MAY 2015 | ISSUE 1
Renewable Energy
ENERGY NATURALLY REPLENISHED ENERGY
The Green Drop
FROM TO ENERGY IncentiveWASTE Based Regulation
Paper
Road Map to Improving Paper Recovery in SA
Tissue
Understanding the Tissue Market in SA
Events Africa Energy Indaba
LEGISLATION
Circular Economies
THE WASTE MANAGEMENT How Circular Economies Work LEGAL FRAMEWORK South Africa R24,00 (incl. VAT) South Africa R29.00
THE 4Rs OF of RECYCLING: The 4Rs recycling : reduce | re-use | recover | recycle REDUCE | RE-USE | RECOVER | RECYCLE
“I am a proud recycler, because I separate at –source” - Ian Barnard” “I am a proud recycler, because I separate at source” Ian Barnard March 2016
Issue 4
Welcome to 2016 ! I certainly hope you are enjoying the beginning of a brand new year. 2016 breathes a new day for all of us; an opportunity to rise above our past challenges; to make a difference for humanity. I am fascinated by the idea of a circular economy. All along we have believed that we consume a product and throw it away into a dump somewhere because its lifespan is over. We have believed that used materials are worthless. But the circular economy as the name suggests means that nothing is ever used to the point of worthlessness. All materials are undergoing a stage in an eternal cycle, and we meet that material based on our own productivity and consumption as human beings. The material itself must be allowed to continue its journey or existence many years beyond us.
This sounds pretty simple but therein is the solution to a lot of battles we are fighting as human beings. We have to save the earth from running out of resources. The resources of the entire earth are finite. They are depleted by our very linear economic activities. Paper, plastics, glass and metals are all buried in a dump to go to waste. Analysts have argued that in South Africa, this is R50 billion worth of material thrown down the landfill per year. This is value that can be rewired and reintroduced into our economy helping to create much needed jobs. The recovery of paper alone in South Africa has been stable over the last ten years sitting at approximately 64% for the year 2014. We cannot retrieve enough paper from the waste stream to feed our industries, yet we spend close to R2
billion in importing virgin pulp. This depletes our much needed foreign exchange reserves and ultimately affects the rate of the rand against major international currencies. The irony of it all is that we are burying our surplus resources into a big hole in the ground while we spend millions importing raw material. A circular economy is one that is waste-free and resilient by design. It is an economic model that is ambitious as well as practical. Designing the economy in a way that is restorative like ecosystems; ambitious with innovation, and impactful for society is a bold challenge. This is achievable when guided by the principles of a circular economy. We cannot wait on government to lead us into
a waste free society; fighting mass poverty and illiteracy in Africa, it will be sometime before zero waste is a top agenda for government. But here is the thing, the earth belongs to us and our children, we cannot wait. One day our grandchildren and their children must walk the earth and enjoy the fresh air and the fresh water which we have taken for granted. Recycling starts at home. Make a plan to separate all your throwaways, and hand it over to a collector, or sell it for value. Allow it to go back into the economy. You are impacting a billion dollar industry by doing so. You are creating jobs by doing so. You are saving the earth by doing so. Have an awesome year, and thank you for your support.
Managing Editor Chris Mutale
MRF
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A
materials recovery facility (MRF) accepts materials, whether source separated or mixed, separates, processes and stores them for later use as raw materials for remanufacturing and reprocessing. The main function of the MRF is to maximize the quantity of recyclables processed, while producing materials that will generate the highest possible revenues in the market. MRFs can also function to process wastes into a feedstock for biological conversion or into a fuel source for the production of energy.
recovery facility Opposition to MRFs Building MRFs tends to change the status quo and in large cities has often seen MRF projects opposed to the point of abandonment due to opposition
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HOW TO DESIGN A MRF
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from waste management companies, environmentalists, government officials and private recyclers. In New York for instance, during the 1990s, the city had plans for a $125 million project to build five city-owned facilities
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MRF
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in each of the five boroughs. The city-owned facilities would have benefited the city by eliminating the high costs associated with transportation. In addition, the inclusion of modern separation technologies could lower operating costs and improve the quality of processed material, decreasing the overall waste management costs of the city. The first facility was planned to be built in Staten Island, but was challenged by the private recycling contractors who had additional capacity to process New York City’s residential wastes. Due to the strong opposition from the industry, environmentalists and budget administrators, the plan was eventually abandoned.
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Establishing Markets Ultimately, for a recycling program to be successful, stable and reliable markets for the targeted recyclables must be identified and established since unsold materials will require temporary storage and may ultimately need to be landfilled. The market of a particular material depends on both the cost of recovering the raw materials and the quality of the recyclable materials from the MRF in comparison to the costs and quality associated with extracting virgin raw materials from the natural environment. Collection and sorting are both expensive processes. Once the targeted materials of a recycling program are selected, the market specifications for each of these materials must be identified to determine the properties of the unit separation operations. A common problem in the quality of many recovered materials is contamination by broken glass. Broken glass mixes into cartons,
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K Designing a MRF material recovery facility
According to Alexander J. Dubanowitz, Design of a Material Recovery Facility, 2000, the stages involved in designing a MRF system to process commingled recyclables include:
1
Conceptual design
2
Evaluation of the markets and economics of operation
3
Development and gathering of data necessary for the design
4
Detailed engineering design of system
5
Siting design
6
Procurement of equipment
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Construction
8
Processing of materials
9
Marketing
processing material
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MRF
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plastic containers, cans and other targeted products, which lowers the product quality and therefore the product value. Due to the problematic effects of glass contamination, the MRF must be designed to minimize glass breakage within each unit operation and during transport.
Mechanical Vs. Manual Operations Another significant issue in the operation of the MRF is the choice between mechanical or manual separation techniques. According to Alexander J. Dubanowitz , Older, traditional MRFs rely heavily on manual sorting, which is both very expensive and time consuming when handling large volumes of materials. Labour
represents one of the highest cost components of the MRF. There are trade-offs between operating and capital costs when considering whether to employ manual or mechanical separation processes. Despite these tradeoffs, because of the high nature of labour costs, most long-term cost analyses will typically show that automated processing is more cost effective than manual processing. In Africa, there is however a huge social and economic benefit in using manual sorters with each MRF able to employ up to 300 people mostly doing manual jobs who would otherwise be on the streets. Governments in Africa need to rally behind investing in MRFs due to great potential
for job creation, earnings from income tax, resource optimisation, reduction on cost of virgin product imports, and ultimately a reduction in the carbon foot print.
Tipping Floor When materials are brought into the facility, they are deposited in a large recessed area called the tipping floor. The tipping floor will be designed to accommodate extra materials for the second operational shift and for at least two days of the expected volume of materials. The floor will be designed to handle heavy materials, and must be able to withstand the pushing of materials as well as provide efficient drainage for liquids.
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MRF
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The Conveyor System
K Materials to be recovered include:
Magazines and Catalogs Kraft Old Corrugated Cardboard (OCC) Other Cardboard (boxes, tubes, egg cartons) Office Paper Computer Paper Newspaper Phone Books
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Envelopes Mixed Paper Beverage Cartons Household Metals HDPE PET Glass Jars and Bottles Metal Cans Aluminum Foil/Trays Other Metals (hangers, empty aerosol cans) 8
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Conveyor lines are used to transport materials to and from mechanical equipment within the MRF. In addition, flat belt conveyors will be used at the sorting stations since they permit easy access to the materials on the belts. Belt conveyors will be the most common types of conveyor utilized in the facility since they can effectively transport materials up steep inclines and are extremely versatile. Belt conveyors function through the continuous movement of a belt around two drums. The elevated drum rotor contains the motor, which serves to keep the motor as clean as possible. The belt moves along a supporting plate, and walls along the side of the conveyor are used to keep materials from falling off the belt.
Ferrous Metals Separation Magnetic separation will be the first separation technology utilized in the MRF. Magnetic separation is a well-proven and established technology and is an obvious component of every MRF, whether manually or mechanically intensive. Magnetic separation removes the ferrous metals from the other commingled recyclables based on the attraction between ferrous metals and the magnet. This attraction exists due to the magnetic dipole properties of ferrous materials, which form a net magnetic field when exposed to an external magnetic field.
Screening Screening is employed to separate materials of different sizes into two or more size distributions. Screens will function to separate oversized and undersized materials as a preprocessing technique for other unit operations within the facility. The types of screens used in the MRF are usually disc screens and trommels.
MRF
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Air Classification Air classification is utilized to separate light materials from heavier materials through the use of an air stream of sufficient velocity to carry away the lighter materials. A vertical zig zag air classifier with a rotating drum feeder is used in a MRF to separate aluminum, cartons and plastics from glass.
Facility Characteristics The costs, capacity, siting and design of the facility will depend on the amount of material processed, location of the facility from the collection routes and markets and the availability of transportation.
recovery facility Facility Design The facility layout will include the unloading area for the delivered materials, the presorting area and tipping floor, the area requirements for the unit separation operations, the storage and transporting areas, the sizing for the parking and traffic flow patterns for the facility, and additional buffer space. Scales will be utilized to weigh both incoming and
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outgoing materials, and there will be a queuing area for trucks at both the entrances of the scale and the facility. The unloading area will be large enough to accommodate a few days’ worth of material in case problems occur within the facility. Large volumes of materials may need to be stored to gain better leverage in the market or during periods when the markets are poor.
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pages
Contents
12.
ROADMAP TO IMPROVING PAPER RECOVERY IN SOUTH AFRICA
22.
INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEAN-UP 2015
28.
HOW CIRCULAR ECONOMIES WORK
32.
Packaging SA joins effort to reduce marine debris
34.
Parties Reach Historic Climate Agreement in Paris
38.
HOW CHLORINE IS MADE?
40.
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
44.
THE IMPACT OF DROUGHT
48.
UNDERSTANDING RENEWABLE ENERGY
52.
THE GREEN DROP
56.
yellow wheelie bins Donation
58.
SAVA ENCOURAGES PUBLIC TO DONATE BLOOD BEFORE THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
60.
Closing the Loop on the Water Cycle
62.
POLYCO CALLS ON PACKAGING CONVERTERS
65.
BECOME A MEMBER OF PLASTICS|SA AND JOIN A WINNING TEAM
68.
UNDERSTANDING THE TISSUE CONSUMER MARKET
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HOW CIRCULAR
2 8 ECONOMIES WORK
52
the green drop
Closing the Loop on 6 0 the Water Cycle
The team ROADMAP TO IMPROVING PAPER RECOVERY IN SOUTH AFRICA
12
CEO / Publisher
Ian Barnard Managing Director
Lisa Cruickshank Marketing Director
Linki Khubayi Editor
Chris Mutale Senior Journalist
UNDERSTANDING RENEWABLE ENERGY
48
Theo Moerane Layout & Graphics designer
Sibusiso Singo
Disclaimer
SAVA ENCOURAGES PUBLIC TO DONATE BLOOD BEFORE THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
58
The views and opinions expressed in the various articles in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of magazine publisher or editor. While every effort has been made to ensure that information is correct at the time of going to print, Recycling Matters cannot be held responsible for the outcome of any action or decision based on the information contained in this publication. The publishers or authors do not give any warranty for the completeness or accuracy for this publication’s content, explanation or opinion. It is advisable that prospective persons, institutions and businesses consult their technical advisor/s, attorney/s and/or financial advisor/s prior to following pursuing any business opportunity. © Recycling Matters. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the Publisher. Permission is only deemed valid if approval is in writing. Recycling Matters buy all rights to contributions, text and images, unless previously agreed to in writing.
