ReSource November 2020

Promoting integrated resources management

The official journal of the

Fibre Circle

Photo credit: Nampak Liquid Cartons

Navigating EPR in the paper packaging sector

Carbon Tax

SA’s novel approach to carbon pricing is printed on 100% recycled paper

Landfills

Ensuring safer communities

PET recycling

Not all doom and gloom post-Covid-19

ISSN 1680-4902 • R55.00 (incl. VAT) • Vol. 22 No. 04 • November 2020

25 TH WASTE CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION

Golf Conference Technical Tour

9-11 Feb 2021 Emperors Palace, Johannesburg, South Africa

Delegate registration open HOSTED BY:

Enquire about exhibition opportunities

www.wastecon.co.za + 27(0)11 675 3462

wastecon@iwmsa.co.za

Vol. 22, No. 04, November 2020

ON THE COVER Who should take responsibility for the life cycle of a product, especially its recovery, recycling and eventual disposal? With South Africa’s EPR regulations coming into effect from 5 November 2020, we now need to strengthen and extend our approach to recovery and recycling. P6

CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2020

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LANDFILLS

REGULARS

Editor’s comment 3 President’s comment 5 News round-up 8 Events 36 Index to advertisers 36

COVER STORY Navigating EPR in the paper and packaging sector

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WASTECON 10

Gearing up for SA’s premier waste event

ENERGY EFFICIENCY Energy efficiency project wins international award

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LANDFILLS 12

Managing landfills for safer communities

14 ORGANIC WASTE

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ORGANIC WASTE Food manufacturers and retailers commit to reducing food waste Using the Western Cape’s ban as a national model

HAZARDOUS WASTE Handling and reporting responsibly Insist on certified containers

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SUSTAINABILITY Honouring SA’s greenest

22

LABORATORIES 23

Waste assessment classification and SDS

GREEN BUILDINGS

BIOREMEDIATION Choosing the right substrate for bioremediation

CARBON TAX SA’s novel approach to carbon pricing

34

RECYCLING

infrastructure4

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EMISSIONS REDUCTION SA’s plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050

30

GREEN BUILDINGS The evolution of the student pod

32

RECYCLING Post-Covid-19: Not all doom and gloom for PET recycling

infrastructure news

14 16

34

www.infrastructurenews.co.za NOVEMBER 2020

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

Editor Danielle Petterson Managing editor Alastair Currie Journalist Nombulelo Manyana Head of design Beren Bauermeister Designer Jaclyn Dollenberg Chief sub-editor Tristan Snijders Contributors Sathisha Barath, Andrew Gilder, Brendon Jewaskiewitz, Mansoor Parker, Michelle Roux, Olivia Rumble Production & client liaison manager Antois-Leigh Nepgen Production coordinator Jacqueline Modise Group sales manager Chilomia Van Wijk Financial manager Andrew Lobban Distribution manager Nomsa Masina Distribution coordinator Asha Pursotham Printers Novus Print Montague Gardens Tel +27 (0)21 550 2300 Advertising sales Joanne Lawrie Cell +27 (0)82 346 5338 joanne@3smedia.co.za

Publisher Jacques Breytenbach 3S Media 46 Milkyway Avenue, Frankenwald, 2090 PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117 Tel +27 (0)11 233 2600 Fax +27 (0)11 234 7274/5 www.3smedia.co.za Annual subscription subs@3smedia.co.za R200.00 (incl VAT) South Africa ISSN 1680-4902 Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa Tel +27 (0)11 675 3462 Email gail@iwmsa.co.za All material herein is copyright protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher. The views and opinions of authors expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, editor or the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa. © Copyright 2020. All rights reserved.

Novus Holdings is a Level 2 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Contributor, with 125% recognised procurement recognition. View our BBBEE scorecard here: https://novus.holdings/sustainability/transformation The ABC logo is a valued stamp of measurement and trust, providing accurate and comparable circulation figures that protect the way advertising is traded.

ReSource is ABC audited and certified.

Transforming the environmental sector

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he National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Bill, which promotes the full participation of black professionals in the environmental sector, has been submitted to the National Council of Provinces for consideration.

This change to the existing legislation supports the National Development Plan’s call for the transformation of the economy and focused efforts to build the country’s capabilities.

