannesburg.

De Jager also noted that waste pickers are not being forced to register; however, he advises them to organise as a collective and register with Pikitup, as this makes it easier for the city to monitor and regulate.

Separation at source

Pikitup is also seeking to formalise the activities of waste pickers as part of its separation-at-source

programme. This strategy seeks to change resident behaviour, reduce waste to landfills and establish a recycling economy through separation at source and methods of reducing, reusing and recycling waste.

The current diversion targets are 50 000 tonnes in 2018/19 and 55 000 tonnes in 2019/20, in line with the current available resources. The mandatory separation of dry recyclables has already been rolled out in areas where separation at source has been implemented. However, waste pickers are concerned that this could threaten their livelihoods.

They are also concerned about the role of private companies in recycling initiatives. Roughly

200 waste pickers took to the streets in May 2019, demanding that the city: stops any plans to hire private companies to recycle, opens recycling hubs, provides protective equipment, stops the closure of landfills, and compensates waste pickers who help the city with the registration of their peers.

The march was organised by African Reclaimers Organisation, and protesters handed a memorandum of demands to Segala Malahlela, acting managing director of Pikitup. Marchers alleged that the frequent changes in Pitikup’s management have prevented policies that would assist with the integration of waste pickers from being implemented. Malahlela promised to take time to understand the waste pickers’ demands and respond with solutions. The memorandum was also received and signed by Stephen Moore on behalf of De Jager, who also promised to respond to the demands.

A valuable role

However, waste pickers continue to play an important role when it comes to recycling. According to the International Solid Waste Association, as much as 1% of the global population sustain their livelihoods through recycling activities.

In South Africa, a report commissioned by the Department of Environmental Affairs estimates that there are 62 147 waste pickers in the country, of which roughly 25 467 operate at kerbside as trolley pushers and 36 680 at landfill sites. It is estimated that waste pickers collect 80% to 90% of discarded packaging and paper in the country, saving municipalities hundreds of millions in landfill space.

The human value of waste

reducing the amount of domestic solid waste going to landfill is an environmental priority. ReSource speaks to Eugene van niekerk, cEo, FmSA, about his company’s novel approach to recycling, which includes the empowerment of South Africa’s street waste picker community.

FMSA was established in 2012 as a niche corporate and industrial waste solutions specialist, providing a range of on-site sorting and disposal services and working with clients to maximise their recyclable values. Examples include the sorting and grading of material, and the establishment of formal recycling initiatives. The overall goal is to minimise waste volumes and disposal costs.

Sectors covered include: medium to large industrial clients; shopping and retail centres; residential and lifestyle estates; casinos, exhibitions and events; and schools and tertiary institutions. Waste sorted at site goes to one of three destinations, namely FMSA’s community recycling centres, mills and refineries, or to landfill.

To meet broader social and environmental demands, FMSA has also reached out to and is supporting the rapidly expanding street waste picker community – a common sight within

South Africa’s major cities – via the ongoing establishment of a series of buy-back centers at its Gauteng recycling plants. Here, the waste delivered is then sorted and bailed for downstream sale to aggregators and end-users.

“We take a turnkey approach to waste management, which ensures that our clients meet their environmental and legal compliance requirements,” Van Niekerk explains. “At the same time, we believe in promoting sustainability and empowering people. Every member of society needs to understand their role and

contribution within the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle and recover’ cycle.”

“In this respect, FMSA supports the recent launch of the Good Green Deeds Programme. In order to answer President Ramaphosa’s call for South Africans to change their behaviour towards the responsible management of waste and create job opportunities, FMSA is expanding its network of Community Recycling Centres.”

To date, FMSA’s growth has hinged on consistently meeting three key deliverables, namely the efficient management of client site operations, reliable and dependable collections, and FMSA’s ability to maintain clean waste sections. These key services are backed by comprehensive monthly reports, which

Day in the life of a waste picker

FMSA’s regular street waste pickers are logged on its system so the company can track their progress and offer assistance. The plan is to help them start their own SMMEs.

A brief synopsis of Abraham, one of FMSA’s regular waste pickers, tells a similar story for thousands of others. He’s from a rural area and has a grade-seven education. He once worked in the formal sector as a plasterer, but was retrenched.

The need to find work drew him to the city and there he discovered recycling.

At some stage, FMSA provided him with a trolley, which he loads with waste items collected from landfill and residential bins. Items normally collected include aluminium cans, cardboard, paper, plastic and metals.

His day typically starts at 05:00 and ends as night falls; during that period, he can cover 15 km, all while pulling his increasingly heavy load. He heads out every day, rain or shine. But although Abraham asserts that it’s a tough job, he says it stills pays well. Plus, it’s his only source of income.

“Even if I find a formal job, I’ll continue to work part-time as a waste picker,” says Abraham. “I regard this as my own business. On good days, I can earn up to R200.”

He lives in a shack and sends money home whenever he can. He has no access to formal banking accounts and facilities or any financial services products. “One day, I’d like to own a home and have my family living with me. I still believe it’s possible thanks to FMSA.”

incorporate information like commodity rebates, collection notes and disposal certificates.

“Achieving lower waste volumes ultimately delivers substantial savings. In some cases, we’ve turned waste generated on-site into a positive monthly income for our clients. This has been achieved by simply implementing correct recycling practices at the waste generation points,” he explains.

Empowering pickers

Currently, FMSA assists around 3 000 street waste pickers on a monthly basis by buying materials suitable for recycling from them. Given the high rate of unemployment and homelessness within South Africa’s urban areas, it’s evident that this informal sector will continue to undergo exponential expansion. The upside is the opportunity to create SMMEs within the street waste picker community.

“During the last five years, we realised that each time we opened a new branch, we immediately created opportunities for up to 350 street waste pickers to either expand their activities or find work for the first time in the recycling sector,” says Van Niekerk. “While many of our competitors buy waste from pickers, we’ve taken this a step further by formalising the service. Plus, we’re bringing our corporate partners on board.”

Street waste pickers tend to share a common experience. They frequently have limited education and low skills levels, making them ‘unemployable’ in the formal sector; and they’re often migrants from rural areas with no access to formal housing (around 70% sleep on the street). Most do not have a bank account and, therefore, access to financial products, including loans.

“Within the FMSA recycling branches, our vision is to provide a ‘safe haven’ for street waste pickers so that they can sell their hard-earned commodities without being exploited,” he asserts.

Forming a Trust

To achieve this initiative, the FMSA Group is establishing an independent black-owned trust. Registered street waste pickers will then hold a share in a specific FMSA community-based buyback centre. The aim of this empowerment trust is to enable, train and educate South African street waste pickers, and help them become part of the formal economy, with a roof over their heads.

This initiative seeks to achieve the following outcomes:

• create a sustainable microbusiness enterprise

for the informal street waste picker industry

• secure a stable source of income, thereby reducing poverty, reliance on government aid and criminal activity

• enable and protect street waste pickers by providing sound and safe resources – examples include the use of branded recycling trolleys, and the issuing of protective clothing

• provide access to financial products, like credit and debit cards, accident cover, etc.

• provide basic training in areas like life skills and communication

• provide education – from basic writing, reading, etc. to formalised NQF-level courses

• assist with feeding programmes.

At some stage, trolleys might evolve into more advanced bicycle- or scooter-driven platforms, but not for now. In the interim, FMSA is researching the roll-out of larger and better trolleys that will still be manually pulled and steered.

“When waste commodity prices dip, it clearly has a direct impact on what we can pay the street waste pickers for their loads. Either way, our goal is to provide them with larger and safer trolleys that enable the transportation of bigger payloads,” Van Niekerk adds.

“In the end, our vision is to become the household name in the street waste-picking sector through our enterprise development plan, working with corporate clients and public sector stakeholders. We want to create green solutions that build people and keep our cities and towns clean,” he concludes.

New award honours a legend

plastics|SA is calling for nominations for the 2019 cleanup champion of the year. this is a new annual award that aims to recognise and reward individual excellence in the field of marine and coastal clean-up operations within South Africa. the winner receives a r10 000 cash prize and the caroline reid Award floating trophy.