UNDERSTANDING THE TISSUE CONSUMER MARKET
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RM PUBLISHING P O Box 74153, Turffontein, 1 Crystal Place Johannesburg, South Africa 2140 Tel: +27 11 039 2714
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paper
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ROADMAP TO IMPROVING
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PAPER RECOVERY IN SOUTH AFRICA
T
his article is compiled for the sole purpose of highlighting a state of the art viable and proven solution to improving the rate of paper recovery in South Africa by way of a Material Recovery Facility (MRF). The methodology discussed is one that proposes to use a MRF (pronounced murf) as a model to increase waste paper recovery for recycling purposes. Over the last five years based on figures from PRASA (Paper Recycling Association of South Africa) and PAMSA (Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa), paper recovery has been sitting at around 60% rising steadily year on year and peaking in 2014 at 64%.
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Paper is an important product in the life of an economy especially an emerging one like South Africa. Paper use tells many stories. For example, the rate of consumption per person shows us just how an economy is doing. Countries like the United States and Germany show consumption as high as 200kg per person per year with South Africa weighing in at around 50kg per person per year. The question that begs an answer is how we increase our paper recovery to 70% (a target set by PRASA for 2020) and beyond towards 80%. In order to achieve this, every economy needs to adopt a robust approach to recovery of recyclables, including paper, by way of MRFs. All over Europe this is the model that has been adopted.
Gross domestic product (GDP) Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the value of all final goods and services produced in period of time (quarterly or yearly). GDP estimates are commonly used to determine the economic performance and standard of living of a whole country or region, and to make international comparisons.
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There is value in all waste – it is a raw material in the manufacturing of countless products; it is a source of income for those who collect, sort and sell it; and there is an environmental value which left untapped can cause irreparable harm to natural ecosystems. This article seeks to explore how a MRF can accelerate the paper recovery rate towards a higher margin of recovery. We estimate that a MRF with a capacity of 500 tonnes per day MSW can recover up to 20,000 tonnes of paper and board per year for reuse by the paper industry. This figure is based on employing separation at source
strategies, good transport and logistics networks, and strategically positioned MRFs. Joburg alone would need in the region of 10 MRFs potentially taking values to 200,000 tonnes on top of what is currently recovered. This would result in approximately a 20% increase in current recovery levels.
increase recovery
What is paper?
f every economy needs to adopt a robust approach to recovery of recyclables, including paper, by way of MRFs
Branch
Paper and cardboard is a renewable material produced by drying together moist fibres of wood and non-wood based pulp. Wood sources of pulp include hard and soft woods while nonwood materials include bagasse, bamboo and some grasses. Paper is universal and versatile – you will find it in books, newspapers, tissue and towel products, hygiene
Address
Contact number
Gauteng Tulisa Park
17 Brunel Road, Tulisa Park, Johannesburg, Gauteng
011 538 8600
Midrand
126 Richard Drive, Midrand
011 315 8450
Pretoria West
295 Stephenson Road, Pretoria West, Industrial
012 380 0920
Springs
80 South Main Reef Road, Springs, New Era
011 360 4460
KwaZulu Natal
Mpact Recycling is the leading collector of recovered paper in South Africa, collecting upwards of 450,000 tonnes of paper per year.
Durban
231 Maydon Road, Maydon Wharf, Durban
031 274 6600
Richards Bay
8 Ceramic Curve Alton, Richards Bay
035 751 1722
Western Cape Parow
36 Glenhurst Street, Beaconvale Parow, Western Cape
021 931 5106
www.mpactrecycling.co.za 2016 March
13
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While we stand far from a zero waste economy, zero waste to landfill should be our aim.
paper
paper
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products, food and non-food packaging, liquid packaging and a number of industrial and construction applications.
Paper History Long before textbooks and newspapers existed, the Egyptians came up with a way to record history using papyrus. Made from a plant that grows on the banks of the Nile River, papyrus (from which the word paper is derived) was produced as early as 3000 B.C. in Egypt.
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The pulp to papermaking process is said to have been developed in China during the early second century A.D., possibly as early as 105 A.D., by the Han court eunuch Cai Lun (also spelled Tsai Lun). The earliest archaeological fragments of paper derive from the second century B.C. in China. According to Paperonline.org, the invention of the ‘Hollander beater’ confirmed the Dutch as being at the forefront of papermaking technology in the 17th century. The 18th century saw the establishment of largerscale operations. The model built by J.N.L. Robert in 1798, was the first flat-screen papermaking machine. The design was further developed in England, mostly by Donking and the Fourdrinier brothers. Additionally, the French chemist Claude-Louis Bertholett invented the chemical bleaching of pulp in 1785 with the French Revolutionaries believed to be the first to use white paper. Paper is now manufactured from different types of pulps and is considered to provide a good barometer of a country’s development level.
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hollander beater f
pulping purpose f
The model built by J.N.L. Robert in 1798, was the first flatscreen papermaking machine The design was further developed in England, mostly by Donking and the Fourdrinier brothers.
The purpose of pulping is to reduce wood or other fibrous raw materialto individual cellulose fibres. A non-fibrous constituent of wood, lignin, binds cellulose fibres together.
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pApeR Recycling
Paper is a renewable and recyclable resource. In South Africa, trees are farmed, harvested and replanted for the purposes of making pulp and paper products. Recycled paper is used to make new products – especially everyday packaging.
Recycling plays a big part in enterprise development and job creation, helping to alleviate poverty. By separating recyclable paper from general waste, you increase the earning potential for waste collectors. For many this is their only source of income.
Recycling extends the life of landfill sites. One tonne of recycled paper saves three cubic metres of landfill space.
Paper recycling keeps carbon locked up and out of the air for longer. If paper is not recycled, it goes to landfill where it rots with other wet waste and adds to methane emissions.
Matters
whAT is noT RecyclABle?
Due to various residues and impurities, the following paper-based items are not recyclable: • Foil gift wrapping, carbon paper and sticky notes • Wax-coated, foil-lined or laminated boxes • Used cement and dog food bags • Disposable nappies, tissues and toilet paper
Recycle now. This is how. Separate your paper from other recyclables and wet waste. Know what is recyclable:
o Magazines, newspapers, brochures o Office paper, shredded paper o Cardboard boxes
o Liquid board packaging, milk, juice and food cartons Remember that newspapers are best recycled within three months.
Keep your paper clean and dry – if it gets dirty and wet, it will start to degrade which reduces its value at buy-back centres. Visit our website for more information.
www.recyclepaper.co.za
Twitter @PaperRocks_SA
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paper
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PAPER CONSUMPTION PER CAPITA Table 1 REGION
COUNTRY
Paper Consumption person/kg/annum
GDP (USD)
North America
USA
226
52 980
Europe
UK
147
41 777
Russia
46
14 487
Japan
213
38 634
Australia
161
67 473
South Africa
50
6 886
Botswana
3
6 882
Egypt
21
3 104
Asia Africa
Source : Paper Consumption: FAO / GDP per capita: World Bank
K FIBRE RAW MATERIALS www.recyclingmatters.co.za
FOR PAPER AND BOARD MANUFACTURE
paper & board Paper and board are manufactured from raw materials which would consist of softwoods e.g. pine, hardwood e.g. eucalyptus, and other non-wood raw materials such as bagasse from sugarcane, bamboo, rice straw, cereal straw, reeds and other fibrous materials. Depending on the final paper or board product to be made, the pulping process is selected to release the type of fibre from the raw materials already mentioned. 16
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Broadly the pulping processes can be categorised to yield pulps described below. In a lot of instances the different pulps are then mixed to achieve the requisite paper or board qualities. Each of these pulps gives a final paper or board product with specific qualities and properties for it to perform its intended function optimally. It is important to note that the virgin (original) paper or board product (before it is recycled) would be defined by its original pulping process and graded for recycling accordingly.
Chemical pulps Semi-chemical pulps Chemi-mechanical pulps Thermo-mechanical pulps Mechanical pulps
paper
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paper product
It is important to note that the virgin (original) paper or board product (before it is recycled) would be defined by its original pulping process and graded for recycling accordingly. The waste paper grading system of recovered paper after the paper or board has been used is a method to identify the pulp type of the original paper or board product. In its “second life” it is important to note that the paper or board will assume the new desired product type but its pulp characteristics are maintained. As an example fine paper as in photocopying paper (originally made from bleached chemical pulps) is graded as Heavy Letter 1 (HL1) in waste paper terminology. HL1 can be recycled to manufacture white products which would have been made from chemical pulps.
Similarly brown board (made from semi-chemical pulps) when recovered as K4 for recycling can only manufacture brown stiff/rigid generally packaging products in its “second life”.
paper grading
f The waste paper grading system of recovered paper after the paper or board has been used is a method to identify the pulp type of the original paper or board product.
When the fibres which constitute the paper are dried in a paper machine to the final paper product, the fibres bond with one another to form the paper or board product. During this drying process the fibres undergo what is termed irreversible hornification. During the reprocessing of the fibres for the second, third, up to sixth or seventh lives the bonding areas are reduced and more of the fines fraction from the original fibres are formed. Table 2 below summarises some strength properties of an unbleached kraft pulp after a number of cycles of drying and recycling the pulp of laboratory preparation.
EFFECT OF NUMBER OF PAPERMAKING CYCLES WITH UNBLEACHED KRAFT PULP ON SHEET PROPERTIES BEATEN TO 600 CSF (Canadian Standard Freeness) IN A VALLEY BEATER Table 2
PROPERTY
ORIGINAL TEST
NUMBER OF REPULPINGS 1
2
3
4
5
6
Breaking length (km)
7.3
6.9
5.7
5.7
5.6
5.3
5.2
Porosity (sec/100cm3)
30
36
33
23
22
21
20
Bonding – VVP (kp cm/sec)
300
190
150
170
150
110
90
Source: Pulp Technology & Treatment for Paper (Pulp & Paper Book) Hardcover – May, 1985, James D’A Clark
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K THE RECYCLING OF PAPER AND BOARD
paper
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o
CONSUMPTION AND RECOVERY The South African Situation
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The table below summarises the total paper consumed in South Africa. This includes printing and writing paper, tissue and board, showing the variance between manufactured and recoverable paper. Some paper products cannot be recovered for recycling, for
example toilet tissue (flushed away), books or records kept or archived for long periods of time; others are destroyed or contaminated when used (e.g. cigarette papers and hygiene products). Additionally, declines in consumption and production of
Table 3
TOTAL PAPER & BOARD CONSUMED
TOTAL PAPER & BOARD RECOVERED
BOARD MANUFACTURED
BOARD (K4) RECOVERED
% PAPER & BOARD RECOVERY
Year
Tonnes/yr
Tonnes/yr
Tonnes/yr
Tonnes/yr
%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
2 485 908 2 402 919 2 689 994 2 532 244 2 290 444
1 090 198 1 064 509 1 151 315 1 169 296 1 063 129
1 112 339 993 235 1 202 177 1 197 699 1 154 191
611 611 656 731 751 951 815 229 734 894
58 59 57 62 63
Source : Paper Consumption: FAO / GDP per capita: World Bank
Egg trays made from waste paper are usually affordable and light materials which make them economical for use. 18
some readily recycled paper, such as newsprint, creates challenges for paper recovery systems that have long-relied on these materials.