Transforming South Africa With economic conditions declining amid the Covid-19 crisis, South Africa's unemployment soared to 30.8% in the third quarter of 2020 – up from 23.3% in the previous period – marking the country’s highest jobless rate since quarterly data became available in 2008.

The majority of the 6.5 million unemployed South Africans are black. Added to this, youth unemployment sits at around 52.3% What this means is that South Africa has a significant workforce waiting in the wings. And it is only through effective transformation, skills development and job creation that we can harness this massive potential and sustainably grow the economy.

South Africa has a great deal of legislation and supportive policies to promote transformation.

However, we must ensure that transformation is broad-based and does not inhibit economic growth and job creation. This means ensuring that companies employ and train black staff, support and grow SMEs and focus on job creation, rather than simply focusing on transformation at ownership level.

Without these measures, we will fail to address South Africa’s soaring unemployment rates and promote small businesses. This is vital for the waste sector, particularly in areas such as recycling, where there are many opportunities for youth involvement and entrepreneurship.

Challenges and opportunities Unfortunately, there are a number of challenges holding us back. One of the key enemies of transformation is corruption. State capture, mismanagement, fruitless and wasteful expenditure and the like undermine economic growth and ultimately affect South Africa’s poorest and most vulnerable communities the most.

Added to this, if government continues to fail to pay contractors within 30 days, it cripples SMEs that do not have the cash flow to continue to operate without payment. It also vital that we focus on skills development and training to ensure that South Africans are employable and have the entrepreneurial skills needed to create small businesses and, ultimately, employment opportunities.

It is clear that the current processes create blockages and leave room for corruption to seep in. Embracing digital technology and developing new and innovative procurement and financing models may be the answer moving forward.

Collaboration between the public and private sectors will go a long way in addressing some of these challenges and building state capacity in order to grow the economy. But the challenge is neither the public or private sector’s alone to bear – it is up to all sectors, businesses and civil society to promote sustainable transformation and work towards a stronger and better South Africa.

As we emerge from the Covid-19 crisis, it is vital that we rebuild the economy in a way that is inclusive and that we prevent corruption from undermining our recovery. We must adopt a long-term view and make use of the vast capacity and human resources we have available.

Danielle NOVEMBER 2020

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IS THE ENVIRONMENT YOUR KEY FOCUS? Unlock your potential with the IWMSA.

We offer world-class waste management training courses; offering you insight into international, national and local best practice trends.

You can only take advantage if you are a member.

By being part of a professional association, we provide our members with various benefits, by providing opportunities:

Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA) is a

•

to network and exchange information with industry experts

multi-disciplinary non-profit association that is committed to

•

to debate burning issues

supporting professional waste management practices.

•

to have your voice heard in the formulation of legislation

•

for professional and business growth

We also offer our members •

access to the latest waste management technology, trends and

BECOME A MEMBER NOW!

legislation •

special rates at IWMSA seminars, conferences and workshops

•

special rates at our bi-annual international congress - WasteCon

•

free subscription to our official journal RéSource – published quarterly

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courses to upgrade and develop skills

Visit our website www.iwmsa.co.za or e-mail gail@iwmsa.co.za for more information

PRESIDENT’S COMMENT

Towards a circular future

The new National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) has recently been adopted by Cabinet, and a number of extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations have been gazetted.

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he three pillars of the NWMS are: waste minimisation; the provision of effective and efficient waste services; and compliance, enforcement and awareness. All three pillars include boldly defined outcomes, actions, performance indicators, targets and timelines. Implementing agents have also been defined for a range of private and public sector entities.

Targets and objectives The EPR regulations, hot off the press, are intended to ensure that new and significant responsibilities are placed on manufacturers, distributors and importers of many products and consumer items, including electronic equipment, metal products, plastic packaging and products, glass packaging, lighting products, and paper products. For many of these, producers must now ensure that postconsumer materials are collected or returned for reuse or recycling. As with the NWMS, there are clearly defined targets and timelines, with the penalties for non-compliance including fines and

imprisonment of up to 15 years.