Caroline Reid was an ocean conservation warrior who sadly passed away in 2018 after a tragic accident. The conservation community lost a dynamic champion who coordinated hundreds of beach and diving clean-ups.

Caroline played a central role during the remedial operations that followed an accidental spillage of polyethylene cargo into Durban harbour in 2017. Using her extensive networking skills, she also increased the awareness of plastics pollution along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline.

Given the opportunity, there is no doubt that Caroline would have become a national champion combating pollution. This award has been established to honour not just this wonderful person, but similar individuals who altruistically give up their time to make our marine and coastal environment a better place.

The 2019 Caroline Reid Award will be presented on 23 January 2020 during the National Conference of the Marine and Coastal Educators Network in Cape Town.

The deadline for nominations and applications is Friday 1 November 2019. To download the form, please visit www.plasticsinfo.co.za. For further information, contact John Kieser on +27 (0)21 591 5512 or email john.kieser@plasticssa.co.za.

Greater urgency needed

South Africa’s plastics pollution problem is at risk of being sidelined in the global battle to eliminate plastic waste from our environment. Never before has the issue of plastics pollution – and specifically plastics in our oceans – been so central. During the last two years in particular, global initiatives such as the New Plastic Economy Global Commitments and the Global Alliance were created with the aim of encouraging players in the plastics industry to pledge their commitment to reducing plastics pollution in the oceans.

However, as Plastics | SA points out, while these efforts are commendable, they fail to address the South African problem directly. South Africa has its own unique challenges in waste management infrastructure, education and awareness that must be addressed.

The South African Alliance to End Plastic Pollution in the Environment is a united group of all role players in the local plastics value chain that will collaborate to prevent and ultimately end plastics pollution in the environment.

Its first priority will be tackling problematic single-use packaging, by finding solutions and developing the best environmentally sustainable applications. There is also an urgent need to increase plastics recycling rates and make

more products available with increased recycled content.

Greener than you think

When used in consumer goods, plastic uses four times less energy than alternative materials such as metal, paper and glass. The fact is that plastic – if disposed of correctly – is among the most environmentally friendly products around. And this is where the solution to plastics pollution can be found: in its correct disposal and management. Around the country, citizens

resort to dumping their waste illegally because basic waste removal facilities are either inadequate or absent. A study commissioned by the Department of Environmental Affairs in 2012 also showed that South Africa generated 108 million tonnes of general waste in 2011, of which only 10% was recycled.

Reshaping the waste industry

To help start financing the upgrading of the presently flawed waste management system, Plastics | SA’s view is that government must

immediately take steps to ring-fence the plastic bag levy implemented in 2003. This levy was increased from R0.03 per bag in 2003 to R0.12 in 2018; over this period, close to R2 billion has been generated. However, the bulk of these funds have yet to be channelled back into reshaping the waste industry, and that needs to change.

In the end, it’s the collective responsibility of government, industry and the general consumer to end pollution and make recycling a way of life.

• Waste Collection Optimisation

• Waste Transfer Station design

• General Waste Landfill design

• Hazardous Waste Landfill design

• Landfill Rehabilitation

• Landfill Auditing and Monitoring

Contact Numbers

Telephone:+27 (0)21 982 6570

Fax:+27 (0)21 981 0868

• Landfill Closure

• Leachate Treatment

• Regional Waste Studies

• PPP Involvement in Waste Management

• Alternative Technologies for Waste Reduction

• Integrated Waste Management Plans

Contributing to zero-waste-to-landfill goals

A new partnership is helping turn animal waste into compost in an attempt to reduce waste to landfill.

EnviroServ has entered into a partnership with leading compost provider Reliance to ensure a reduced carbon footprint by composting waste from abattoirs.

Each month, 800 tonnes of animal abattoir waste is mixed with wood chips at Reliance’s Aalwynhoek composting facility in Uitenhage, to generate compost that is sold to farmers in the Addo and Langkloof areas in the Eastern Cape.

This provides the agricultural sector with a more environmentally friendly and sustainable way of maintaining healthy plants and crops,

800 t

Each month, 800 tonnes of animal abattoir waste is mixed with wood chips at Reliance’s Aalwynhoek facility

rather than using fertiliser. The wood chips used in the process have also been repurposed. “The major fires experienced in the Longmore Forest last year have meant the wood that was unusable in the timber trade was chipped and is being used to make the compost,” explains Ernst Pienaar, regional manager, EnviroServ. Sawdust and wood chips from other the mills are also used.

Reducing waste to landfill

“With the Aalwynhoek composting facility,

65%

Roughly 65% of South Africa’s waste is recyclable and could be diverted from landfill

EnviroServ is helping our clients to carry out the government’s mandate of zero waste to landfill, thereby improving their carbon footprint,” says Pienaar.

In over eight years of existence, Aalwynhoek has prevented 81 600 tonnes of waste from going to landfill. With the landfill prohibitions coming into play, as per the Waste Regulations, which fall under the National Management: Waste Amendment Act (No. 26 of 2014), more and more waste is being diverted from landfill sites to alternative facilities.

81 600 t

In over eight years of existence, Aalwynhoek has prevented 81 600 tonnes of waste from going to landfill

End plastic pollution

plastics|SA – the umbrella body representing the entire plastics industry in South Africa – invites all role players in the plastics value chain to jointly find workable solutions to end plastic pollution in our oceans and environment: Join the South African Alliance to End Plastic Pollution.

South Africa’s plastic pollution problem is at risk of being sidelined in the global battle to eliminate plastic waste from our environment. Never before has the issue of plastic pollution – and specifically plastics in our oceans – been so central. During the last two years in particular, global initiatives such as the New Plastic Economy Global Commitment and the Global Alliance were created with the aim of encouraging players in the plastics industry to pledge their commitment to reducing plastic pollution in the oceans.

While these efforts are commendable, they fail to address the South African problem directly. We have our own, unique challenges in waste management infrastructure, education and awareness that must be addressed.

We do not have the luxury of time to wait for these international alliances to shift their focus on to South Africa. We need to develop a workable, local plan – and we need to do so now; it must be a plan that is aligned to international initiatives, but one that finds innovative solutions that fit the South African

context and our particular environmental, sociopolitical and economic realities.

What is the South African Alliance?

The South African Alliance to End Plastic Pollution in the Environment is a united group of all role players in the local plastics value chain that will collaborate to prevent and, ultimately, end plastic pollution in the environment.

Our first priority will be tackling problematic ‘single-use’ packaging by finding solutions and developing the best environmentally sustainable applications. We also urgently need to increase the plastics recycling rates and make more products available with increased recycled content.

But sustainable life-cycle assessments must form the basis for these solutions and more.

Your commitment is essential to end plastic pollution.

Pledge your support and sign up to the South African Alliance to End Plastic Pollution today!

To achieve this, our environment will require much more access to research facilities and technological landscapes, together with the critical involvement of our government, businesses, NGOs, existing environmental and community networks, as well as everyday South Africans.

Expedited timing

The development of a focused, collaborative local South African Alliance to End Plastic Pollution is under way and must be expedited to make immediate impacts while remaining cognisant of external factors like the Global initiatives (2025), the National Development Plan (2030), together with the objectives and roll-out of the proposed Packaging and Paper Industry Waste Management Plan.

And existing projects such as the homegrown, mobile recycling alternative to separation at source, Packa-Ching, would be useful, interim initiatives to deal with the lack of waste management infrastructure.

But we cannot solve the exploding problem of plastic pollution in the environment without all members of the plastics value chain constructively finding and implementing effective and environmentally friendly solutions for our specific waste problems for more effective and greater change.

There’s no time left to waste.