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Table 4 www.recyclingmatters.co.za
source : Paper Recycling Association of South Africa
Table 5
source : Paper Recycling Association of South Africa
Table 6
source : Paper Recycling Association of South Africa
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paper
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Recovered paper collection
X 1000 Tonnes / Annum
Graph 1
source : Paper Recycling Association of South Africa
In order to put the recovery of paper in South Africa into perspective over a period of an eleven year period, graph 1 above
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remarkably consistent quantity of waste paper each year with a growth of approximately two percent year on year.
South African Paper Recovery Practices
South African paper recovery rates of pre-consumer waste paper are very good at 85% and even higher in some areas as the necessary systems and logistics are in place. Recovery has been perfected over the years by companies such as Mpact (formerly Mondi recycling), Neopak Recycling (formerly Nampak), Sappi ReFibre, Lothlorien Recycling and a myriad of smaller office park collectors via four to eight tonne trucks. This method largely utilizes bins which are placed at the waste generators and are uplifted when full by hydraulic powered trucks.
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summarises tonnes/annum of paper recovered since 2003. The current South African paper recovery methods have really produced a
March 2016
The other two very significant waste paper recovery practices which have come about due to high unemployment rates are: • Street collections by hawkers who sell to buy-back centres and • Reclaiming at landfills who also sell to buy-back centres. The latter practice which has become accepted is unhygienic and unsafe, leading to disease and sometimes death. The recovery rates of individuals of these two practices is on average in the range of 60 up to 100 kg/person/day.
To improve the paper and board recovery rates from the current position there needs to be new method(s) of extracting not only waste paper from the waste stream, but also the other recyclables such as packaging for liquids, plastics, glass, metals and even textiles. The value of recyclables landfilled in South Africa presently is in excess of R60 billion/annum. It is worth mentioning that the importation of wood pulp for tissue manufacture was the fourth fastest growing product in 2014. Improving waste paper recovery would certainly contribute in lowering this value.
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paper
FASTEST GROWING SOUTH AFRICAN IMPORTS IN 2014 SINCE 2010 www.recyclingmatters.co.za
Table 7 1 2 3 4 5
PRODUCT
UP BY
VALUE USD million
Zinc Oil seed Railway Equipment Wood pulp Other manufactured products
415.6% 145.7% 138.3% 93.4% 83.7%
160.2 201.8 312.3 118.6 310.6
source : http://www.worldsrichestcountries.com/top-south-africa-imports.html
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VISION FOR A MRF
A MRF has the potential to be South Africa’s forerunner in improving the recovery of paper and recyclable materials through the establishment of state of the art facilities in all major economic centres.
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The four PIKITUP landfills in Joburg collectively do not have enough air space to take care of the city’s future needs if landfilling of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) continues at its current rate. Ultimately landfilling is a loss of
recyclable materials (paper grades, plastic grades, glass, metals, e-waste and textiles) which all constitute the waste stream. MRFs will help mitigate this overload by reducing landfill intake by thousands of tons per day.
MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITY A PROVEN SOLUTION
Developing and developed countries particularly in Europe, the Americas and Asia have set up plants where even mixed MSW streams are directed for mechanical splitting and final hand sorting. The recyclable grade products can then be sold directly to recycling industries.
These plants are essentially factories which operate 24 hours per day and in South Africa would be designed to maximise hand sorting by employed people instead of mechanical sorting. The sorting rates in these plants would be at the level of 200 kg/person/hour over the 24 hour operation of the plant.
The residual MSW can subsequently be treated by various technologies to produce a myriad of energy products.
At 500 tonnes/day of MSW these plants can employ in excess of 300 people per MRF. With this proven technique, the recovery of all
recyclable materials from all MSW can undergo significant steps of improvement. In this way additional recyclables can be obtained for the industry and also more people can gain secure and permanent employment. From work done by by municipalities to characterise MSW, one single MRF of capacity of 500 tonnes/day can recover waste paper (all the paper grades) in excess of 20 000 tonnes/annum. This would be a leap jump in waste paper recovery in South Africa.
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clean-up
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INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEAN-UP 2015
P
lastics|SA has just released the results of the 2015 International Coastal Clean-Up (ICC) that took place on Saturday, the 19th of September 2015, as one of the highlights of the annual Clean-Up and Recycle Week SA. History of the International Coastal Clean-Up The International Coastal Cleanup was started by the single effort of one woman walking along the beach in Texas
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“More than 90 000 volunteers supported our inland Clean-up and Recycle SA activities in 2015 that took place along roadsides, rivers, schools, residential and illegal dumping areas,” Lightfoot says.
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u “The enthusiasm and support we received this year was fantastic! Thanks to the dedicated efforts of volunteers and the efficient organization and administration of the Ocean Conservancy in the USA, the International Coastal Cleanup has become one of the largest cleanup programmes on behalf of the marine environment within KwaZulu-Natal. Our beaches, reefs, estuaries, rivers and catchments are cleaner by having 22 871 kg of litter collected and removed,” said Wayne Munger of KZN Wildlife.
who was appalled at the amount of litter she saw. In a mere two hours she organized 2 800 Texans who collected 124 tons of litter. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife joined the global cleanup campaign for the first time in 1996 as a pilot project. During the first year, 460 people removed 9 tonnes of litter from 33 km of beach, which included 5 divers who collected 7 kg of litter from our reefs. Soon, the other three coastal provinces followed suit.
Tuffy Manufacturing, Garbie (East Rand Plastics) and the National Recycling Forum, celebrated 19 years of support to the International Coastal Clean-up in South Africa. Over 250 000 clean-up bags were sponsored for coastal and inland clean-ups in 2015, which saw more than 120 000 volunteers participating nationally in various Clean-up and Recycle SA activities.
This year, Plastics|SA`s Sustainability Council and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, in partnership with Ocean Conservancy, Pick n Pay,
75% of ocean litter is derived from land based waste. Without effective waste collection, an avalanche of debris will enter the
Inland Provinces
cape provinces u “It was inspiring to see that in the three Cape Provinces alone, participation in the world’s biggest volunteer effort for ocean health has increased to 16 141 people, compared to the 850 volunteers who participated in our first beach clean-up in these provinces,” Kieser said.
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dedicated efforts
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ocean. To prevent this, coordinating inland clean-ups during Clean-Up and Recycle Week SA is a major focus for the coordinators. The official Launch of Clean-up and Recycle Week SA 2015, took place during World Environment Week (June) and World Oceans Day (8 June 2015) and 300,000 bags were produced and distributed around the country for various clean-ups which were coordinated by PlasticsǀSA, Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Brand SA, WESSA,
Keep Kimberly Clean etc. According to Jacques Lightfoot, Sustainability Manager of Plastics|SA, who was responsible for inland projects, this year`s inland clean-up and recycling events received great support from our provincial governments, local municipalities, environmental organisations, businesses, schools and the community.
KwaZulu-Natal Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife set itself the goal of covering as much of its
620 km of coastline as possible. Cleaning the province’s Marine Protected Areas, estuaries and rivers was an important objective, along with encouraging cleanups inland too. To this end, the KZN Wildlife staff and Honorary Officers were mobilized to cover a specific stretch of coast and district and to coordinate the volunteers from local schools, individual citizens, religious groups and businesses. Despite the poor weather conditions experienced on the day, 5 200 enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers cleaned the marine environment from Port Edward
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“By understanding what is out there, we can work together on finding long-term solutions to the problem of marine debris - not only along our own coastline, but the entire African coast,” Kieser says.
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DEALER’S SERVICED
114 719 t TONNES PROCESSED
180 860 t
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1385
TONNES COLLECTED
226
SMME’s CREATED
3 044 JOBS CREATED
We’re in the business of making the circular economy work for our people and planet. REDISA manages the process of turning waste into worth via a Waste Tyre Management Plan that aids the environment, businesses (SMMEs) and employment. It’s a world-first system that won the 2014 International Oracle Sustainability Award for innovation. Many have benefitted from our success – something we hope to keep repeating time after time.
For a look at our latest achievements, statistics and positive stories worth celebrating, please visit our website. *Statistics calculated as at end November 2015
JOIN THE JOURNEY | www.redisa.org.za |
/wasteintoworth |
@wasteintoworth | +27 87 35-REUSE (73873)
2016 March Untitled-2 1
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to Kosi Bay. Each volunteer collected 4.4 kg of litter, which equates to 2.23 bags per person, each bag weighing approximately 2 kg.
Cape Provinces: This year alone, 109 160 items, weighing more than 5.3 tons, were collected via audited cleanups in the Eastern, Northern and Western Cape, covering a distance of 77 km on land and 1 000m under water. According to John Kieser, Sustainability Manager at Plastics|SA and the coordinator of this annual event in the Cape Provinces, the results of the amount and type of litter collected by volunteers this year are both inspiring and frustrating. According to Kieser, this year’s 26
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growth in public participation and the number of hands volunteering their time to remove litter from the marine environment, could in part explain the increase in all kinds of litter that were collected during September 2015.
The main culprits on beaches: For the past 19 years, Plastics|SA has been at the forefront of trying to stem the tide of plastics entering the marine environment by inspiring thousands of volunteers, as well as role players throughout South Africa and across many different industries, to take action by removing and recording litter during its annual Clean-Up and Recycle Week SA. Despite these concerted efforts and on-going communication and education campaigns, it seems
global problem u “Ocean litter is a global problem that affects human health and safety, endangers marine wildlife and costs states and nations countless millions in wasted resources and lost revenue. At its core, ocean trash is not an ocean problem; it is a people problem – perpetuated by the often unwitting practices that industry and people have adopted over time. But I am convinced we can solve it if we have the audacity to confront the problem head-on”.
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Kieser confirms that marine debris is receiving more attention on the African continent, but emphasizes that we still have a long way to go in learning exactly how waste – especially plastics – ends up in the ocean, and finding a global solution to this growing problem. Proof of the fact that the local plastics industry is committed to tackling the problem head-on, is that Plastics|SA was one of
the signatories of the Declaration of the Global Plastics Associations for Solutions on Marine Litter, a global declaration and public commitment made by the international plastics community to address the issue of plastics in the marine environment. Earlier this year, the association also hosted the second African Marine Debris Summit in Cape Town, during which the formation of a Southern African network on marine debris was facilitated, with the longterm goal of establishing an African network that ties into the global management of marine debris. Concludes Kieser: “Marine pollution has now become a global concern as plastic debris has now reached all of the oceans of the world with adverse effects on marine organisms, human livelihoods and the
economy. Whilst the problem can seem overwhelming, it is entirely preventable. However, we cannot afford to ease up on our efforts to ensure that waste is properly managed through various clean-up and recycling initiatives*. We are also committed to ongoing engagement with our network of partners and volunteers to stop the flow of litter at the source and before it has a chance to reach the water. Collectively, we can move one step closer to lasting solutions by taking a holistic approach to tackling trash, instead of relying entirely on clean-ups.”
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as if a growing amount of litter continues to find its way to our country’s oceans and onto the beaches. The top 10 pollutants in this regard continue to include micro-debris plastics, food and sweet wrappers, cigarette butts and plastic bottle caps.
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HOW CIRCULAR ECONOMIES WORK
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he best way to explain what a circular economy is, is to compare it to our current linear economy. In our current economic system, we extract resources from our planet at an ever-increasing pace, and turn them into a product that we mostly dispose after use. From the perspective of an individual or organization, that seems efficient. However, zooming out to a global level shows how unsustainable this approach is. In order for those same individuals and organizations to thrive, we need an economic system that
operates within our planetary boundaries. A circular economy is one that is waste-free and resilient by design. It is a new economic model that is ambitious as well as practical. Designing the economy in a way that is restorative of ecosystems, ambitious with its innovation, and impactful for society, is a bold challenge but one that is achievable when guided by the below principles of the circular economy.