The overarching objectives of the NWMS and EPR regulations include the diversion of significant quantities of waste from landfill and cleaning up the environment, with a circular economy mindset. Goodness knows this is desperately needed, with landfill airspace rapidly diminishing and increasing in value, South Africans disposing of enough household waste per day to fill a football field 10 m deep, and with the growing plastic waste problem resulting in vast quantities of plastic being ‘leaked’ into our oceans. It is vital that we move on from the old ‘take, make, use and dispose of’ paradigm of unsustainable short-term consumption.

Addressing plastic waste Breaking the Plastic Wave is a must-read report (PEW Charitable Trusts & Systemiq) based on worldwide research into ocean plastic pollution, and provides chilling evidence of the magnitude of plastic pollution, with a projected 29 million tonnes of plastic waste finding its way into the world’s oceans, per annum, by the year 2040 under the ‘business as usual’ scenario (triple the current figure).

Modelling was performed in order to present a roadmap to address this problem, and the findings are a stark reminder that an urgent and integrated approach is needed, which includes following current commitments to reduce plastic waste and pollution, recycling, reducing and substituting, collection and disposal, and a complete systems change. None of these interventions will have any significant impact on their own.

Available research also tells us that there are numerous potential benefits to a circular future in waste management and a move away from landfilling as the primary solution. These include social and economic benefits, including job creation and the beneficiation of otherwise landfilled resources, on top of addressing the often ‘hidden’ environmental and public health impact costs associated with poor

waste management practices and the pollution of our limited natural resources.

Of economic concern As with anything involving significant change to the status quo, however, the devil is in the detail.

The waste problem is both an economic and social problem.

With unemployment at 42% (expanded definition), and 2.2 million jobs lost in the South African economy in Q2 2020, one cannot help but wonder whether chasing the elusive grail of circularity and zero waste to landfill (per the NWMS) is really practicable and appropriate at this time.

Without significant subsidies to support these initiatives, in the face of international competition, and with the threat of severe penalties for noncompliance with regulations, will the costs not ultimately cascade down to struggling small businesses and the cash-strapped consumer? And is the reliance on local government and municipalities in fulfilling the objectives of the NWMS also not worrying, in light of the current general state of these entities and endemic corruption?

Whatever one’s experience and opinion on these matters might be, it will certainly be very interesting to see how this all plays out over the next few critical years for the South African economy.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IWMSA, VISIT THE WEBSITE

NOVEMBER 2020

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COVER STORY

Navigating EPR in the paper packaging sector Who should take responsibility for the life cycle of a product, especially its recovery, recycling and eventual disposal? With South Africa’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations coming into effect from 5 November 2020, we now need to strengthen and extend our approach to recovery and recycling.

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or many years, recovery and recycling have been voluntary and largely driven by industry, with a number of producer responsibility organisations (PROs) delivering strategic recovery initiatives, school recycling programmes and waste entrepreneur training.

Even without mandatory conditions, South Africa’s paper recovery rate has averaged around 70% for the past three years, well above the global average of 59.3%.

The packaging industry has been in consultation with the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) for several years, initially under Section 28 of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (No. 59 of 2008) and more recently under Section 18. The latter is better for business because it does not involve a tax and oversight by the Waste Management Bureau. This is a clear step in the right direction.

Mandatory EPR will change how producers, brand owners, retailers and importers do business.

Producers of goods or packaging will have to take back their material after use and do something with it, whether it is cost-effective or not. This process will be managed and financed by the producers through the payment of an EPR fee, with PROs handling the collection and

disbursement of fees, based on rand per tonne of product sold to the local market. Those products that are more difficult to collect or recycle will attract a higher fee.

Along with stronger collaboration across the value chain, a mindset shift will be needed not only for legislative compliance, but also for the benefit of the environments we rely on. Paper products identified in the regulations are: • newspapers • magazines • office and graphic paper • corrugated/kraft (cardboard boxes) • liquid board packaging (beverage cartons, paper cups) • backing paper from adhesive labels • paper sacks.

Practical steps for the EPR journey PROs have a vital role in representing the collective interests of their respective sectors, helping them to identify shared constraints and synergistic opportunities. Fibre Circle was launched in 2019 to represent the broader paper sector as a registered PRO, and has been working with producers, importers, brand owners and retailers, as well as highlighting the benefits of belonging to an existing PRO rather than establishing new schemes.

