Trends in waste management in 2023

Writing an article about trends in waste management in 2023 is not as simple as one would expect. Studying new startups in waste management globally provides one way of identifying the latest trends and innovations.

A study that was published on the research blog of StartUs Insights used a big data and artificial intelligence (AI) platform to derive data from 2 927 global startups and scale-ups in waste management, and identified eight distinct trends as illustrated in Figure 1.

These trends clearly indicate that, internationally, automation and the circular economy represent the future of waste management. Robotic sorting, AI, machine learning and IoT-powered waste collection or disposal are gaining prominence due to speed and efficiency – and with progressing monitoring systems, more and more waste data become available for analysis.

In the South African context, the main trends currently are the transition to a circular economy through implementing extended producer responsibility (EPR), and waste picker integration.

Circular economy

A circular economy is restorative and regenerative by design and aims to keep products, components and materials at their highest utility and value at all times, and distinguishing between technical and biological cycles.

The South African National Waste Management Strategy, 2020 has the concept of the circular economy at its centre. To give effect to a circular economy in South Africa, producers of consumer goods must be innovative and adopt new approaches and techniques in product design, production and packaging, and consumers must change their behaviour when making consumption and disposal choices.

Waste separation at source must be implemented by all households to ensure that recyclable materials are available for collection for recycling. Recycling is not only a way of keeping of materials in the economy; it also reduces the need for raw materials extraction by replacing virgin material with secondary resources.

Epr

The EPR Regulations, as amended, requires mandatory EPR schemes to be implemented in the following sectors: electrical and electronic equipment; lighting; paper, packaging and some single-use products; lubricant oils; pesticides; and portable batteries. As such, producer responsibility organisations (PROs) registered with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment have started collecting EPR fees towards meeting the targets set in regulations. However, meeting the targets for collection and recycling requires investment in infrastructure to support the collection and sorting of recyclable materials. No clear trends for the increased collection and recycling of paper and packaging materials have been observed.

There seems to be confusion about who should take the initiative to introduce waste separation at source and who should fund what. From an economic perspective, there should be a joint effort between PROs and municipalities for the collection of source-separated recyclables from households.

Waste picker integration

The lack of formal waste separation-at-source systems in South African municipalities has created a conducive environment for informal waste pickers to thrive. The waste pickers are typically divided in street waste pickers operating at kerbside, sorting through waste bins ahead of formal waste collection vehicles, or landfill waste pickers sorting through waste disposed of at landfills.

Understandably, waste pickers focus on collecting high-value materials to maximise their earnings; therefore, not all recyclable materials are collected by waste pickers.

Acknowledging the role of informal waste pickers in recycling in South Africa is important, as 76% of waste plastics that enter recycling is collected by the informal waste pickers. The role of the waste pickers is being recognised in the EPR Regulations by promoting their integration into the postconsumer value chain and compensating them for their services.

Great strides have been made towards waste picker integration. The publication of the Waste Picker Integration Guideline for South Africa was followed by the release of waste picker integration website (www.wastepickerintegration.org) and the implementation of the waste picker registration system.

Unfortunately, the transitioning to a circular economy is still often viewed as a transitioning from landfill disposal to recycling. It should be understood that the circular economy is more than that and requires a mindset change starting at product design and production.

Furthermore, waste picker integration is a good move and should be supported, but to truly shift to a circular economy, the responsibility for waste separation should be moved to the waste generator – be it in the household or elsewhere – and EPR schemes should work collaboratively to find solutions for the sustainable collection of recyclable materials.

IWMSA’s commitment

The IWMSA, as a non-profit association, is dedicated to promoting professional waste management practices. By becoming one of its members, you can get the opportunity to join a community of like-minded professionals who are passionate about waste management and environmental sustainability.

The membership offerings give you access to exclusive resources, training and networking opportunities that will help you advance your career and organisation to make a positive impact on the environment. Plus, you’ll be part of a movement that is dedicated to promoting best practices and shaping the future of waste management in South Africa.

FIGURE 1 Waste management trends in global start-ups (Source: Top 8 Waste Management Trends in 2023 | StartUs Insights [startus-insights.com])

The IWMSA is also excited to launch the ISWA African Chapter in 2023 with its colleagues from Nigeria, Liberia and Uganda. Within the ISWA Young Professional Group, the opportunity exists to create local chapters from the waste industry within a country/region to foster networking and collaboration between young waste management professionals in Africa.

Become part of the movement to make the planet more sustainable for future generations! Mark your calendars for the IWMSA’s two flagship events! The Landfill & Waste Treatment Conference & Exhibition 2023 will be held at the University of Cape Town on 18 to 19 October 2023, followed by the ISWA 2024 Conference in Cape Town on 15 to 18 September 2024. For more information on these events and other training opportunities, visit iwmsa.co.za.

SOURCES:

• Top 8 Waste Management Trends in 2023 | StartUs Insights (startus-insights.com)

• National Waste Management Strategy 2020

• https://wasteroadmap.co.za/wp-content/ uploads/2021/02/Waste-Picker-IntegrationGuidelines.pdf

• https://wasteroadmap.co.za/wp-content/ uploads/2022/11/046-CSIR-Final_ReportReducing-Plastics-Pollution-Pathways.pdf