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u
How it Works Circular is a new approach that encompasses the whole value
What we must understand is that circular models are not only about environmental efficiency, but economic efficiency. 28
WASTE FREE A circular economy is one that is waste-free and resilient by design. It is a new economic model that is ambitious as well as practical.
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frastructure for product take-back and collection and process infrastructure for recovery of materials and product manufacturing. It is important to bear in mind that the business model for closed loop may still be a ‘traditional’ product sales model, so long as the abovementioned aspects are addressed and longer use, return, re-use and recycling is ensured or stimulated. To close the loop, a variety of recycling technologies will have a part to play, but the ‘lead’ will be taken by technologies that can recover or regenerate fibres to virgin quality called full circular chemical recycling technologies.
RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY u To close the loop, a variety of recycling technologies will have a part to play, but the ‘lead’ will be taken by technologies that can recover or regenerate fibres to virgin quality called full circular chemical recycling technologies.
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chain of the industry – changing the way products are designed, produced, shipped, bought, used and recycled. For individual businesses, these approaches come in the shape of circular business models. Circular business models include products and business processes designed to enable the retention of material quality and value at end of use to ensure ‘endless’ cycling of resources through a circular system. In order to ensure fully closed loops, the business model needs to address the inherent recyclability of materials, design of the product (enabling disassembly of components to separate into ‘pure’ material streams), the in-
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Today, mechanical methods are already playing a crucial role in paving the road to circular, offering ‘textile to textile’ solutions that proximate virgin quality and that are ready for further scaling. However, the race towards full circular continues while new chemical solutions continue to develop and prepare for commercialisation. Closing the Loop
Not investing in a circular resource industry now will mean making your company particularly vulnerable to a sourcing crisis in the not too distant future, when virgin prices flare due to inevitable resource scarcity. Consistent and scaled supply is more feasible to maintain with closed loop systems, as this kind of resource efficiency will keep raw material costs relatively low and stable, with the additional benefit of cutting energy and transportation costs significantly. THE LIFECYCLE APPROACH
ENCOURAGING EXAMPLE u One encouraging example is replacing ‘bins’ (which may still encourage the idea that old clothes are ‘waste’) with a personal exchange which is over the counter.
How the Circular Economy Works
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Closing the loop is increasingly seen as the ‘new sustainability’; it has surpassed trend status and offers huge potential for multiple value creation. What we must understand is that circular models are not only about environmental efficiency,
but economic efficiency.
In Construction Instead of a short-term approach, the circular Construction and demolition sector are characterised by a lifecycle approach. The impact that the current production of 30
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construction materials has is thus significantly decreased. This is because high-value recycling of components and resources that are recovered in the End of Life phase get a large share. And by using pre-fabricated components,
the waste production during the construction, renovation and deconstruction is minimised. For Textiles What you add in demand you
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COLLECTION RATE u providing more collection point methods, whether through local authorities or via organisations. Individual apparel brands are already looking at variations of that take-back model.
INFORMATION TRANSPARENCY u We would also suggest more transparency and information is required from organisations in terms of telling the public exactly what happens to the clothing that is collected.
the transaction between brand and consumer doesn’t end at the point of sale. What this looks like is yet to be revealed – whether it’s a communications campaign (H&M), relationship with a recognised collection partner (Oxfam & M&S) or via an inbuilt business model (MUD Jeans). It will be interesting to see how this activity moves from a marketing initiative or CSR project towards an essential business strategy once resource scarcity is truly felt at the core. Once this reality hits, collected textiles ‘waste’ streams (post-industrial, pre-consumer and postconsumer) will represent a source of raw materials to fuel production and bring a competitive sourcing advantage. How to Improve Collection Rates in Textiles The short answer to this is by making it as easy as possible for consumers to hand in used clothing by, for instance, providing more collection point methods, whether through local authorities or via organisations. Individual apparel brands are already looking at variations of that take-back model. One encouraging example is replacing ‘bins’ (which may still encourage the idea that old clothes are ‘waste’) with a personal exchange which is over the counter. We would also suggest more transparency and information is required from organisations in terms of telling the public exactly what happens to the clothing that is collected. Collection initiatives and take-back schemes often use ‘closing the loop’ as part of their marketing material, but if the clothing collected is simply being down-cycled into a second life before ultimately being incinerated, then this can send a false message to consumers. 2016 March
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can match in supply. A circular textiles industry is dependent on used resources being fed back into the system. Closing the loop therefore means that brands take the responsibility to act in mass balance, collecting and recycling as much as they produce, therefore keeping textile resources in circulation. While the growing movement toward organic cotton and other sustainable materials is exciting and warranted, we should not only be concerned with where fabric comes from and how it is made, but also where it goes and how we can get it back. This model is a type of voluntary Extended Producer’s Responsibility, whereby
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Packaging SA joins effort to reduce marine debris
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Association joins 64 organizations in signing Global Declaration for Solutions on Marine Litter in a worldwide drive to keep plastics out of the ocean.
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ohannesburg, 26 November 2015. Packaging SA has become the latest signatory to the plastics industry’s Global Declaration for Solutions to Marine Litter, highlighting its commitment to finding solutions to combat plastics
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in our oceans. Douw Steyn, Director Sustainability at Plastics|SA and Chairman of Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement on the Global Action Team on Marine Debris (GAT) welcomed Packaging SA as the second signatory from the packaging industry,
the first being PACIA (National Packaging Covenant Industry Association – Australia). In line with the 5 year plan of the Global Action Team on Marine Debris (GAT), the Sustainability Council of Plastics|SA has set
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u “We recognise that plastic packaging is a major contributor to marine litter and consequently feel that it is important that we play our part in supporting every initiative to sort out this worrying global problem”, says Charles Muller, Executive Director of Packaging SA.
material suppliers u
itself objectives that include specific marine debris actions. Earlier this year, they hosted the second African Marine Debris Summit in Cape Town which led to the formation of a South African Network on Marine Debris, with the long-term goal of establishing an African network that ties into the global management of marine debris. This network includes industry, brand owners, environmental organisations, NGOs, retailers and other stakeholders who will work together towards finding solutions to the marine litter problem in Southern Africa specifically. Plastics|SA signed the Declaration in 2011 and to date more than 65 associations in 35 countries have signed the plastics industry’s global declaration, through which 185 projects have been planned, initiated, or completed since its launch in March 2011. These associations
constantly report on their progress. Over 185 projects are currently being carried out by or together with plastics industry representatives from Asia, the Middle East, Australia, the Americas, Europe, Africa and China as knowledge is transferred from one country to another. Worldwide issues need to be addressed globally with solutions being implemented locally. Steve Russell, Vice President of Plastics for the American Chemistry Council, welcomed and commended Packaging SA for joining global efforts to address marine debris. He said that marine debris is a complex, global problem, and Packaging SA`s participation is a strong signal that the packaging industry and its stakeholders are also committed to doing their part in providing solutions.
“The objective is to encourage country packaging associations, brand owners, retailers, environmental NGO`s and like-minded organisations to sign the Declaration and together, with the global plastics industry, to tackle plastics in the marine environment,” Steyn says.
material suppliers u “The GAT have made six public commitments that are aimed at contributing to sustainable solutions to address marine litter which are education, research, public policy, sharing best practices, plastics recycling and recover and plastic pellet containment,” Steyn explains.
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Anton hanekom
packaging
climate
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Parties Reach Historic
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Climate Agreement in Paris
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arties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reached a landmark agreement on December 12 in Paris, charting a fundamentally new course in the two-decade-old global climate effort.
evolving climate
Culminating a four-year negotiating round, the new treaty ends the strict differentiation between developed and developing countries that characterized earlier efforts, replacing it with a common framework that commits all countries to
The Evolving Climate Regime The Paris Agreement marks the latest step in the evolution of the UN climate change regime, which originated in 1992 with the adoption of the Framework Convention.
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put forward their best efforts and to strengthen them in the years ahead. This includes, for the first time, requirements that all parties report regularly on their emissions and implementation efforts, and undergo international review. The agreement and a companion decision by parties were the key outcomes of the conference, known as the 21st session of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties, or COP 21. Together, the Paris Agreement and the accompanying COP decision:
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Establish binding commitments by all parties to make “nationally determined contributions” (NDCs), and to pursue domestic measures aimed at achieving them;
Commit all countries to report regularly on their emissions and “progress made in implementing and achieving” their NDCs, and to undergo international review;
Commit all countries to submit new NDCs every five years, with the clear expectation that they will “represent a progression” beyond previous ones;
Negotiations on many issues were hard-fought and, in
typical COP fashion, progress through most of the conference was painstakingly slow. But thanks to deft diplomacy by the French presidency, the summit was remarkably free of the kind of procedural showdowns that have marred previous COPs. And though the conference ran 24 hours past the official deadline, as the final deal was gaveled through, one party after another declared that history had been made. As French President Francois Hollande summed it up; “In Paris, there have been many revolutions over the centuries. Today it is the most beautiful
150 presidents & prime ministers
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Extend the current goal of mobilizing $100 billion a year in support by 2020 through 2025, with a new, higher goal to be set for the period after 2025;
Extend a mechanism to address “loss and damage” resulting from climate change, which explicitly will not “involve or provide a basis for any liability or compensation;”
Require parties engaging in international emissions trading to avoid “double counting;” and
Commit all countries to submit new NDCs every five years, with the clear expectation that they will “represent a progression” beyond previous ones;
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Reaffirm the goal of limiting global temperature increase well below 2 degrees Celsius, while urging efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees;
The strong momentum toward an agreement that built over the preceding months was dramatically underscored on the opening day of the summit by the presence of 150 presidents and prime ministers, the largest ever single-day gathering of heads of state. Impetus came also from a vast array of “non-state actors,” including governors, mayors and CEOs, and the launch in Paris of major initiatives like the Breakthrough Energy Coalition announced by Bill Gates and other billionaires.
climate
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and the most peaceful revolution that has just been accomplished – a revolution for climate change.” Key steps remain. Many operational details of the new framework were left to be decided by future COPs. And the agreement will take effect only once enough countries have formally ratified it.
The Evolving Climate Regime The Paris Agreement marks the latest step in the evolution of the UN climate change regime, which originated in 1992 with the adop-
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tion of the Framework Convention. The UNFCCC established a long-term objective, general principles, common and differentiated commitments, and a basic governance structure, including an annual COP. In the years since, the regime has evolved in different directions. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol took a more “top-down” but highly differentiated approach, establishing negotiated, binding emissions targets for developed countries, and no new commitments for developing countries. Because the United States did not join, and some countries that did set no
durban platform u The Durban Platform called for “a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all Parties,” to apply from 2020, but provided no further substantive guidance.
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This approach attracted much wider participation, including, for the first time, specific mitigation pledges by developing countries. However, countries’ pledges fell far short of the reductions needed to meet the goal set in Copenhagen and Cancún of keeping average warming below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The negotiations toward a Paris agreement were launched with the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action adopted at COP 17 in 2011. The Durban Platform called for “a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all Parties,” to apply from 2020, but provided no further substantive guidance. COP 19 in Warsaw called on parties to submit “intended nationally determined contributions” (INDCs) well before the Paris conference, signaling an important bottom-up feature of the emerging agreement. Heading into Paris, more than 180 countries producing more than 90 percent of global emissions had submitted INDCs, a much broader response than many had anticipated.