Since the beginning of 2019, the majority of paper and paper packaging manufacturers have been paying voluntary EPR fees to Fibre Circle. These are used to support recovery and recycling, waste reduction, extending beneficiation oppor tunities, innovation, skills development and job creation – and, with the regulations now

in place, Fibre Circle is well placed to continue providing EPR support to its members.

It has been a long journey to get to this point and there is a fair stretch of road ahead of us.

Targets for recovery and recycling for each product have been set for the next five years, with yearly increases. The regulations also make the producer or group of producers responsible and liable for the development and implementation of an EPR plan and compliance against each product’s targets.

Producers will be required to conduct life-cycle assessments within three years for each product, accounting for changes in design, composition or production process in order to reduce the consumption of natural resources as well as the toxicity and volume of waste generated. EPR will, in turn, promote design for recycling.

Together, producers and the PRO must develop and submit the EPR plan to DEFF by no later than 5 June 2021, along with the proposed EPR fee, for ministerial approval.

Existing producers and PROs must register with DEFF within six months of promulgation of the regulations, and newly established producers and PROs within three months of initiating operation.

Producers will be required to report performance measured against the individual targets and to submit verified data and performance audit reports to DEFF on an annual basis.

When designing an EPR scheme, various factors should be considered: • volumes available for collection • ease of recovery from the consumer or source – through existing infrastructure or municipal collaboration • technology and cost required to collect and/or recycle it locally • quality of the recyclable material (level of contamination and known consistency – i.e. fresh or recycled, or mixed) • product composition, including additives for wet strength or burst strength, dyes and laminates such as silicone, polyethylene and aluminium • availability or viability of end-use markets • consumer awareness.

Different strokes The most recycled paper-based items in South Africa are brown cardboard boxes. They are easy to recover and repulp, and collectors can source

them in larger volumes.

Office paper (made from fresh wood fibre) is a highvalue commodity due to its fibre quality; however, it can be difficult to collect if businesses and homes do not separate at source.

Beverage cartons – both shelf-stable and refrigerated – are recyclable in South Africa. There are interesting beneficiation opportunities for the plastic and foil streams, which can be extruded or moulded into a range of plastic-like products.

Coffee and cold drink cups are ‘mobile recyclables’, making them difficult to collect once in the hands, or rather out of the hands, of consumers. Fibre Circle is currently working on prototypes of cup collection bins that can be installed in what were high-traffic areas preCovid-19, such as malls or office blocks.

Processing some paper products requires significantly more research and innovation, and the development of technology that enables the recovery of the fibres. For instance, backing paper and release liners are difficult to recycle due to the siliconised laminate, but potentially easy to collect due to concentrated, pre-consumer volumes at factories. Fibre Circle’s research arm has commissioned a study into the design of a plant that can recover fibres from label backing paper and sack bags that can be operated by an SME.

Navigating new and used routes for recycling EPR will see an investment in collection infrastructure, not only providing consumers with more convenient recycling facilities, but also a concerted recovery effort at the pre-consumer or post-industrial phase. Intensive consumer awareness campaigns will also help to drive behaviour change.

This journey will take unprecedented levels of collaboration, municipal buy-in and separationat-source by consumers in their homes, at their workplaces and in their schools. To borrow from the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, EPR will be about the journey, not the destination. And you cannot go it alone.

Terms to get to grips with “producer” any person or category of persons or a brand owner who is engaged in the commercial manufacture, conversion, refurbishment or import of new and/ or used products as identified by the Minister by Notice in the Government Gazette in terms of Section 18(1) of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (No. 59 of 2008) “extended producer responsibility” a producer’s responsibility for their product is extended to the postconsumer stage of a product’s life-cycle “producer responsibility organisation” a not-for-profit organisation established by producers or any person operating in any of the industrial sectors covered in the notices published in terms of the Act to support the implementation of their EPR scheme and may represent individual or collective producers “scheme” a system that puts EPR obligations into effect

www.fibrecircle.co.za NOVEMBER 2020

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NEWS ROUND-UP

SUSTAINABILITY NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD PPE waste a contamination risk to others While it is widely reported that lockdown has led to cleaner air and water and a reduction in resource consumption and pollution overall, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused an upsurge in the use and manufacture of PPE for citizens to comply with new regulations.