For more information or to sign up to the South African Alliance to End Plastic Pollution in the Environment, please contact Anton Hanekom, Executive Director of Plastics|SA: Email: anton.hanekom@plasticssa.co.za

Tel: +27 (0)11 314 4021

Web: www.plasticsinfo.co.za

Anton Hanekom, Executive Director, Plastics|SA

Barriers to managing hazardous waste in Africa

discussions of hazardous waste in Africa all come down to the same issue: how to get from an essentially unregulated situation to a well-regulated system with adequate commercial waste management capacity. By Randy M Mott*

To some degree, the prevalence of open dumping of municipal waste masks a possibly larger problem. As rules tighten, the incentives to avoid or ignore the rules grow. The plethora of new hazardous waste rules in Africa creates huge incentives for non-compliance.

These incentives reach a crisis level when there are few or no legal alternatives within many African countries and the ability to export the waste to better facilities in other African countries is overly restrictive. We will likely find that the literal mountains of municipal waste in open dumps have provided a low-cost – if illegal – option for hazardous waste dumping. Vast territories and limited enforcement capacities

in Africa also make the prevention of direct dumping of hazardous waste problematic.

It is easy to list the deficiencies and recite how they need to be corrected, but what is missing in the public narrative is a serious discussion of specific solutions to the critical barriers to improvement. The most crucial reality underlying possible solutions is that it is easier to legislate than build.

The new series of aggressive rules are on the books in most African countries affecting the domestic management of hazardous waste and its export. The rules to date have outstripped the physical capacity for compliance. In the USA, we described that type of environmental regulation as technology forcing.

In Africa, we do not see the necessary level of effort to develop the technical capacity for meeting the current rules or the new rules often being cut and pasted from laws of industrial nations, such as the waste hierarchy and landfill bans.

As we discuss how to transform the hazardous waste management system in Africa, understanding the underlying economics, the financial impacts of compliance or noncompliance, and which parties need to have their economic motivation incentivised is the key element. Failures in the current efforts are normally caused by misunderstanding these underlying dynamics.

Basel Convention leakage

The Basel Convention and then the Bamako Treaty have imposed tight restrictions on the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes. The latest version of Basel and the Bamako Treaty make it illegal to transport hazardous waste from OECD countries to Africa. The initial problems arose in the 1980s precisely because of government regulation in the OECD. The cost of compliance was vastly increased and the pressure to find alternative, illegal means to handle the wastes created the market of the so-called toxic traders. This proved difficult to manage until the avoided cost of compliance was reduced by the growth of commercially viable means of compliance back in the OECD. Public relations disasters and economic damage claims in Africa also helped tip the balance.

It is still important to enforce these restrictions and one of the key problems is the definition of hazardous waste. The Basel Convention definitions are frequently different than national definitions, even within the EU. This problem has received widespread attention and is being addressed as it should be.

The unintended consequences of the Basel and Bamako restrictions is the problem of what to do with hazardous waste in African

countries that lack the means for legal compliance and certainly lack commercially viable compliance options.

Seen in this light, the problem is really how to develop the commercial capacity to meet the current and evolving rules. Making legal compliance physically possible and financially viable is the key to fixing the problem.

What causes the lack of commercial infrastructure?

While there is literally hundreds of billions of dollars in equity investment and debt capacity in the global economy seeking green investment projects, there are no adequate international not-for-profit funding sources to deal with the African waste infrastructure problem. However, adequate commercial funding is potentially available, but has not occurred in most cases in Africa. Why?

Private investment by equity funds or large industry players seeks return on investment. How does one create a commercially viable market for improved hazardous waste

management? I think that there are only three main elements:

1. Create the rules that divert the waste from other disposal options.

2. Assure the commercial viability of the investment in the compliance alternatives.

3. Enforce the rules.

The core issue that has been mostly unaddressed is why inadequate investment incentives to build this capacity already exist.

Most African countries do not produce enough hazardous wastes to be a commercially viable market. As the demand for more elaborate treatment and recycling technologies rises, this becomes more acute. Since compliance depends upon economically feasible alternatives, the need for commercial scale of operations is even greater.

Steps toward a solution

Step 1. A key solution is vital to make the ‘prior informed consent’ provisions of Basel actually work. My proposal is to create a third-party entity that conducts waste facility reviews that are available to both the exporting and importing country’s government officials. Following commercially proven procedures, this would allow for the best possible information to be considered in approving exports and raise the confidence level in those decisions.

The Coastal Park facility is both a landfill gas extraction and flaring project

Hazardous Waste Solutions & Industrial Cleaning Solutions

This can be financed once in place by fees charged to the parties seeking the approvals. An internationally funded training programme for understanding and using the reviews would be essential. It would also provide the side benefits of training regulators on risk management issues that would build expertise in permitting and enforcement, not simply in approval of shipments.

Step 2. Specific Bamako provisions on the need to approve every shipment separately may create a permanent barrier to the creation of regional markets in some countries. This needs to be reinterpreted or revised to allow approval ‘by rule’.

Step 3. Right now, a major step could be taken by simply requiring all Basel signatory nations in Africa to provide a list of licensed hazardous waste facilities on a public platform, including a description of their operations and what wastes they are licensed to manage. This would at least create a ‘rolling’ list of options for hazardous waste producers to consider as they face growing regulatory requirements in their individual African locations.

Step 4. To assure that hazardous waste is actually delivered to the intended waste management facility, waste producers should require their contractors to provide an electronic manifest tracking system. This would provide a straight-forward online

method of tracking the waste shipment, just like we do with private internet orders and Uber drivers.

Final thought

There is no simple fix and certainly no way out of the situation without a real dialogue on the key parts of the problem. Contrary to the popular culture, most international companies have strict rules on the management of their production wastes, which often exceed local legal requirements. Many of these firms operate in Africa and should form the basis for a new waste economy that moves infrastructure in the direction of better environmental and health practices.

*Randy M Mott, JD is a graduate of Georgetown University Law School, Washington DC, and has been involved in hazardous waste issues in the US, EU and Africa for over 30 years. For more information, contact randymott@envirosolutions.co.

Waste as a resource: opportunities in Africa

It is estimated that 125 million tonnes of municipal solid waste is generated in Africa, of which only about 68 million tonnes is collected. unsanitary landfilling and open dumping of collected waste are the predominant waste disposal options in many African countries.

By Professor Suzan Oelofse and Mr Anton Nahman

The UN Environment Programme (2015) identified 19 dumpsites in Africa among the world’s 50 biggest dumpsites (Figure 1). These dumpsites are defined as landfills lacking proper liners, leachate and gas management systems, anti-flooding measures and sound operations (UNEP, 2015).

The waste generation rate for municipal solid waste (MSW) in Africa is estimated to be 0.65 kg per person per day (varying between 0.09 kg/ person/day and 3.0 kg/person/day) and is expected to increase to 0.85 kg/person/day in 2025. This translates into 169 119 tonnes of waste generated on the African content per day

in 2012 and 441 840 tonnes per day in 2025. The per capita waste generation rates vary

considerably across countries, between and even within cities. Waste generation is generally lower in rural areas since, on average, rural residents are generally poorer, purchase fewer products from stores, and therefore generate less packaging waste and are more likely to reuse items and compost garden and food waste.

The rapid waste generation growth rate in Africa (of 30% between 2012 and 2025) is largely driven by urbanisation and an increase in socioeconomic status, coupled with higher disposable

FiguRE 1 The location of the 19 biggest dumpsites in Africa (UNEP, 2015)

Waste hierarchy vs circular economy

incomes. This growth in waste generation is not expected to stabilise before 2100.

When comparing the overall waste composition from sub-Saharan Africa with that of the rest of the world (Figure 2), it is evident that MSW in Africa is not all that different. The MSW generated in Africa is, therefore, likely to have value as secondary resources.

The aim of this paper is to identify the opportunities for a secondary waste economy in Africa. Will the implementation of the waste hierarchy be enough, or should the focus change to the implementation of the circular economy?

Globally, the waste sector is undergoing a paradigm shift towards a circular economy, where waste is viewed as a secondary resource – not only for energy recovery, but also for the reuse, recycling and recovery of materials. The circular economy “seeks to maximise the longevity of resources by retaining them in a closed loop for as long as possible”. In contrast, the waste hierarchy provides a set of priorities for the efficient use of resources. It is reported that the waste hierarchy is easy to interpret, even for nonwaste experts; it provides clarity on the actions and behaviours that should be prioritised; and it is something that businesses, people and a country can easily commit to.