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targets beyond 2012, the protocol now covers less than 15 percent of global emissions. With the 2009 Copenhagen Accord and 2010 Cancún Agreements, parties established a parallel “bottom-up” framework, with countries undertaking national pledges for 2020 that represent political rather than legal commitments.
from 2020
developed countries
u
u
The Durban Platform called for “a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all Parties,” to apply from 2020, but provided no further substantive guidance.
The 1997 Kyoto Protocol took a more “top-down” but highly differentiated approach, establishing negotiated, binding emissions targets for developed countries, and no new commitments for developing countries.
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HOW CHLORINE IS MADE?
It is dead simple: all you need is salt, water and electrons
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n a chlorine production unit, they start with water and add salt to it. Salt from the salt mines, sometimes also salt obtained by evaporation of sea and salt lake water. So we make brine. The laws of physico-chemics tell us that if you put electricity (= electrons) through this brine under controlled circumstances, an
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electrochemical reaction takes place. We call this reaction electrolysis. The salt (which is sodiumchloride) and the water molecules are recombined into three products: chlorine gas (Cl2), caustic soda (NaOH or sodium hydroxide) and hydrogen gas (H2) It is clear that the cost of electricity will be a very important factor in the total cost of chlorine: energy cost adds up to around 50% of total production cost! All three obtained substances are highly reactive, and technologies have been developed to separate them and keep them apart. Caustic soda is an alkali and widely-used in many industries, including the food industry, textile production, soap and other cleaning agents, water treatment and effluent control. Hydrogen is a combustible gas used in various processes including the production of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia as well as the removal of sulphur from petroleum derivatives.
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packaging
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U
stainable packaging is the development and use of packaging which results in improved sustainability. This involves increased use of life cycle inventory (LCI) and life cycle assessment (LCA) to help guide the use of packaging which reduces the environmental impact and ecological footprint. It includes a look at the whole of the supply chain: from basic function, to marketing, and then through to end of life (LCA) and rebirth. Additionally, an eco-cost to value ratio can be useful. The goals are to improve the long term viability and quality of life for humans and the longevity of natural ecosystems. Sustainable packaging must meet the functional and economic needs of the present without compromising
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the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability is not necessarily an end state but is a continuing process of improvement. Sustainable packaging is no longer focused on just recycling. Just as packaging is not the only eco target, although it is still top of mind for many. Right or wrong, packaging is frequently scrutinized and used as the measure of a company’s overall sustainability, even though it may contribute only a small percentage to the total eco impact compared to other things, such as transportation, and water and energy use. The Sustainable Packaging Coalition® (SPC), a project of GreenBlue® , envisions a world where all
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SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
Sustainable packaging is no longer focused on just recycling. Just as packaging is not the only eco target, although it is still top of mind for many. Right or wrong, packaging is frequently scrutinized and used as the measure of a company’s overall sustainability,
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packaging is sourced responsibly, designed to be effective and safe throughout its life cycle, meets market criteria for performance and cost, is made entirely using renewable energy, and once used, is recycled efficiently to provide a valuable resource for subsequent generations. In summary: a true a closed loop system for all packaging materials.
Relevance to Sustainable Development In addition to “profitability” the other two pillars of sustainability—social equity and the environment— are growing areas of corporate
The emergence of corporate social responsibility and sustainability reports reflect the growing focus on corporate citizenship, accountability, and transparency. 2016 March
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focus. As part of globalization strategies, multinational companies have expanded operations overseas and are increasingly being held accountable for actions resulting in negative social or environmental consequences. The emergence of corporate social responsibility and sustainability reports reflect the growing focus on corporate citizenship, accountability, and transparency. Leading companies are implementing holistic sustainability measures that benchmark, measure, and track progress across a wide range of environmental and social impact categories.
Relevance to Packaging
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The global packaging industry in 2009 was estimated at $429 billion
and employed more than five million people all over the world. The benefits of packaging to individuals and communities vary from the creation of meaningful, stable employment, to the protection, preservation, safety, and transport of products and foodstuffs. Packaging allows marketing and product differentiation and educates and informs the consumer. At the same time, the procurement, production, transport, and disposal of packaging can have negative consequences for both the environment and societies around the globe. The SPC believes that through intelligent packaging and system design, it is possible to “design out” the potential negative impact of packaging on the environment and societies.
Developing Closed Loop Systems Packaging protects the environmental and economic investment in products and contributes to economic development and social well –being by facilitating the distribution and delivery of products to the marketplace. However, after its useful life, packaging contributes to municipal solid waste that is managed at the community level. Effectively managing this waste is a challenge in many communities and especially in emerging or underdeveloped economies. Creating economically viable, closed loop systems for the recovery of packaging materials is an essential characteristic for sustainable materials management. Such a strategy supports individuals and communities through the creation of gainful employment, development of recovery infrastructure, conservation of resources, and measurable improvements in environmental performance. Corporate social responsibility, accountability,
intelligent packaging
3 The SPC believes that through intelligent packaging and system design, it is possible to “design out” the potential negative impact of packaging on the environment and societies.
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and equitable wages are all part of creating a more sustainable system.
nonrenewable
3 Materials from non-renewable resources should be recycled to the highest degree possible. Since the value of these materials cannot be recovered through natural processes and may be persistent in the environment,
Materials and Design The use of bio-based renewable or recycled materials can support the development of sustainable packaging by improving its environmental profile and providing a source of future packaging materials. The physical deterioration of some materials through mechanical reprocessing (i.e., mechanical recycling) currently poses a limit to effective and economic reutilization of some packaging materials. As demand for finite land and material resources grows, innovation related to the recovery and use of recycled packaging materials is likely.
Using principles of industrial ecology, materials should be recovered through either biological or industrial mechanisms, or both, and made available as inputs for new systems of production. Many bio-based and renewable materials are suitable for recovery through either biological or technical means. Materials from non-renewable resources should be recycled to the highest degree possible. Since the value of these materials cannot be recovered through natural processes and may be persistent in the environment, they require a high degree of stewardship throughout their life cycle to ensure that they are collected, recovered, and re-used.
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water
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THE IMPACT OF DROUGHT
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he South African Weather Service defines drought on the basis of the degree of dryness in comparison to normal or average amounts of rainfall for a particular area or place and the duration of the dry period. This is what is termed a meteorological drought. The National Department of Water and Sanitation says water levels at South Africa’s dams are continuing to drop due to persisting drought. South Africa often suffers a drought during an El Nino event, which is the natural warming of the surface temperatures of the Pacific Ocean, 44
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healthy system Y Pre-filtration is a common practice used in the industry to ensure that the water entering the tank is free of large sediment. Pre-filtration is important to keep the system healthy.
The consequence of rainfall being confined to six months of the year is that most crops can only be grown during this period. Similarly, the recharging of water resources is also confined to these crucial six months. When the seasonal rainfall is seriously below normal, crop yields are poor and ground and dam water levels fall dangerously low. Should these conditions occur in swift succession, as in the periods from 1964 to 1970, 1991 to 1995 and again from 2002 to 2005, there is insufficient time for natural resources and the economy to recover from each rainfall-deficit period. The most serious impact, other than dwindling water supplies,
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which occurs approximately every two to seven years. The rainfall climate of South Africa is one of great variability. Seasonal rainfall percentage deviations since 1960 demonstrate wide fluctuations about the long-term average and it is in this context that large rainfall deficits are assessed. A deficit of 25% is normally regarded as a severe meteorological drought. It is safely assumed that a shortfall of 20% from normal rainfall will cause crop and water shortfalls in many regions accompanied by social and economic hardship. Most regions of South Africa rely on summer rainfall, which normally falls between October and March, the summer season.
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is the effect on staple crops and, ultimately, commercial crops. In 1992/1993, undoubtedly one of the most widespread droughts of the last 45 years, maize had to be imported to South Africa (as well as the rest of southern Africa). The knock-on effect of crop failure could be seen in the population drift from rural areas into the cities, farm labour lay-offs and farm closures as well as an increasing indebtedness in the agricultural sector. DAMAGE TO AGRICULTURAL LAND
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Other serious impacts brought about by drought are the devastating veld fires which destroy large areas of grazing at a time when grass is in short supply. Commercial timber and orchards
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are also prone to damage at such times. In 1992 there were several huge fires which destroyed thousands of hectares of grassland. In one of the worst events, during August, at least nine people perished. In 1994, a combination of unusually strong winds and very dry conditions saw large areas of grazing and timber destroyed. Six people died in one such fire in July of that year. Again, in July of 2002, Mpumalanga was devastated by fires that destroyed 24,000 ha of pasture and left four people dead and damages amounting to more than R32 million. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF DROUGHTS Plants, animals, climate, soils, rocks and many others are all affected
by drought conditions. Some biotic and abiotic factors recover when the droughts are over. Others never recover again. Soil Moisture Soil moisture is key for the breakdown of organic matter. Droughts lower the quality of soils, because there is less organic activity, more wind erosion, while soil insects and organisms perish. Water Bodies Water bodies (lakes, creeks, ponds and lagoons) dry out, and water animals die. This is called habitat destruction. When aquatic animals (and other wild life) die, entire food chains and ecosystems are also affected.
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Desertification Desertification is when fertile lands (vegetation lands) become bare and infertile, often as a result of overgrazing, deforestation and other economic activity. Droughts make this process even worse and eliminate any chances of the land recovering.
precipitation, and the play of other weather conditions such as dry winds, high temperatures and so on. It is expressed in relation to the average conditions of the region over a long period of time. It is usually an indicator of potential water crisis if the condition is prolonged. Meteorological drought can begin and end immediately.
Wildlife
Agricultural Drought
Animals (wildlife) migrate long distances in search of water. They end up in new habitats, making them vulnerable and endangered, while others face new threats. TYPES OF DROUGHT BY DEFINITION
This is when atmospheric moisture is reduced to the extent that soil moisture is affected. Here, crops and animals are affected and evapotranspiration is also affected. It is often signs one sees when a meteorological drought is at play, but not before a hydrological drought.
Meteorological Drought
Hydrological Drought
This kind is usually determined by the general lack of moisture in the weather such as lack of
This is when there is a deficiency of surface water and ground water supply in a region, often
as a result of less precipitation, excessive reliance on surface water for farming, energy and other needs. Hydrological drought does not usually occur at the same time as meteorological drought. In a way, this decline in the quantity and quality of surface and sub-surface water is the effect of meteorological drought. Socioeconomic Drought This condition is when some supply of some goods and services such as energy, food and drinking water are reduced or threatened by changes in meteorological and hydrological conditions. Sometimes it is even made worse by growing populations and excessive demands of such goods, to the point that it creates stress on the little water available. It takes a very long time for this kind of drought to get into full gear, and a long time to recover from it.