Waste management specialist Averda says it’s now more important than ever that the public and business alike understand that plastic PPE cannot be disposed of alongside normal plastic items that would be recycled.

These need to be handled as infectious waste and, if not disposed of with care, pose a contamination risk to others who are either handling the waste or waste pickers that live off our landfills and dumps.

Averda advises that all such items – from PPE to used tissues – be doubled-bagged before throwing them away, keeping them separate from recyclable waste.

Businesses should look for guidance from professional waste management service providers, especially those who supply medical waste bins.

Latest figures show growth in plastics recycling industry Plastics|SA, the umbrella body representing the entire South African plastics industry, released the plastics recycling figures for the year ending December 2019.

During 2019, 503 600 tonnes of plastics waste was collected for recycling.

Of this, more than half (362 800 tonnes) was packaging – giving South Africa an input recycling rate of 45.7%.

The amount of plastics recycled back into raw material was the equivalent of 24 million two‑litre milk bottles every day. A total of 244 300 tonnes of CO2 was saved – the equivalent emissions of 51 000 cars in the same year.

Considering the economic downturn that was experienced, the rising cost of electricity, the impact of load-shedding and other deterring factors, this is a terrific accomplishment, said Anton Hanekom, executive director, Plastics|SA. A detailed survey into the state of the country’s plastics recycling industry is conducted annually. This documentation – regarding the amounts of plastics that were produced, processed and recycled in South Africa – provides an important instrument to gauge the growth and development of the industry.

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Communities close to waste sites at higher risk of disease – study A study conducted by a group of scientists, led by University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) vice-chancellor Rob Slotow, has revealed that there are serious health implications for residents living close to waste disposal sites.

The team found that those residents who live within a 5 km radius of a dumping site are more susceptible to chronic illnesses such as asthma, tuberculosis and depression.

Between 2008 and 2015, researchers observed a substantial increase in exposure of households to waste sites. The median distance of households to waste sites decreased from 68 km to only 8.5 km over the study period.

By 2015, more than half the people registered in the study were living within 10 km of a waste site, while more than 35% lived within 5 km of a dump.

They calculated that people had a 41% higher risk of developing asthma, an 18% higher risk of contracting TB, a 25% higher chance of having diabetes, and an 8% greater chance of suffering from depression compared with those who live further than 5 km from a waste site.

NEWS ROUND-UP

CHANGES TO SA PLASTIC BAG REGULATIONS LOOMING Minister Barbara Creecy of the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) has gazetted draft amendments to the National Environmental Management Act (No. 107 of 1998) in a move to phase out certain types of plastic bags.

Among the most important amendments is the ban on the manufacture, trade and distribution of domestically produced and imported plastic carrier bags and plastic flat bags that do not conform to

specifications for use in South Africa. The DEFF said that amendments focus on ‘post-consumer recyclate’ material generated by households and other end-users.

In terms of the directive, which was published on 7 August, plastic carrier bags and plastic flat bags must be made from a minimum of 50% postconsumer recyclate from 1 January 2023.

In this instance, post-consumer recyclate is defined as material generated by households or by

Eskom to purchase at least 6 800 MW of solar and wind power from IPPs South African state utility Eskom will buy at least 6 800 MW of solar and wind power from independent power producers (IPPs) from 2022, says Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe.

The government announced this ambitious plan in the efforts to reduce load-shedding and to minimise the economy’s dependence on electricity supply. The 6 800 MW will be obtained from new solar and wind farms.

“Work has begun with key stakeholders, including the buyer, to strengthen the framework essential for the programme’s bankability,” says Mantashe.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has also approved the construction of storage facilities for 513 MWh of electricity, as well as the production of 3 000 MW from gas-fired power stations and 1 500 MW from coal-fired plants.

commercial, industrial and institutional facilities in their role as end-users of the product that can no longer be used for its intended purpose.

The proposed amendments outline the following phasing-out schedule. The plastic carrier bags and plastic flat bags must be made from a minimum of: • 50% post-consumer recyclate by 1 January 2023 • 75% post-consumer recyclate by 1 January 2025 • 100% post-consumer recyclate by 1 January 2027.