The circular economy, on the other hand, is more aspirational, requiring fundamental changes to the way in which businesses operate. It requires more expertise, effort and planning to establish a closed-loop system as envisaged by a circular economy, and it also requires a more collaborative approach, with involvement of the private sector being critical. The circular economy is increasingly receiving attention as a way to overcome resource limitations by decoupling global economic development from the consumption of finite resources.

FiguRE 3 Bridging the service and value chains in unlocking opportunities in Africa (Oelofse et al., 2018)

[A] Sub-Saharan Africa MSW composition [B] Global MSW composition

FiguRE 2 MSW composition for sub-Saharan Africa [A] compared to global composition [B] (Hoornweg and Bhada-Tata, 2012)

Globally, there are examples of the circular economy approach being successfully implemented. For example, environmental service providers such as Veolia and SITA have moved from being resource operators to manufacturing companies. It is, therefore, clear that the circular economy and the waste hierarchy are complementary approaches, providing many opportunities for Africa.

Opportunities in Africa

There are a range of benefits associated with moving waste up the waste management hierarchy, including, among others:

• Waste minimisation, reuse and recycling all reduce the social and environmental costs (externalities) associated with landfill disposal (such as health hazards, odours, visual impacts, contamination of soil and water resources, emissions of greenhouse gases, reduced land availability and value, and more).

• Waste minimisation and reuse can reduce the financial, social and environmental costs associated with both waste collection and disposal; hence, their place at the top of the waste management hierarchy.

can also foster innovation and create new business opportunities.

• Recycling and energy recovery allow for valuable materials or energy to be recovered and recirculated back into the economy. These materials can, in turn, be used as inputs in the manufacturing of new products.

• Recycling and energy recovery displace the use of virgin materials and, therefore, reduce the financial, social and environmental costs associated with virgin material extraction. Alternative uses for waste convert secondary materials into valuable assets, including compost, new products and energy. Implementing the waste hierarchy and adopting alternative-use technologies in Africa are thus desirable to address the waste management challenges as outlined above, but also to unlock the potential opportunities in waste for economic growth, job creation and improved livelihoods. The benefit of unlocking this potential can further be maximised through the selection of the most appropriate technologies, in line with the principles of the circular economy, namely:

• preserve and enhance natural capital

• optimise resource yields

• foster system effectiveness.

However, to attain this, a number of challenges will have to be resolved first. The current waste collection and disposal systems in Africa need to be improved and expanded to address backlogs in service delivery.

It also requires bridging the waste service chain with private sector value chains to divert waste towards value-adding opportunities, as illustrated in Figure 3. This will improve the living conditions of affected communities while capturing and making secondary resources available for conversion into assets.

Another challenge is the perceived higher cost of alternative treatment technology relative to landfilling. This current lack of effective waste collection and management systems, coupled with the lack of treatment capacity supported by appropriate technologies, means that the opportunities for secondary resource use in Africa is currently limited.

• Recycling and energy recovery contribute to economic growth and job creation, and

Economic value of waste

In a 2018 publication, Professor Suzan Oelofse quantified the resource value of waste in Africa at nearly US$8 billion (R112 billion) per year, of which $7.6 billion

IFAT Africa 2019

Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand

(R106 billion) worth of valuable resources (96%) is currently lost through the disposal of waste each year.

Considering that a living wage for a family in South Africa is set at $813 (R11 400) per month, according Trading Economics, the value locked in MSW in Africa alone could pay a monthly living wage to just over 800 000 households per year (at South African living wages).

However, this should be seen as a conservative estimate, as it is based on only MSW generated in urban areas, and for a limited number of waste types and it is a direct estimate of the value of the waste as resource (i.e. the price paid by the recyclers for input material). The final value of the waste after value-adding processes could be significantly more.

Unlocking the economic value of waste will also create social opportunities as discussed in the next section.

Social opportunities

According to Beegle et al. (2016) and the latest estimates of the World Bank, poverty in Africa declined from 57% in 1990 to 43% in 2012. Although this seems to be good news, in reality, the number of people in Africa living in poverty increased by more than 100 million due to population growth.

It is further projected that the extreme poor of the world will be increasingly concentrated in Africa. The average annual income in subSaharan Africa is $2 041 (R28 631), or $5.60 per day (R78.50). For comparison, the EU annual income is about $27 555 (R386 894).

Furthermore, this income is unevenly distributed with 73% of subSaharan Africans living on less than $2 (R28) per day, and 51% on as little as $1.25 (R17.50) per day. Overall, the rural population is hit much harder by poverty than people living in urban areas, which is one of the

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• Advanced technologies and solutions by over 100 top local and international brands

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• Master classes on topical issues

• Networking with up to 6,000 stakeholders across related sectors

Trade fair for water, sewage, refuse & recycling

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reasons for rural to urban migration being prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa.

The social opportunities associated with moving waste up the hierarchy include poverty alleviation, empowerment of women, job creation, entrepreneur development and enterprise creation. The secondary resources economy has grown into a global business, with China and India at the forefront of realising these opportunities through the creation of processing facilities.

This ban by China may, however, also create an opportunity for Africa to develop local markets and processing facilities for recyclables, thereby creating some resilience to global shocks in the secondary resources market. The China ban may, therefore, be a blessing in disguise, as it opens the door for the development of local processing capacity for secondary resources in Africa.

Impacts of China ban on imports

China issued a notice to the World Trade Organization that it intended to ban imports of certain waste streams by the end of 2017. This ban had serious negative consequences for many countries exporting secondary resources, including job losses in the recycling industry, especially for countries that do not have their own local processing facilities, as well as a drop in the price paid for secondary resources.

For a full list of references or more information, contact Professor Suzan Oelofse (soelofse@csir.co.za) or Mr Anton Nahman (anahman@csir.co.za).

This development opportunity should, however, be approached from a regional perspective to ensure economies of scale. Care should be taken to attract reputable investors with ethical business practices to ensure that this development contributes to social upliftment, the creation of decent jobs and sustainable development in Africa, for the people of Africa. Furthermore, there is a risk that foreign investment could lead to the implementation of technologies that are not necessarily suited to local conditions. There is thus an opportunity for local experts to influence technology choices, develop new innovative technologies for waste streams that are not yet included in the secondary resources economy, and for innovative customisation of off-the-shelf technologies to local conditions.

Conclusion

The current overall state of waste management in Africa is poor and, at first glance, not conducive to implementing the waste hierarchy. However, the projected growth in waste generation and people living in poverty requires action to improve waste management on the continent. In addition, the opportunities locked in waste as a valuable resource need to be realised for the benefit of Africa and its people.

The waste hierarchy has stood the test of time and should, therefore, be promoted throughout Africa. The people of Africa are at risk as a result of poor waste management practices and implementing the hierarchy could improve their health, livelihoods and the state of the environment in which they live. The development of a secondary resources economy holds promise to create much-needed jobs and revenue opportunities for Africa, provided these opportunities are realised on African soil.

The China ban has opened a number of opportunities in Africa, but there is a risk that these opportunities could be exploited to the detriment of Africa and its people, if not properly managed.

The onus is, therefore, on African governments to work together to ensure that these opportunities are indeed realised but for the benefit of Africa and all its people.

Driving diversion from SA landfills

the solid waste sector’s contribution to greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions is relatively minor compared to other industries. however, carbon dioxide’s status as one of the biggest ghg pollutants was motivation enough for a number of international organisations to seek out opportunities to mitigate the negative effects of ghgs produced by landfills. By Liesl Frankson

To this end, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety commissioned the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to partner with the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) to implement a project aimed at diverting municipal solid waste away from landfills in six South African municipalities.

Local engineering and environmental consulting firm JG Afrika, together with UK-based Resources and Waste Advisory Group, was tasked with managing this massive, consolidated, interactive project over a period of 12 months, to allow for

faster implementation within the municipalities. “This was a massive, consolidated, interactive task that involved the coordination of a large multidisciplinary team to undertake numerous time-sensitive and labour-intensive tasks,” explains Stuart Gower-Jackson, project leader, JG Afrika.