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energy
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l
UNDERSTANDING RENEWABLE ENERGY
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enewable energy is generally defined as energy that comes from resources which are naturally replenished on a human timescale, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat.Renewable energy replaces conventional fuels in four distinct areas: electricity generation, air and water heating/cooling, motor fuels, and rural (off-grid) energy services. Based on REN21’s 2014 report, renewables contributed 19 percent to our global energy consumption and 22 percent to our electricity
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generation in 2012 and 2013, respectively. This energy consumption is divided as 9% coming from traditional biomass, 4.2% as heat energy (non-biomass), 3.8% hydroelectricity and 2% is electricity from wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. Worldwide investments in renewable technologies amounted to more than US$214 billion in 2013, with countries like China and the United States heavily investing in wind, hydro, solar and biofuels. Renewable energy resources exist over wide geographical areas, in
contrast to other energy sources, which are concentrated in a limited number of countries. Rapid deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency is resulting in significant energy security, climate change mitigation, and economic benefits. In international public opinion surveys there is strong support for promoting renewable sources such as solar power and wind power. At national level, at least 30 nations around the world already have renewable energy contributing more than 20 percent of energy supply. National renewable energy
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While many renewable energy projects are largescale, renewable technologies are also suited to rural and remote areas and developing countries, where energy is often crucial in human development. United Nations’ Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that renewable energy has the ability to lift the poorest nations to new levels of prosperity There are many forms of renewable energy. Most of these renewable energies depend in one way or another on sunlight. Wind and hydroelectric power are the direct result of differential heating of the Earth’s surface which leads to air moving about (wind) and precipitation forming as the air is lifted. Solar energy is the direct conversion of sunlight using panels or collectors. Biomass energy is stored sunlight contained in plants. Other renewable
energies that do not depend on sunlight are geothermal energy, which is a result of radioactive decay in the crust combined with the original heat of accreting the Earth, and tidal energy, which is a conversion of gravitational energy. Solar This form of energy relies on the nuclear fusion power from the core of the Sun. This energy can be collected and converted in a few different ways. The range is from solar water heating with solar collectors or attic cooling with solar attic fans for domestic use to the complex technologies of direct conversion of sunlight to electrical energy using mirrors and boilers or photovoltaic cells. Unfortunately these are currently insufficient to fully power our modern society. Wind Power The movement of the atmosphere is driven by differences of temperature at the Earth’s surface due to varying temper-
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markets are projected to continue to grow strongly in the coming decade and beyond.
energy
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atures of the Earth’s surface when lit by sunlight. Wind energy can be used to pump water or generate electricity, but requires extensive areal coverage to produce significant amounts of energy. Hydroelectric Energy This form uses the gravitational potential of elevated water that was lifted from the oceans by sunlight. It is not strictly speaking renewable since all reservoirs eventually fill up and require very expensive excavation to become useful again. At this time, most of the available locations for hydroelectric dams are already used in the developed world.
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Biomass Biomass is the term for energy from plants. Energy in this form is very commonly used throughout the world. Unfortunately the most popular is the burning of trees for cooking and warmth. This process releases copious amounts of carbon dioxide gases into the atmosphere and is a major contributor to unhealthy air in many areas. Some of the more modern forms of biomass energy are methane generation and production of alcohol for automobile fuel and fuelling electric power plants.
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Hydrogen and Fuel Cells These are also not strictly renewable energy resources but are very abundant in availability and are very low in pollution when utilized. Hydrogen can be burned as a fuel, typically in a vehicle, with only water as the combustion product. This clean burning fuel can mean a significant reduction of pollution in cities. Or the hydrogen can be used in fuel cells, which are similar to batteries, to power an electric motor. In either case significant production of hydrogen requires abundant power. Due to the need for energy to produce the initial hydrogen gas, the result is the relocation of pollution from the cities to the power plants. There are several promising methods to produce hydrogen, such as solar power, that may alter this picture drastically. Geothermal Power Energy left over from the original accretion of the planet and augmented by heat from radioactive decay seeps out slowly everywhere, every day. In certain areas the geothermal gradient (increase in temperature with depth) is high enough to exploit to generate electricity. This possibility is limited to a few locations on Earth and many
thermal gradient 7 In certain areas the geothermal gradient (increase in temperature with depth) is high enough to exploit to generate electricity. technical problems exist that limit its utility. Another form of geothermal energy is Earth energy, a result of the heat storage in the Earth’s surface. Soil everywhere tends to stay at a relatively constant temperature, the yearly average, and can be used with heat pumps to heat a building in winter and cool a building in summer. This form of energy can lessen the need for other power to maintain comfortable temperatures in buildings, but cannot be used to produce electricity.
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advert
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environment
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THE GREEN DROP
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outh Africa has adopted incentive-based regulation as a means to identify, reward, ensure and encourage excellence in waste water management. It is within this strategy that the Green Drop regulation programme was conceived within the Department of Water Affairs and launched by the Minister 11 September 2008. In parallel, the Department commenced with a full scale assessment of all municipal plants across South Africa and used this baseline to develop the risk-based regulatory approach. This two-pronged approach by the Water Sector Leader has been widely acknowledged. ►► At its core is – the Green Drop Certification incentive-based regulation seeks to identify and develop the core competencies 52
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required for the sector; that if strengthened, will gradually and sustainably improve the level of wastewater management in South Africa; ►► Risk-based regulation seeks to establish scientific baseline comprising of the critical risk areas within the wastewater services production and to use continuous risk measurement and reporting to ensure that corrective measures be taken to abate these high and critical risk areas. The combination of incentiveand risk-based regulation holds promise to synergise the goodwill exhibited by municipalities and existing Government support programmes to give the focus, commitment and planning needed to achieve excellence in wastewater management. In pursuit of continued
RISK ANALYSIS w Risk analysis is used by the Regulator to identify, quantify and manage the corresponding risks according to their potential impact on the water resource
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improvement and excellence, the Minister has taken a further step by calling for partnerships between private and public entities with a view to explore partnerships between industry and municipalities. The government aims to upgrade and rehabilitate inadequate infrastructure that is central to securing our water supply mix. Green Drop Certification will henceforward also be assessed and report on the status of privately owned wastewater systems, as well as facilities managed by the Department of Public Works.
Risk-based Regulation in South Africa The Green Drop criterion has been designed to assess the entire business of the municipal wastewater services. Wastewater treatment still remains the key risk component within this production chain, and as such presents a critical barrier in preventing pollution of natural resources. Wastewater risk abatement planning and implementation is part of this set of Green Drop criteria and is using the Cumulative Risk Ratios (CRR) to track progress on a year-to-year basis. This allows the Regulator to have insight into the treatment component of the municipal, private- and public wastewater treatment business. Risk-based regulation allows the municipality to identify and prioritise the critical risk areas within its wastewater treatment process and to take corrective measures to abate these. Risk analysis is used by the Regulator to identify, quantify and manage the corresponding risks according to their potential impact on the water resource and to ensure a prioritised and targeted regulation of municipalities whose facilities fall 2016 March
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in high and critical risk parameters.
Such ‘risk’ is defined and calculated as follows:
=
AxB+C+D
A
=
Design Capacity of plant which also represent the hydraulic loading onto the receiving water body
B
=
Operational flow exceeding-, onand below capacity
C
=
Number of non-compliance trends in terms of effluent quality as discharged to the receiving water body
D
=
Compliance or non-compliance i.t.o. technical skills
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Cumulative Risk Rating (CRR)
A CRR value is calculated for each municipal wastewater treatment facility in South Africa, as provided in this Green Drop Progress Report.
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Wastewater Risk Abatement Planning (W2RAP) Wastewater treatment is the first barrier in a multi-barrier system of ensuring public- and environmental health. In the same way that the Water Safety Plan identifies, plans and manages the risks in the drinking water treatment and supply systems, so does the W2RAP identify, plan and manage risks in the wastewater collection and treatment system. The development of the South African W2RAP Guideline for Municipalities draws from the principles and concepts of other risk management procedures, such as the Water Safety Plan and Hazards Analysis and Critical Control Points. The Guideline was published by the Water Research Commission and Department of Water Affairs in 2011. The development and implementation of municipal W2RAPs have enjoyed significant
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The Department of Water Affairs will increase its focus on the use of risk abatement to influence business decisions, determine priorities and (re)allocate resources, in order to achieve compliance and best practice.
Remarks
Green Drop requirements w although room for further improvement is noted in the areas where lower scores were awarded. In particular, the Bushkoppies final effluent compliance needs to be rectified to ensure that Johannesburg reaffirm a complete Green Drop Certification status.
base that underwrites to a large extent the success of the City. In verification of the City’s Green Drop Status, the risk profile for the six wastewater treatment plants indicate that 4 of the 6 plants have increased its risk profile over the past year, but that all the plants still reside in low risk space. This margin should be tracked closely and in ensuring that volatile risks are identified as the city landscape continues to change. Analytical tools such as Green Drop, CRR and W2RAP may assist to assess the contingencies and how those may impact on sustainable growth in Johannesburg with appropriate mitigation plans.
The City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality has performed excellently during the Green Drop assessments and achieved 4 Green Drop Certifications out of the 6 systems. The Metro team managed to maintain their previous Green Drop status (with one exception) via meticulous planning and risk-based decisions and implementation, in order to meet the expectations of the regulation programme. Close cooperation is observed between the WSA and its Water Services Provider, Johannesburg Water. The Green Drop requirements are largely met, although room for further improvement is noted in the areas where lower scores were awarded. In particular, the Bushkoppies final effluent compliance needs to be rectified to ensure that Johannesburg reaffirm a complete Green Drop Certification status. The team is to be congratulated on exceeding the DWA requirements on effluent quality, and for retaining and building the strong technical skills
waste water
b
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attention within both the municipal and private services sector, in an effort to identify, prioritise and abate the higher risk elements within the institutions with the (limited) resources in hand. Additional mileage has been accrued by the more pioneering municipalities, who have used their W2RAPs to access additional funds for project implementation.
environment
bins
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yellow wheelie bins Donation
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OLYCO, the non-profit Polyolefin Recycling Company (NPC), has donated 12 branded, yellow wheelie bins and 500 rolls of clear refuse bags to the Oasis Association in Claremont, Cape Town and the Breede Valley Association for Persons with Disabilities in Worcester as part of a Social Responsibility initiative. According to Mandy Naudé, Chief Executive Officer of POLYCO, both of these charities recently submitted applications to them for funding during the organisations call for proposals from collectors of post-consumer polyolefin waste. “Although they didn’t meet our criteria for project funding support, we recognized the fantastic work they were doing and decided to donate recycling bins and bags to assist them with the sorting of their plastic waste at both their recycling depots”, Mandy says.
Oasis Foundation The well-known Oasis Association
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provides services for people with intellectual disabilities, as well as day centres for children and group homes for adults. They pride themselves in providing stimulation, education, food and care, as well as employment to the adults who are housed at the Oasis Workshops. “We run workshops that provide opportunities for the disabled at our centre of work. By teaching them to assist in the recycling projects by sorting and managing the recycling waste that comes through the door, they learn valuable skills that allow our adults to contribute to the workforce and earn some money,” explains Blessing Tsiga of the Oasis Association. The recovery and processing of recyclable or waste materials is Oasis’ largest project. They currently employ 364 workers at the two workshops who, due to the nature of their disability and their need for close supervision, have virtually no prospect of finding employment in the open labour market. Recycling over 260 tons of waste per month,
POLYCO - Breede River Handover
mandy naude w Although they didn’t meet our criteria for project funding support, we recognized the fantastic work they were doing and decided to donate recycling bins and bags to assist them with the sorting of their plastic waste at both their recycling depots
Oasis has become an important dropoff site for recyclables in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. “These bins that were donated by POLYCO are a huge help to our workshop as we receive large amounts of recycling daily, and the bins are used to separate plastic materials and store
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them safely so that they do not deteriorate,” Blessing says.