SA recovered 1.2 million tonnes of recyclable paper products in 2019 In 2019, South Africa recovered 1.2 million tonnes of recyclable paper products, putting the country’s paper recovery rate at 68.5%.

These 1.2 million tonnes of paper and paper packaging would, when baled, stretch from Kempton Park to Cape Town if the bales were laid end to end, fill 1 442 Olympic swimming pools, and cover 219 soccer pitches, one bale deep.

“More importantly, this recovered paper saved 3.6 million cubic metres of landfill space in 2019, provided an income for countless informal collectors, and kept the local paper, packaging and tissue industry productive,” notes Anele Sololo, general manager of RecyclePaperZA. Sololo adds that 88% of recovered paper fibre was recycled locally into new products such as cardboard boxes, paper bags and tissue. The balance was exported.

Among the most recycled paper-based items are cardboard boxes, at 71%, while office paper recovery and beverage cartons sit at 16% and 10%, respectively.

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WASTECON

Gearing up for SA’s premier waste event WasteCon 2020 is around the corner and IWMSA is preparing an exciting conference and exhibition to showcase best practice and sustainable waste management solutions.

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ollowing its postponement due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we look forward to hosting the 25th edition of WasteCon at Emperors Palace in Gauteng from 9 to 11 February 2021 and encourage our members to actively participate in what promises to be a fantastic educational and networking event,” says Brendon Jewaskiewitz, President, IWMSA. The conference will include plenary, parallel and workshop sessions, as well as panel discussions, followed by a technical tour on 12 February 2021. IWMSA is also planning a fun-filled social programme that will provide delegates, speakers, exhibitors and guests with world-class networking opportunities.

In addition, the exhibition – which will also be open to the public – will showcase the many innovative products and services that service providers to the industry have to offer.

Circular economy This year’s theme is the circular economy, which has been touted as a potential solution to the existing ‘take-make-waste’ linear model and proposes a more holistic approach to growth that works for both business and the environment.

WasteCon 2020 Date: 9 to 11 February 2021 Venue: Emperors Palace, Gauteng Website: www.wastecon.co.za 10

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Youth participation at WasteCon Over-exploitation of the planet’s natural resources has led to the idea behind the circular economy.

Emerging at the beginning of the last decade, hot on the heels of the ‘cradle to cradle’ theory, the circular economy is about recycling everything we produce, while at the same time generating zero pollution.

The concept promotes each product becoming a new resource at end-of-life rather than merely being discarded. The circular economy therefore recognises the value of waste items, repurposing them as alternative resources that can be used again and again in a circular goods cycle.

Moving forward, products will be designed for durability, reuse and recyclability, and materials for new products will come from old products. As much as possible will be reused, remanufactured, or recycled back into a raw material or source of energy, and only disposed of as a last resort.

Covid-19 considerations To ensure the safety of all guests, IWMSA has been liaising with the venue to ensure that all the necessary safety measures are put in place and adhered to. Preventative measures include, among others: • Mandatory wearing of masks • Temperatures checks on arrival • Mobile sanitation stations throughout the venue • Individual sanitisers provided to each delegate • Demarcated areas for social distancing in the foyer and arrival areas •S ocial distancing at lunch tables •P lated meals only, no buffets • Individually sealed cutlery and serviettes (recyclable wrapper) • Individually wrapped (recyclable wrapper) food items and fully PPE-equipped employees managing coffee machines

Green Talk with Youth will participate at WasteCon through a panel discussion focusing on youth involvement in the waste industry. Topics will include: • Waste production and waste management costs in South Africa • Statistics on youth engagement and involvement in the waste industry • The change in mindset required to divert the negative perception of youth involvement in waste • Living green in South Africa • Panel discussion requirements.

It is envisaged that the panel discussion will consist of up to five panellists, which may include students studying environmental law, environmental engineering, environmental science and other related courses, as well as entrepreneurs and professionals in the respective fields in environmental affairs.

Invitations to participate are extended to all personnel including, but not limited to, high school students, undergraduate and postgraduate university students, organisations, entrepreneurs, professionals and communities at large.

External stakeholders who wish to participate should express their interest on Green Talk with Youth’s social media channels. IWMSA members should liaise with the Institute.