Gower-Jackson notes that during the 12-month time span, the team had to prepare six locally appropriate feasibility studies, business and implementation plans that would allow the municipalities to divert waste from their landfill sites to achieve major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

“Not only was the allotted time span of the project incredibly short, there was also

Assessing the landfill at Mbombela

Assessing the landfill at Mbombela

Getting ready for waste characterisation training

Scavenging behind an REL at New England Road landfill, Musunduzi

the need to manage somewhat uncontrollable externalities, such as various political interests and mayoral endorsements – amid the demands of local elections,” he adds.

The project saw six municipalities – five local municipalities (LMs) and one metro – selected for the pilot study. These included Rustenburg LM in the North West, City of Mbombela LM in Mpumalanga, Emfuleni LM in Gauteng, Msunduzi and uMhlathuze LMs in KwaZuluNatal and Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in the Free State.

Strategy development and implementation

The DEA identified a need to promote and demonstrate proper implementation of the waste hierarchy. With this in mind, the project set out to develop a strategy that would outline possible interventions to improve integrated waste management strategies with an emphasis on the diversion of waste away from landfills for each of the municipalities.

In addition to this, detailed scenarios were drawn up for each municipality based on the short- and medium-term interventions, to improve the waste management strategies with an emphasis on waste diversion.

For each of the municipalities, the project was prepared based on selected scenarios specific to each one. These included the development of bankable business and implementation plans.

“How solid waste management strategies and infrastructure are engineered can have a regional and, ultimately, global impact –for instance on climate change,” says Gower-Jackson.

In line with this thinking, the project team compiled a document containing some of the lessons learned from the preparation process. The aim of this compilation was to develop recommendations for the uptake of similar projects across the country.

“This project offered an opportunity to make a step change in the development of integrated solid waste management practices in the partner municipalities and aimed to achieve effective waste management, proper climate

O UTCOMES

According to Gower-Jackson, each municipality selected projects tailored for the surrounding environment and community.

• Rustenburg Local Municipality will provide organic separation at source for about 5 000 households. The entire project is anticipated to divert about 13 280 tonnes a year of food waste from landfills.

• Mbombela Local Municipality intends on developing an in-vessel composting operation at its Tekwane landfill site, diverting about 9 000 tonnes of green garden waste a year.

• Emfuleni Local Municipality will develop a centralised biomass pre-treatment facility, which will divert 15 500 tonnes a year of food waste.

• Msunduzi Local Municipality will run a project that entails the composting of food and biodegradable waste at about 10 000 households. This project is expected to divert more than 2 500 tonnes a year of food waste to landfill in its early stages of operation.

• uMhlathuze Local Municipality will produce a product for nutrient upcycling from waste collected from 25 000 households and 100 commercial premises, and aims to divert about 4 380 tonnes a year of waste from landfills.

• Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality aims to divert about 27 000 tonnes a year of green garden waste by establishing centralised chipping facilities at its Northern and Southern landfill.

change response and the development of a green economy,” he adds.

Overcoming challenges

1

Stakeholder buy-in

One of the key challenges on the project was ensuring the extensive involvement of all the stakeholders, including the municipalities, the DEA and the GIZ team from the outset. This was crucial for the success of the project and Gower-Jackson says the need for municipal buy-in was identified very early on in the project.

“The team took the necessary steps to ensure that the participating municipalities all owned the process. This was one of the most important lessons learnt on this project, and this approach should be adopted when it is rolled out elsewhere in the country,” he explains.

2

Waste characterisation

Waste characterisation was one of the most important factors on the project.

According to Gower-Jackson, one of the biggest challenges at this stage of the project was the limited record-keeping at some facilities, which he says added another level of complexity to data collection for modelling.

“It was an extremely arduous process, with three to four teams spending up to five days at these facilities collecting information and characterising the organic waste streams. Waste- pickers from some of the sites helped accelerate this phase of the project. A total of 9 844 kg of waste was sorted and weighed from eight landfill sites in five days,” he explains.

After spending up to five days at most of the 12 landfill sites, 40 detailed short-, mediumand long-term generic interventions were used to develop scenarios for each municipality, spanning collection and transfer points all the way through to the treatment of organic waste.

3

Numerous reports and workshops

In addition to the other challenges faced on this project, Gower-Jackson says the project team was also tasked with hosting and compiling numerous reports and workshops.

“Not only were a total of 41 reports compiled over 52 weeks, but the project team also hosted 16 workshops, an international study tour spanning three countries, a national study tour, and conducted a waste characterisation training session for staff from the DEA.

Ultimately, the project, which cost approximately R9 000 000, was completed within the budget and the allocated timeframe of 12 months.

New kid on the block

Last year, worldwide sales of ud trucks’ Quester passed the 10 000 mark, setting the tone for the future success of the brand in the heavy-duty truck segment. n ow, only a few months later, the eagerly anticipated Quester has arrived in South Africa.

Unveiled at a launch event in Sun City recently, the new Quester range boasts a flexibility that makes it suitable for use in a variety of applications, including cargo, long haul, construction and waste management.

The new Quester features a high-performance driveline that, when combined with a lighter tare weight, makes waste or utility assignments more productive. The ranges’ 8- and 11-litre engines are powered by UD Trucks’ advanced technology, which merges reliability with topclass performance to deliver a truck that offers better pulling power and easier driving.

For the waste management sector, the new Quester features an Allison automatic transmission, which provides the perfect solution for start-stop operations because of

many collection points and helps to reduce driver fatigue, allowing drivers to focus on the road and during any manoeuvre.

Smart solutions

All trucks across the Quester range come standard with the UD Trucks telematics system, which Jacques Michel, president: Sales, Volvo Group Trucks Asia & JVs, says is a direct response to customers’ needs.

“Customer success is a big focus for us and a key driver behind our features that help enhance fuel and driver efficiency, safety, uptime and productivity.”

The UD Trucks telematics system is a hightech wireless communications system that helps support greater productivity. It integrates a host of features – including breakdown assistance, preventive maintenance analysis and corrective service scheduling – all aimed at greatly increasing operating efficiency.

Customer focused

Gert Swanepoel, managing director, UD Trucks Southern Africa, says the introduction of smart solutions likes the telematics system will not only greatly strengthen the brand’s product appeal and bolster growth in Quester sales but also responds to modern customer needs.

“Things are changing and our customers are continually facing new challenges, which is why we had to look at smart solutions. We’ve listened to our customers’ needs and come up with solutions for them. I think it’s safe to say that we’ve gone the extra mile on this product and we look forward to seeing how it does on the South African market,” he says.

Aluminium fuel tanks and wheel rims equal a lighter truck and mean your trucks can be on the road longer, with more cargo.

Transmission retarder slows the truck on downhills, reducing brake wear and risk of accidents.

A larger cab makes for a more pleasant and comfortable working environment.

Easy superstructure installation – the new Quester is designed for ease of superstructure installation, with comprehensive bodybuilder instructions and drawings.

Safer driving – A number of safety features like the reliable auxiliary braking system and hydraulic retarder make the new Quester a wise investment for safer operations.

r kEy fEATurES

From the outset, Komatsu’s PC210 design philosophy has been based on producing a robust machine that is simple and cost-effective to maintain. This has been refined on each successive model.

Komatsu’s new PC210-10MO hydraulic excavator builds on the legendary reputation of the previous-generation PC200-8MO unit and comes to market with a host of performance improvements.

“Simply put, the PC210-10MO is more productive, powerful and economical than its predecessors against a background of improved operator safety and comfort, together with the latest cab-based information technology. This takes a product, which has always delivered, to the next level,” says Mike Helm, GM: Marketing and Sales, Komatsu South Africa.

The bucket size has been increased to 1.2 m³, while the lifting capacity has risen by 5% thanks to the greater stability provided by a heavier counterweight and extended rear-end radius.