Breede Valley APD addressed this need by implementing a recycling project which currently employs 17 persons with disabilities. They provide an integrated approach to waste management by dealing with waste in different ways with the aim of reducing the amount of waste that ends up in our landfills and playing our part in saving our environment. The Workshop Manager at Breede
Davids added that the town of Worcester has become a recycling mecca since 2010 when they started the programme. “Members of the community bring their recycling in large quantities to our premises and with the clear recycling bags POLYCO has donated, we can
give our fellow recyclers one new bag for each bag they recycle at their home”, she said. Concluded Mandy: “We are proud to have assisted both these worthy charities with the new bins that communicate our recycling message. Although providing and donating recycling bins is not a core focus of our activities, both these associations stood out with their passion for recycling and helping the disabled. Considering our vision of delivering a hand-up instead of a hand-out, we felt that they were both worthy projects to support. As with our other project partners, POLYCO will continue to build a relationship with them and assist them in growing their collection efforts”.
intellectual w disabilities
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The Breede Valley Association for Persons with Disabilities (APD) is a welfare organization that provides developmental social services to all persons with disabilities residing in the Breede Valley Municipal area. There is a great need amongst persons with disabilities (especially schoolleavers who have finished their training at the Eden Training Centre in Worcester) for a place of employment, continued education, training and the daily companionship of work colleagues.
Valley APD, Michelle David, said “With POLYCO donating the 6 wheelie bins and clear plastic bags for recycling, they have made it easier for persons with disabilities to do their daily task. Our premises could get so full at times that we need any storing space we can get. The clear bags will be used in a new recycling community project where we go into the community and collect recyclables door to door in our rural areas.”
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SAVA ENCOURAGES PUBLIC TO DONATE BLOOD
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ith the long-awaited Easter holidays around the corner, thousands of South Africans will once again be hitting the country’s highways and byways to reach their holiday destination. However, the increase in road traffic also unfortunately means an increase in road accidents – placing a serious strain on the country’s blood supplies at blood banks and hospitals around the country. The Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) is encouraging South Africans to donate blood before the official start of the school holidays, resting assured in the knowledge that their valuable sacrifice and donation is stored safely in a blood bag made from PVC. “Very few people are aware of the
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fact that vinyl is used extensively in the medical industry – ranging from use in blood bags, to tubing and artificial skin,” says Delanie Bezuidenhout, Chief Executive Officer of SAVA.
Tel: 082 444 6866 Fax: 086 710 3532 Email: info@savinyls.co.za
Plasticised-PVC blood bags have been used since the 1950s for the collection of whole blood, the processing of this into plasma,
platelets etc., and for storage. “In order to store and preserve blood for as long as possible, there are various conditions that must be met. On the one hand, the material that is used to store the blood in, must allow a certain permeability to oxygen. If not, the blood platelets will not survive. On the other hand, it must not be too permeable to water. The bag must also be sufficiently heat resistant so that it can be sterilised with steam prior to use. The material must not burst in the centrifuge or tear on handling. It must remain undamaged when seriously bent, should be flexible when squeezed and must be translucent to check if the bag is full or contains any layers. Furthermore, the material should be cost efficient and thus relatively
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travelled to malaria areas are usually also excluded.
PVC blood bags
Before you can donate blood, you will be asked about your lifestyle, personal details and medical history. These questions are asked to make sure that it is medically safe for you to donate blood and that the person who receives your blood, will not be harmed in any way. A finger prick test is done to determine your haemoglobin levels and your blood pressure and pulse rate will also be checked. If everything is in order, you will donate about 480 ml of blood, which will take between six and 10 minutes. The average person contains about 5 litres of blood, which is continuously replaced. Donating blood is thus not usually a problem. It is not possible to contract any disease by giving blood.
A single blood donation can equal three gifts of life, as nearly every blood donation is separated into red blood cells, plasma and platelets. The majority of transfusions are given to: • Women who haemorrhage as a complication of pregnancy; • Children with severe anaemia; • Accident victims; and • Surgical and cancer patients.
Who can give blood? Anyone who is older than 17 years, weighs at least 50 kilograms and who has not donated blood in the preceding 56 days, who is healthy, not anaemic, not on certain types of medication, or whose social behaviour does not place them at an increased risk of transmitting the HI-virus or a hepatitis virus, is eligible to give blood. People who have recently
The process explained
Concludes Delanie: “Every day thousands of people would die if others did not donate their blood.
By donating blood, you are giving a patient something money cannot buy and science cannot create. However, with the help of science, blood is preserved and protected to make sure that as many people as possible can benefit from this gift of life”.
Tel: 011 761 9000 Toll free: 0800 11 9031
Email: customerservice@sanbs.org.za
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easy to fabricate and to weld with the needed tubing. PVC meets all these quality standards”, Delanie explains.
SAVA
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water
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Closing the Loop on
T
l the Water Cycle
hree billion people will join the global consumer class over the next two decades, accelerating the degradation of natural resources and escalating competition for them. Nowhere is this growing imbalance playing out more acutely than the water sector. In terms of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal Six, clean accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in. However due to bad
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Circular economy R
Circular economy thinking aims to move away from waste: prevent it rather than manage it, breaking the still prevalent linear make-use-dispose paradigm that dominates our economies.
economics or poor infrastructure, every year millions of people, most of them children, die from diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene. Already, scarcity is so pronounced that we cannot reach many of our desired economic, social, and environmental goals. If we continue business as usual, global demand for water will exceed viable resources by 40 percent by 2030. In South Africa we are facing a water shortage. This can be attrib-
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A linear economy model means that raw materials are extracted, transported to manufacturers, and processed into various products. Since the linear model is economically and environmentally unsustainable, we should be viewing water as part of a circular economy, where it retains full value after each use and eventually returns to the system. And rather than focus solely on purification, we should attempt to prevent contamination or create a system in which water circulates in closed loops, allowing repeated use. In the water sector, a circular economy approach will mean reusing water constantly, imitating the way the natural water cycle works. With water scarcity spreading and intensifying in many regions, we need to change our attitude and view, but this must happen immediately given the urgency of the situation.
Though the switch to a different economic model is not simple, we are being pushed towards the circular model due to increasing scarcity and pollution of natural resources, compounded by the growing environmental consciousness of citizens, governments and companies. In order to achieve this, we need to change our thinking and address these issues in a collaborative manner. Having seen how the circular economy model has benefitted the South African economy and essentially dealt with the waste tyre problem, I believe that the
shift to a circular water economy holds much promise. It would replace scarcity with abundance and greatly reduce the resources needed to run our global water infrastructure. A circular water economy might even eliminate rapidly growing clean-up costs because no harmful substances would be added to the water supply. If we do not act now-by 2050, at least one in four people are likely to live in a country affected by chronic or recurring shortages of fresh water - a harsh reality to live with.
circular w water
Circular economy thinking aims to move away from waste: prevent it rather than manage it, breaking the still prevalent linear make-use-dispose paradigm that dominates our economies. 2016 March
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uted to various factors. Climate change has affected water supplies within the region and we are facing a severe drought period - for example in Durban the dams are 20 percent lower than at the start of 2010. Due to this fact cities are starting to impose water restrictions on communities. Many experts have claimed that wasteful treatment of water results from dysfunctional political or economic systems and ill-defined markets. However, an issue is that water has been pushed into a linear model in which it becomes successively more polluted as it travels through the system, making future use impossible.
water
POLYCO
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POLYCO CALLS ON PACKAGING CONVERTERS
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TO HELP THEM GROW PLASTICS RECYCLING IN SOUTH AFRICA
POLYCO board members photographed at the 2014 AGM: FLTR Philip de Weerdt (retired; NAMPAK), Anton Hanekom(Plastics|SA), Neelin Naidoo (Mpact), Mandy Naude (CEO: POLYCO), Annabe Pretorius (SAPRO), Jeremy Mackintosh (Chairman; Polyoak Packaging), Bernhard Mahl (Safripol) and Robin Olbrich (Astrapak)
P
OLYCO, the Polyolefin Recycling Company NPC, was formed in 2011 by the leading South African Polyolefin Plastic Packaging Converters, to promote the recycling of polyolefin plastics and diversion of plastic from landfill throughout South Africa. The company represents the largest plastic packaging polymer group in South Africa and is funded through the collection of a voluntary recycling levy of R110 for every ton of polyolefin polymer purchased from raw material suppliers SASOL and SAFRIPOL or imported by the packaging converters.
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Mandy NaudĂŠ CEO: POLYCO The IWMP has set a recycling rate target of 35% or 238 000 recycled polyolefin tonnes in the year 2020. We are currently achieving a 31.8% (171 000 tonnes) recycling rate. We are currently on track with our business model, but know that we are going to require an additional R120 million to be invested over the next four years. The only way we can do this, is by ensuring that more packaging converters come on board as members of POLYCO
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POLYCO
Recycling more than plastics POLYCO operates according to a self-sustaining business model whereby funds are invested into worthy polyolefin collection and recycling projects as once-off grants or interest-free loans that have to be paid back within 3 years. The money that is repaid, in effect gets “recycled” and reinvested into new recycling initiatives. “Approximately 80 % of the funding support we provide, takes the form of the interest free loans. The remaining 20% of funding support is in the form of grants, redeemed against growth volumes. The more funding POLYCO loans to the recycling industry, the more funding income we are able to generate for further project support, without having to increase the recycling levy from converters,” Mandy explains. Since POLYCO actively started its operations three years ago, they have already invested more than R 17 million into various separation, collection, sorting and recycling projects around South Africa, in order to increase the recycling rate polyolefin plastics. This has had a direct impact on employment, as these companies that we
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However, despite the successes achieved over the past five years and being able to count the leading packaging converters amongst its current members (including Afripak, Astrapack, Bowler Plastics, Boxmore, Huhtamaki, Mpact Plastics, MCG Industries, Nampak, Serioplast and Polyoak Packaging), POLYCO’s Chief Executive Officer Mandy Naudé says they need more packaging converts to sign up as members in order for them to achieve their targeted recycling rates.
have partnered with were able to expand and grow their operations in both the urban and rural areas of our country. By the year 2020, POLYCO anticipates that R25-million of the forecasted R43-million project spend will be sourced from repaid loans through its self-sustaining funding model Growing the plastics recycling industry “The IWMP has set a recycling rate target of 35% or 238 000 recycled polyolefin tonnes in the year 2020. We are currently achieving a 31.8 % (171 000 tonnes) recycling rate. We are currently on track with our business model, but know that we are going to require an additional R120 million to be invested over the next four years. The only way we can do this, is by ensuring that more packaging converters
come on board as members of POLYCO,” Mandy says. How joining POLYCO makes a difference Explaining the benefits of joining POLYCO or other Material Recovery Organisations (MRO’s) such as Petco, the Polystyrene Packaging Council (PSPC) or the Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA), Mandy says it has become crucial for business to demonstrate to Government that the plastics industry in South Africa is capable of and committed to meeting Government’s environmental expectations. “We act as the conscience of the plastics industry, by getting membership buy-in from plastic producers and spending those funds on worthy recycling initiatives that increase the recycling rate of their specific type of plastics. In POLYCO’s case, we 2016 March
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focus on polyolefin plastics, but we work closely with all plastic MRO’s, Packaging SA and Plastics|SA , National Recycling Forum as well as the South African Plastics Recycling Organisation (SAPRO) to ensure that our members and industry players act responsibly and participate in the growth and awareness of plastics recycling”, Mandy explains.
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POLYCO takes this mandate very seriously, as it is in line with Government’s principle of Extended Producer Responsibility, which requires industries to become active in recycling the products they produce as per the new Waste Management Act and the requirements of the Industry Waste Management Plan for Paper and Packaging.
advocating for Government to make it mandatory for all packaging converters to belong to MRO’s, as these organisations are the ones investing in collection and recycling initiatives that will divert waste away from landfill.