Greater digging power is provided by an engine that has been designed to deliver a 12% gain in power, now producing 123 kW. It also features a P-mode setting, which, at the touch of a button,

Komatsu’s Komtrax remote machine monitoring system feeds back key data such as mechanical health and infield utilisation

Leading in the 20 t class

EffICIEnCy GAInS

new PC210-10MO vs previous-generation PC200-8MO model

• Lifting capacity: up 5%

• Engine power: up by 12%

• Travelling output power: 15% improvement

• Fuel consumption: 20% improvement

• Bucket capacity increased to 1.2 m³

• Improved stability thanks to a heavier counterweight and extended rear tail radius

• Hydraulic oil filter element replacement interval extended from 1 000 to 2 500 hours

• Safer cab with Komatsu’s class-leading KomVision 360-degree view

provides maximum digging power in a single, controlled burst. Travelling power output has also climbed by 15%, delivering improved traction and reduced tramming times when traversing inclines, gradients and tough terrain.

These increases in performance are accompanied by an equally impressive 20% improvement in fuel economy due to enhanced engine management technology, which includes optimised fuel-injection controls. Further gains have been achieved by reducing hydraulic pressure loss and fan speeds. Cab instrumentation also plays a role, as alarms warn the operator of excess idling as well as signify the machine’s operational modes.

Lower maintenance costs

There is easy access to engine oil and lubrication system filters, which are integrated to be positioned on one side of the machine. Another major enhancement that will be welcomed by maintenance crews is the extension of replacement cycle times for hydraulic oil filters from 1 000 to 2 500 operating hours.

An important safety feature is the single battery disconnect switch, which enables the service technician to disengage the power supply and lock out before conducting maintenance work. Operator safety is the first priority on this new product. A key, new safety feature are two rear-mounted cameras that transmit images to the control panel, providing the operator with a 360-degree view of the site at all times.

Offsetting delivery risks

The handling, storage and transportation of waste is a highly regulated and closely monitored business, with a number of risks that need to be carefully managed. These include spillage, vehicle and load theft, driver behaviour monitoring, and accurate delivery.

The associated minimum legal requirements of transporting particularly hazardous wastes are the same in principle and requirements as those of dangerous goods. This makes it absolutely crucial for the transporter to take every measure available to safeguard the load throughout its journey to safe disposal.

Harry Louw, CEO: South Africa at Cartrack, notes that a comprehensive fleet management telematics platform will mitigate many of these risks and assist the transporter in complying with stringent legal requirements.

“It’s essential for fleet managers to have real-time visibility of the vehicle throughout its round trip,” he explains. “This will confirm the vehicle’s location and its adherence to the pre-planned schedule and route.

“Sophisticated add-ons such as video footage and CAN (controller area network) bus data provide the fleet manager with more information and peace of mind, enabling rapid response to spillages and

mechanical problems, fuel consumption, and external threats,” he explains. “Further, impact detection alerts are there to ensure the driver is safe and to raise the alarm about accidents as and when they occur.”

Choosing the optimum systems

Choosing the right system is dependent on two main considerations. If the requirements relate to basic fleet management, Louw says it’s advisable to keep it simple and focus on reliability, track record, customer case studies and endorsements, and affordability.

“However, if the requirements are more complex, such as the need for cargo protection, video feeds, fuel monitoring, and engine management, then you should spend some time investigating exactly what is available and at what cost,” he advises.

“It’s essential for fleet managers to have real-time visibility of the vehicle throughout its round trip.”

A prime example of the value of telematics in business is Cartrack’s long-standing partnership with a leading OEM specialising in heavy commercial vehicle brands. A fleet management service is offered to the end-user as part of the vehicle purchase, expanding the benefit to offer crucial telematics business support services.

The pay-off for any fleet manager is clear: customer satisfaction through vehicle and driver optimisation and integrated asset risk management.

Cartrack’s purpose-designed apps also enable any fleet management function to be executed from a smart device. This functionality extends to include the management of a mobile workforce.

Harry Louw, CEO: South Africa at Cartrack

Reimagining waste-to-energy for microgeneration

the exploration of alternative energy sources and projects has been all the buzz again recently, particularly in response to challenges Eskom continues to face and the looming reality of further load-shedding across the country, as we head into the winter months.

By Kate Stubbs*

To really explore the opportunities that waste can present as an alternative fuel source for energy, it’s important to first understand the current landscape and that innovative and effective solutions for waste management are fundamental to the contribution and achievement of carbon emissions reduction targets and future sustainability in the country.

Curbing the looming waste crisis

Current statistics highlight that South Africans reportedly generate 108 million tonnes of waste per annum, with only 10% of this waste currently being recycled and the remaining 90% disposed of at landfill sites, which are fast approaching capacity.

In efforts to not only curb the potential looming waste crisis, but also to institute enforceable mechanisms to drive change in behaviour, the South African government has already released and continues to release changes to the National Environment Management: Waste Act (No. 59 of 2008) – aligned to the theme of diverting waste from landfill.

These changes are also in line with global trends of zero waste to landfill and promoting circular

economy thinking – which aim to challenge the status quo and encourage a mindset shift around waste and waste management.

A circular economy, for instance, is a reformative system in which resource input, waste, emission and energy leakage are minimised. This means eliminating unnecessary wastage and waste generation that would eventually be disposed of at

*Kate Stubbs is the director of Business Development and Marketing at Interwaste.

a landfill site. This can be achieved by optimising resource efficiency through sustainable product designs, the recovery, reuse and recycling of products, or energy production through the systematic approach of the waste hierarchy.

With this in mind, it should be stated that as there are already some public- and privatesector-led zero-waste-to-landfill interventions and initiatives under way across the country, these may not leave sufficient remaining waste available to justify the spend in developing a standalone waste-to-energy microgeneration project to serve a singular site. However, there is one possible structure that can be investigated in the South African and African environments.

Pooling non-recyclable refuse for microgeneration

While one site alone – for example, an industrial site like a mine – may not produce sufficient quantities of suitable waste to make the business case for developing a waste-to-energy power project, there is perhaps great opportunity for a collective of mines and/or other industrial businesses, as well as the local municipality, within a specific geographical area of operation, to potentially pool their suitable non-recyclable/ recoverable (i.e. recoverable through conventional means) wastes to such an end.

Successfully implementing a refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plant will take buy-in and collaboration between the public and private sector, as well as the surrounding community. There are a number of potential benefits to be gained, including, but not limited to:

• Waste is diverted from landfill, which saves landfill space while reducing negative environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions.

• Energy value is derived from waste through alternative uses.

• RDF energy is considered green energy that yields carbon credits.

• Jobs are created through resource recovery.

• The lower ash content (compared to conventional fuels like coal) reduces particulate emissions. Though, again, the business case will still be dependent on the available volumes of suitable waste to sustain production and power outputs –this model of project is perhaps more feasible for remote and isolated areas that have little access to the national power grid or sufficient waste removal support services. Additionally, in such circumstances, there may be a business case for exploring potential biogas projects from human waste and other biodegradable food wastes. Nevertheless, the viability and tangible benefits would depend on the volume of waste actually generated, and whether or not one could identify a bona fide use for the biogas generated.

We are inspired every day by how perceptions of refuse and waste continue to change and evolve, as worldwide governments, industries and citizens alike are pushing the hand of the waste industry to innovate around effectively repurposing as much waste as possible into something useful.

To look at it within a global perspective: the waste-to-energy market is expected to grow from US$28.4 billion (R403.3 billion) in 2017 to almost R43 billion (R610.8 billion) in 2024, representing a massive economic opportunity to establish new industries and/or revenue streams too.

It’s not surprising then that the waste-to-energy agenda in South Africa, and Africa for that matter, is one of the most prominent aspects at the forefront of waste management leadership today. It goes far beyond traditional recycling and, with a vision for integrated and sustainable solutions at the core of our business, we are proud to be able to bring advanced technology and solutions to South Africa’s shores – to ensure waste-to-energy opportunities can be realised locally.

Innovative solutions to a growing crisis

the department of Water and Sanitation reports that around 56% of the country’s wastewater treatment works (WWtWs) are in poor or critical condition. unfortunately, these problems would cost trillions to fix using traditional methods.

The Vaal crisis is a prime example of the dire situation facing many of the country’s WWTWs. Maintenance is often not prioritised, and the harsh nature of WWTWs means they are frequently exposed to high levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which causes significant corrosion damage and is also the leading cause of gas inhalation deaths in the industry. ReSource talks to Shaun Blackmore-Reed, director, UltraTech SA, about the company’s innovative solutions to some of the biggest challenges in the wastewater treatment space.

How do you combat the threat of H2S?

SB By eliminating H2S, you not only drastically reduce corrosion and odours – which translates into savings on maintenance, repairs and downtime – but you also create a safer work environment. While H2S simply results in an unpleasant

rotten egg smell in lower quantities, in higher amounts it signals your diaphragm to shut down, posing a serious safety concern.

Our Ultra-S3® product is an effective oxidising system suitable for WWTWs and a number of other related applications like abattoirs. Up to 3.5 times faster and 241% more effective than hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) alone, Ultra-S3 eliminates H2S quickly and efficiently. However, the two can be combined to form our Rapid Sanitizing System (RSS), which is three times more powerful than chlorine, making it ideal for WWTWs.

The RSS gets injected into the water stream to produce a compound that separates H2S into water and elemental sulfur so quickly that they cannot recombine, effectively eliminating H2S within three minutes.

What makes RSS so ideal for South Africa is that it can be introduced without making any changes to existing

Shaun Blackmore-Reed Director UltraTech SA

infrastructure, and the entire process is monitored by sensors, eliminating opportunities for error. Furthermore, utilities can save up to 50% on their monthly chemical bill by eliminating chlorine and other associated chemicals.

What are the other applications for Ultra-S3?

Ultra-S3 is also a powerful sanitiser and has been shown to eliminate many common bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Corynebacterium aquaticum, both of which present serious health threats. Ultra-S3 and RSS have also been shown to remove emerging pollutants like pharmaceuticals, which our current WWTWs are simply not designed to treat.

For a more holistic sanitising solution, S3 can be combined with our Ultra-Archaea® product.

Tell us more about Ultra-Archaea.

Ultra-Archaea was first developed to eliminate the toxic conditions associated with oil spills, and proved its effectiveness in cleaning up the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2008. However, the product also offers an excellent solution for wastewater treatment due to its affinity for organic waste matter.

Ultra-Archaea is a range of natural microorganisms that speed up the rate of natural degradation and help the bioremediation process occur in days and weeks rather than months or years. The microorganisms have a lifespan of around 12 weeks and will remain

active as long as there is a food source, digesting hydrocarbon molecules and breaking them down into harmless by-products of water, carbon dioxide and lipids.

Ultra-Archaea is a completely natural solution and has been shown to be highly effective. In a controlled study with samples from the Deepwater Horizon spill, Ultra-Archaea was found to perform better than three other leading products. Most notably, it removed 98.5% of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons).

Are these products safe for the environment?

Absolutely. Ultra-S3 has passed all three of the CSIR’s toxicity tests with a Class I result and has been classified as nonhazardous under the USA’s Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976. It is chemically engineered to target problem compounds without destroying environmentally beneficial microbes, and actually supports good biology by oxygenating water. There is also no threat to overdosing. In fact, the opportunity exists to purposefully overdose with S3 and Ultra-Archaea to help remediate catchment areas where sewage spills have occurred.

Ultra-Archaea is also completely safe because the microbes are 100% natural and not genetically engineered or modified. They are non-toxic and non-pathogenic. Together, the products offer simple, fast and cost-effective solutions that have been successfully used in the US for decades.

Building the case for reuse

As a water-scarce country, South Africa needs to diversify its water mix, moving away from a complete dependence on surface water resources. but are we doing enough?

By Danielle Petterson

Globally, two-thirds of the population live in areas experiencing water scarcity, and water demand is beginning to exceed supply in many regions. In South Africa, 98% of available water resources have been allocated, with 77% of this comprising surface water.

In the face of growing and competing demands, water reclamation and reuse is gaining momentum as a reliable way of augmenting supply. However, Jeremiah Mutamba, manager: Water-Centred Knowledge, Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority, questions whether South Africa is doing enough to manage the potential water deficit it faces.

He points out that although South Africa has plans and strategies in place that feature reuse, little has been done to move from studying and planning to implementation.

Global successes

Water reuse has been practised for around 5 000 years. Today, the water reuse trend has been increasingly supported by improving technology, treatment costs and a growing supply/demand gap, with countries such as France, Israel, Portugal, Singapore and the USA leading the way.

Mutamba points to China as a prime example of how reuse can be embraced during tough times. The country, which is increasingly facing freshwater

supply challenges, is among the 13 countries with the lowest water availability per capita. As a result, China has made water reuse a key component of its national water strategy.

In 2016, China reported that 21% of its 2 billion m3/year of treated wastewater was being reused. Similarly, Australia reuses 21% of its treated wastewater. Closer to home, Namibia has been a pioneer, driving reuse since the 1960s.

However, Mutamba notes that countries like Australia have clear targets that push them to move from planning to implementation. South

Africa, on the other hand, does not have a dedicated institution driving reuse.

“We do not have national commitment to incorporate reclaimed water into the water mix. Other countries drive this with rigour and set targets,” he says. Beyond the national reuse strategy and reconciliation recommendations, there is no tangible, nationally driven reuse agenda.

Johan Lubbe, product development specialist, Development Bank of Southern Africa, explains that although there are some notable examples of reuse in South Africa, we have not yet seen the adoption of large-scale projects and programmes.

“The reuse agenda in South Africa is very ad hoc and fragmented. There is a need for integration, boldness and bravery. It is not a sprint – it is a marathon,” adds Mutamba.

education programme or campaign to start changing people’s mindsets around reuse. Without this, no project will be successful,” says Lubbe. Similarly, Mutamba stresses that despite scientific excellence and technological advancements, a reuse project can fail if people do not trust the product. “It is essential that the public and other stakeholders accept the product.”

including the establishment of best practices and technologies, cost optimisation, and the standardisation of contracting documents and procurement.

The aim is to create a new asset class by using credit enhancement to crowd in private sector funding and use debt capital market instruments to focus and define the asset class.

The perception challenge Mutamba argues that reused wastewater has the potential to meet 15% of our national demand; however, there are some critical challenges that must be overcome if it is to be fully embraced.

The biggest challenge is public perception. Despite the advancements in technology, there is still resistance when it comes to water reuse for drinking purposes.

Public perception, social, cultural and religious beliefs often prevent direct potable reuse options from being considered, despite the fact that the technology exists to treat wastewater to the required potable standard. “We need a national

Mutamba believes the future success and trajectory of reuse in South Africa very much depend on navigating what he calls the trust dividend. This requires political buyin, acceptance from all stakeholders, knowledge, and improved stewardship. There is also a negative perception around the perceived complexity and costliness of reuse, although it offers a cheaper alternative to desalination. However, Lubbe stresses the need for costeffective tariffs, arguing that South Africa’s low tariffs for what is fast becoming a scarce resource often result in people not valuing water.

Reuse infrastructure as an asset class

In addition to adopting a programmatic approach to reuse in South Africa, funding options are needed to make the application more viable.

Lubbe called to the establishment of a national reuse programme that will support the preparation, financing, and implementation of municipal water-reuse projects. This kind of programmatic approach offers many benefits,

The idea is to have an asset class of largerscale water reuse infrastructure assets that offers acceptable financial returns but is in line with ESG impacts and helps to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

Lubbe argues that project bonds are likely the best instrument to achieve this, because they are designed to fund large-scale infrastructure projects. Furthermore, the regulatory environment and listing requirements for project binds are already in place on the JSE.

The biggest problem at the moment is bankable projects. Encouragingly, some municipalities have begun to explore reuse infrastructure at scale, but the bankable feasibility studies must still be undertaken, and financing methods established.