“Unless we are able to demonstrate clearly that we are acting appropriately with respect to recycling of its products, Government will intervene, and the intervention could be unfavourable towards our industry,” she says. No more “free riders”
“In the interim, however, we strongly believe that brand owners and retailers can exercise an immense influence on the packaging industry and therefore have a significant role to play in waste management and recycling,” Mandy says.
Unfortunately, Mandy says, there are still many free-riders in the packing industry who are not adhering to the “producer pays” principle and do not belong to a material responsibility organisation (MRO). To this end, POLYCO is actively
“Considering that they are the people who buy the products for resale in their stores, they are the ones who should insist that their packaging suppliers are members of the relevant MRO’s and are paying the current voluntary sustainability levy, which is then used to grow
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collection and recycling volumes”. Conclusion Brand owners can genuinely claim that they are contributing to a greener future by helping South Africa reduce the amount of material that gets sent to landfill. By creating a greater demand and acceptance for products containing recycled materials , a “pull through” effect is developed for more recycled material, which stimulates the recycling value chain and encourages more material to be collected and recycled. This secondary recycling economy supports enterprise development and job creation. Utimately the entire country benefits by cleaning up our environment and reducing the amount of visible litter on our streets.
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plastics
T
o succeed in business today, you need to be part of a winning team. Running a successful company is challenging at the best of times, and for this reason it is vital to ensure that you are associated with a group of like-minded individuals and companies who can connect you with key players, alert you to the latest industry developments, and help you fight the battles that have a direct impact on the success and future of your company. No man is an island If you are feeling alone or isolated, why not become a member of one of Plastics|SA’s
associations? Plastics|SA is the umbrella body representing the South African plastics industry, we are an association that believes in the power of forming a strong network of plastics industry companies and role players in order to promote the interests of the South African plastics industry to key stakeholders both locally and internationally. “We represents all sectors of the SA Plastics Industry including polymer producers and importers, converters, machine suppliers, fabricators and recyclers,” explains Anton Hanekom, Executive Director of Plastics|SA. “Together with our associations we play an active role in the growth and development of the SA plastics industry and strive to address
plastics related issues, influence role players and make plastics the material of choice.” Plastics|SA is registered as a Non-Profit Company (NPC) and funded by membership fees based on sales of locally manufactured and imported plastics raw materials, as well as sponsorships from industry associations and other contributions. The majority of its income is derived from training activities provided to the Plastics Industry. Focussing on key areas to promote plastics Plastics|SA focuses on the following key areas in order 2016 March
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BECOME A MEMBER OF PLASTICS|SA AND JOIN A WINNING TEAM
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to promote the use, reuse, recycling and manufacturing of plastics in South Africa: ►►Sustainability Leadership We have set ourselves the aspirational target of diverting plastics from the country’s landfill sites with our campaign entitled, “Zero Plastics to Landfill by 2030”. We are pleased to confirm that the plastics recycling industry continues to show positive growth. Due to the increase in the use of waste plastic as an input material in the conversion process, the local demand for plastic waste has increased. 20.3 % of the total amount of plastics manufactured in 2014 was successfully recycled. This is no small feat and an accomplishment we have reason to be proud of.
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Other sustainability successes for the same period include: »»22.5 % of plastics was diverted from landfill
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Anton hanekom u Experts agree that forming good relationships or being part of a positive network, represents a source of social power. It is believed that the more networks you have, the more powerful you will be
zero plastics u We have set ourselves the aspirational target of diverting plastics from the country’s landfill sites with our campaign entitled, “Zero Plastics to Landfill by 2030”.
»»90.2 % was mechanically recycled »»9.8 % exported for recycling elsewhere. Furthermore, when one considers that almost half of polymers are used for durable products, then almost 40% of all plastic packaging is presently being diverted from land fill. ►►Training the Plastics Industry Plastics|SA’s Training Division is making an impact on the skills landscape in the plastics industry through its engagement with key strategic partners and processes. The total number of learners trained for the 2014/15 financial year was 3 266. ►►Advocacy Leadership Plastics|SA focuses on promoting the plastics industry in all spheres of government. To this end, we are frequently called upon to make input with regards to policy development. We are also actively developing relationships with various corporates and
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plastics
A number of critical initiatives and activities include: »»Continuous discussions with the Chairpersons of Portfolio Committees in Parliament to grow the industry; »»Stakeholder engagement with Brand SA, Ekurhuleni Plastics Industry Innovation, Research and Skills Development Cluster Project; »»Strengthening Partnerships with the IDC, Watershed Global Institute, the DTI and SARS and the »»Plastics Exporter Development Programme and Implementation Plan. ►►Marketing and Communication Our marketing and communication activities are focussed on managing the brand and perception of plastics in South Africa in general, as well as the Plastics|SA brand in particular. We work hard at ensuring that a positive image of the local plastics industry’s reputation is upheld through the sharing of relevant industry information with industry role players, disseminating industry news to the media and clarifying any misconceptions that the general public may have with regards to the use or recycling of plastics. We fully embraced the power of the media to help us tell the plastics story. Despite a limited budget, we managed to secure considerable exposure in local trade publications, daily newspapers, radio and television and online media throughout the year.
►► Membership Certificate Members of Plastics|SA receive a membership certificate. Packaging Converters and suppliers are encouraged to ask for a valid Plastics|SA membership certificate when they buy or import raw material and in this way show their active industry support. Conclusion: Plastics|SA has identified four strategic initiatives that we will be focusing on for the next financial year in order to be relevant to the needs of the industry. 1. Zero Plastics to Landfill by 2030 2. Growth through Exports and Import 3. Innovation and Skills Development
4. Industry Support through Public-Private Partnerships “Experts agree that forming good relationships or being part of a positive network, represents a source of social power. It is believed that the more networks you have, the more powerful you will be,” says Plastics|SA Executive Director Anton Hanekom. “We want to facilitate the forming of business networks and an infrastructure that will add value to each and every one of our members. Because our members are at the centre of everything we do, we will continue working towards ensuring that we not only meet, but exceed expectations by creating an industry body that is representative, dynamic and relevant”.
Karen Wichman Tel: 011 653 4784 Email: Karen.wichman@plasticssa.co.za
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key role players in order to share practices pertinent to issues affecting the industry.
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UNDERSTANDING
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THE TISSUE CONSUMER MARKET
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ccording to Tissue World Magazine, the rising cost of utilities and fuel as well as labour unrest, coupled with the falling exchange value of the South African rand, all contributed to South Africa’s poor economic performance in 2014. Subsequently, consumer income levels remain under significant pressure, especially for low-income households. The fifth member of the BRICS, South Africa is seen as a major developing consumer market and is a focus of strategic initiatives and planning by domestic and international industry players. Furthermore, the key factor behind spending on consumer goods in developing countries – did not increase over 2009-2014, lingering around 14.5% of the total 68
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households in the country, while their disposable incomes grew by a modest 2% CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) over the same period. Toilet Paper Saves the Day Weak economic performance has had an unfavourable impact on demand for household goods and resulted in a major rationalisation of consumer spending on tissue products, with many South African households turning to toilet paper for all their tissue needs. Toilet paper remains by far the largest and the best performing category in retail tissue in the country. Moreover, tight consumer budgets have inhibited wider consumer acceptance of value-added tissue
retail tissue f retail tissue will see a very healthy 9% CAGR increase in volume over the next five years through 2019.
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Consumers Turn to Cheaper Tissue The low purchasing power of many South African consumers is pushing them towards cheaper retail tissue options. Which creates good opportunities for new suppliers, but presents challenges for branded product manufacturers to generate higher margins and revenues in the consumer tissue business. In 2014, private label products saw double digit growth in sales in value and volume in the country. Also, significant emphasis on value and price were among the factors that until recently supported the leading position of Nampak in South Africa’s retail tissue, as the company marketed a wide range of affordable products under Twinsaver. However, in late 2014 the company announced a number of changes in its operations, which included the sale of tissue division completed in 2015. In the words of the Nampak chief executive André de Ruyter “The disposal of these businesses forms part of Nampak’s portfolio optimisation strategy to unlock cash from low-margin divisions and redeploy it into high-yield and high-growth opportunities in the rest of Africa.” Nonetheless, while economy and price dominate the agenda for the majority of consumer spending, there is a room for quality and value-added products that address the needs and wants of wealthier households and rising urban consumers. KimberlyClark’s strong position and further
expansion in the country attest to the potential in mid-priced and premium price segments, especially as a strategy for long term growth. The company continues to pursue opportunities in South Africa as a part of a five-year expansion strategy launched back in 2011 which includes brand innovation, investment in local production facilities, geographic expansion, and possible acquisitions. Kimberly-Clark’s innovation in 2014 included an environmentally-friendly product under the brand Baby Soft within toilet paper. Enviro-Roll toilet paper is available in 2-ply format and designed to be eco-friendly, space efficient and cost effective. The production of Enviro-Roll is also
FSC-compliant, being made using sustainable sources and responsible forestry, reducing therefore its impact on the environment. In the same year the company also ventured into moist toilet paper in South Africa, a novel category for the country. Kimberly-Clark introduced Baby Soft moist and flushable toilet wipes, which it refers to as ‘washlets’. Prospects Ahead Given the low levels of consumer confidence in South Africa, rising inflation and still weak job creation trend, the growth prospects for retail tissue are mixed. Overall, projections are that retail tissue will see a very healthy 9% CAGR increase in volume over the next five years through 2019.
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products. Demand for recycled products, typically higher priced, also remains low. Financial insecurity shapes up consumer preferences, and environment is not on the top of the agenda for most households at the moment.
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The value of retail tissue sales, on the other hand, is expected to record only a modest 2% CAGR, reflective of continuing strong emphasis on economy and affordability on the part of consumers. Furthermore, growth will be driven chiefly by toilet paper as many South African households will likely continue to rely on toilet paper to meet most of their tissue needs. Products like kitchen towels, paper tableware and facial tissues are expected to see a negative value over the next five years, although a modest positive trend in volume terms. With widespread poverty, most South Africans see these as discretionary luxuries they cannot afford.
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Consumer demand for low prices will continue to benefit new suppliers. On the other hand, branded products manufacturers will likely use promotional activity and emphasise smaller package size to respond to the needs of budget-strapped South African households. Promotional strategies will help buoy volume of sales, but will continue to adversely affect profit margins. However, long term prospects might not be as bleak, and more oppor-
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tunities for the consumer tissue industry are likely to open up with improved long term market outlook. Additionally, although slower than in many other markers, middle class households are expected to increase in numbers. While proportionally they will continue to account for about 14.5% share of the total households, the actual number will increase by over 1% over the next five years to over 2.3 million households in 2019. More importantly, average disposable incomes of the middle class households in South
Africa are expected to see a 3% CAGR increase over the next five years. This represents a somewhat accelerated pace of growth compared to the past five years. Middle class consumers will present a good opportunity and a platform for the industry revenue growth. Investment in a wider product portfolio, from economy to value-added consumer tissue, can help to secure gradual trading up and improve prospects for long term growth.
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growth will be driven chiefly by toilet paper as many South African households will likely continue to rely on toilet paper to meet most of their tissue needs.
With widespread poverty, most South Africans see these as discretionary luxuries they cannot afford.
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Two Ians, Ian Gwebu and Ian Barnard have teamed together to set up a material recovery facility (MRF). Both recycling enthusiasts see the MRF as a revolutionary solution to waste management in the city.
GLASS
PA P E R
PLASTIC
M E TA L
P.O. Box 74153 Turffontein, 1 Crystal Place, Johannesburg 2140, South Africa 011 039 2714
082 900 9104
ian.barnard@staffordmrf.co.za
www.staffordmrf.co.za