Lubbe goes on to propose three possible funding solutions:

1. Convention (municipal balance sheet)

2. PPP/concession (design, build finance, O&M)

3. Hybrid (PPP without finance).

These, he says, offer the ability to respond to and finance projects at scale.

“The time has come for us to extract maximum value from our water resources by using water more than once. For most of us, load-shedding is probably an inconvenience, but water-shedding will be a different story. We have no option but to look to water reuse as one of our water supply options, and this has to be done quickly and at scale.”

The age of the renewable energy revolution

As South Africa continues to battle with its heavy reliance on fossil fuels, an unstable power grid and balancing its climate commitments, the push for a transition to renewable energy is fast gaining momentum.

By Liesl Frankson

Earlier this year, Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni announced, in his maiden Budget Speech, that the Department of Energy would continue to support the renewable energy market in order to transition to a low-carbon economy.

As part of the National Budget, the minister committed to procuring 14 725 MW of power from renewable energy sources to ensure South Africa has an optimal energy mix. While this is considered a step in the right direction, industry experts believe more needs to be done by government to ensure that South Africa’s energy mix incorporates more renewable sources.

James McKay, spokesperson for Energy Partners, says it is crucial to reassess South Africa’s energy mix, considering how the country’s current energy challenges have negatively impacted the economy, as well as

government’s opportunity to save money via alternative energy sources.

“Following the news that Eskom is ‘technically insolvent’, the quicker adoption of renewable energy sources is fast becoming vital to the sustainability of the national economy. The future of our economy depends on it,” he notes.

Declining costs a boon for the cause

With government’s renewed commitment to renewables signalling a new era in South Africa’s energy history, a recent Global Renewable Energy Trends report from Deloitte has revealed that the longstanding obstacles to greater deployment of renewables have receded.

According to the report, renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind, are reaching price and performance parity on and

off the grid, allowing these technologies to not only compete with conventional sources on price, but also match their performance. Furthermore, as technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and 3D printing continue to advance the deployment of renewables, prices will likely continue to fall, and accessibility will improve. With about 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa – two-thirds of the region’s population – lacking access to electricity, this news could not have come at a better time.

Drivers of demand

As costs continue to fall and accessibility increases, demand for renewables is growing rapidly, driven by four key factors identified in the report. These include smart renewable cities, community energy, emerging markets and corporate involvement, according to the report.

Smart renewable cities: In an effort to enhance quality of life, competitiveness and sustainability, an increasing number of modern cities have taken a proactive smart approach to managing their infrastructure, with connected sensor technology and data analytics. The report points out that solar and wind energy are at the intersection of these goals because they contribute to depollution, decarbonisation and resilience, while enabling clean electric mobility, economic empowerment and business growth.

Community energy: Building on the original trend toward ‘community solar’, the addition of storage and management systems gives communities more flexibility when implementing renewables. On-grid communities can now be powered independently from the grid and, in off-grid areas, community-owned partnerships enable

electrification and the reinvestment of profits. Emerging markets: The cumulative capacity of emerging markets to develop renewable energy is on the verge of surpassing that of the developed world, as emerging markets have helped bring down the cost of renewables and are innovating in ways that benefit the developed world.

Corporate involvement: Kieran Whyte, partner and head: Energy, Mining & Infrastructure Practice at Baker McKenzie, notes that, despite the ongoing regulatory and policy uncertainty, Africa is starting to see a noticeable increase in corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs). According to Whyte, corporate PPAs allow for the direct procurement of renewable energy from independent power producers, and are seen as a way for companies to reduce their carbon footprint and save on energy costs.

“Interest in corporate PPAs in South Africa is set to rise even further with the introduction of a carbon tax in June 2019, along with the finalisation of the practical implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement at the Katowice Climate Change Conference,” he says.

Shamal Sivasanker, leader: Infrastructure and Power Industry, Deloitte Africa, notes that emerging markets accounted for 63% of global new investment in renewable energy in 2017, widening the investment gap with developed countries to a record high.

“Africa and South America, respectively, have the greatest solar and wind resources, but these remain largely untapped,” he explains. “With prices continuing to drop, developed countries and emerging markets alike have the ability to integrate renewables into their grid systems to ensure competitive advantages,” Sivasanker concludes.

undOInG ThE ObSTAClES TO GrEATEr dEPlOyMEnT Of rEnEwAblES

Three key enablers (parity, integration and technology) are helping solar and wind become equivalent to conventional sources.

• reaching price and performance parity: The unsubsidised cost of solar and wind power has become comparable to or cheaper than traditional sources in much of the world. New storage options are now making renewables easier to dispatch – once an advantage of conventional sources.

• Cost-effective and reliable grid integration: Previously seen as an obstacle, wind and solar power are now viewed as a solution to grid balancing. They have demonstrated an ability to strengthen grid resilience and reliability, and provide essential grid services. Smart inverters and advanced controls have enabled wind and solar to provide grid reliability services related to frequency, voltage and ramping, as well as or better than other generation

sources. When combined with smarter inverters, wind and solar can ramp up much faster than conventional plants, help stabilise the grid even after the sun sets and the wind stops; for solar PV, they also show much higher response accuracy than any other source.

• The impact of technology: Technology is accelerating the deployment of renewables: automation and advanced manufacturing are improving the production and operation of renewables, by reducing the costs and time of implementing renewable energy systems; artificial intelligence can fine-tune weather forecasting, optimising the use of renewable resources; blockchain can enable energy attribute certificate markets to help resolve trust and bureaucratic hurdles; and advanced materials are transforming the materials of solar panels and wind turbines.

Upcoming EVENTS

for 2019

SUSTAiNABiliTY WeeK

Venue: CSIR International Convention Centre, Tshwane

Date: 24 to 26 June, 2019

Website: www.sustainabilityweek.co.za

Sustainability Week is a multifaceted, integrated event that traverses sectors, emphasising opportunities for investors,

iFAT AFRicA

Venue: Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg

Date: 09 to 11 July 2019

Website: www.ifat-africa.com

policymakers, business people and consumers to contribute to the development of a green economy.

This year’s festivities will not only include the second annual Sustainable Cities Southern Africa Conference, but will also include the following events: Vision Zero Waste Seminar, Sustainable

Manufacturing Seminar, Sustainable Water Resource Seminar, Sustainable Energy Seminar, Green Building Conference, Sustainable Infrastructure Seminar, Transport & Mobility Seminar, Sustainability in Mining Seminar, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Dialogue, and Youth & The Green Economy Dialogue.

discussions, speakers’ corners and live demonstrations.

Trade professionals in water, sewage, refuse and recycling are expected to gather at IFAT Africa 2019. The event will feature presentations from industry experts, trade associations, business partners and exhibitors on the latest product developments, trends and market analyses in exciting workshops, panel

The event features an extensive range of product categories and topics including extraction and treatment, sewage treatment, water distribution and sewers, refuse disposal and recycling, generating energy from waste materials, energy-efficiency technologies, decontamination of old sites/soil treatment, air pollution control and noise reduction, measuring/control and laboratory technology, environmental management and services and science, and research and technology transfer.

GReeN BUilDiNG cONveNTiON

Venue: Cape Town Date: 02 to 04 October 2019

Website: www.gbcsaconvention.org.za

The Green Building Convention is dedicated to building a greener future. The purpose of the event is to inspire a built environment in which people and the planet thrive. Buildings are among the main contributors to climate change. Building green is an opportunity to use resources efficiently and address climate change, while creating healthier and more productive environments for people and communities.

Under the theme ‘Beyond: Shaping Cites of Tomorrow’, the convention will focus on taking the next steps towards creating cities that are cleaner, healthier and happier places in which to live, work, learn and play.

Sustainability Week 2019 will showcase innovation like never before

This multi-faceted and integrated event will educate and inspire attendees to pave the way for a better, more sustainable future.

Multiple platforms will highlight the actions and interventions of thought leaders, policymakers, consumers, various organisations and investors, as they raise the benchmark on providing sustainable solutions to global and national challenges.

With a stellar line-up of speakers and topics, Sustainability Week 2019 is guaranteed to set minds light with ideas.