Register now Delegates are encouraged to register before the closing date on 31 January 2021, and IWMSA members are reminded that they will receive a discounted rate. Exhibition opportunities are also still available.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Alf Hartzenburg

IEE in action

Energy efficiency project wins international award

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he AEE’s International Awards recognise achievements in energy around the world, identifying those who exemplify the very best in their fields and acknowledging the important work being done by individuals, organisations, agencies, and corporations. The ‘Energy Project of the Year: International’ award covers energy management projects developed and implemented outside the USA. The SA Industrial Energy Efficiency (IEE) Project was entered after it was selected as a winner of the local awards, presented by the Southern African Energy Efficiency Confederation, an official chapter of the AEE, in November 2019.

IEE Project background The IEE Project, led by the National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (Unido), has helped local industrial companies to save 6.5 TWh of energy – translating to a cumulative saving of R5.3 billion within these companies.

Following a successful first phase from 2010 to 2015, Unido was able to secure Global Environment Facility funding for Phase 2, which is currently under way and set to run until December 2021.

Other IEE Project Phase 2 partners include the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, which funds the NCPC-SA, as well as the Department of Energy and Mineral Resources and its agency, the South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi).

Project impacts The IEE Project partners with and equips industry to tackle practical energy management in companies of all sizes.

“Through expert-level training of industry professionals, the demonstration of actual impact and methodologies aligned to international standard ISO 50001, the project partners have ensured that both the skills and appetite exist to implement energy management,” says Alf Hartzenburg, national project leader and spokesperson, NCPC-SA. “The benefits are made clear in the energy savings, which result in direct financial savings on utilities and other energy sources, and we don’t leave the companies to go it alone, but support them with skills and financial linkages, where possible.”

Hartzenburg believes that the return to operations after lockdown offers companies an ideal opportunity to consider changes that will ultimately save them operating costs, thus aiding in the recovery process and long-term sustainability.

“SANS/ISO 50001, the energy management best practice standard, actually saves companies money. We are offering companies technical support to comply with this standard, and even some financial support if they want to apply for certification through SABS.” The team is particularly proud of the huge environmental impact of the project. Based on internationally accepted calculators, the NCPC-SA reports that energy saved by companies through the IEE Project has mitigated 6.4 million tonnes of CO2e since April 2011, when the first savings were measured.

South Africa’s largest energy efficiency initiative, the SA Industrial Energy Efficiency Project, has won the highest international accolade for an energy programme – the Energy Project of the Year: International, awarded by the global Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).

The project has also ensured that companies receive all the support possible, and that the data collected works to help the South African energy and policy landscape. Sanedi is working with the information gathered through the NCPC-SA interventions, overlaid with relevant international and national energy trends, to inform energy and policy planning, including the adaptation of the National Energy Efficiency Strategy.

Energy management training is still being offered by the NCPC-SA, which has already trained in excess of 5 000 professionals at technical level and 200 men and women to be IEE experts. Many of the IEE training courses are currently being offered online, at no cost to industry delegates for the remainder of 2020.

The IEE project has a strong focus on gender mainstreaming and promoting the participation of women in energy. To date, 43% of the professionals trained through the project were female.

The IEE Project also includes raising awareness, as evidence strongly supports the idea that sustained energy savings are brought about through behaviour change. This active communication approach made the project an even stronger candidate for the AEE International award, which encourages projects with significant success in savings and/or visibility.

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LANDFILLS

Vissershok Landfill

Managing landfills for safer communities As the number of new and closed landfills continues to grow, and people increasingly live in closer proximity to them, it becomes essential to ensure proper landfill management for people’s health and well-being.

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he challenges associated with households living closer to landfills are less problematic when landfills are well designed and managed.

According to Dr Johan Schoonraad, group technical specialist, EnviroSer v Waste Management, poor management of both active and closed landfills can pose a series of threats to nearby residents and the environment. One of the typical complaints is odour generation, often due to a lack of compaction or the application of daily cover, explains Schoonraad.

Along with this comes the threat of the proliferation of vermin that can carr y diseases into surrounding populations.

Landfill fires are another serious concern and can be caused by community activity on the site or the incorrect disposal of prohibited waste.

The incorrect disposal of hazardous wastes to domestic landfill sites exposes both people and the environment to unknown hazards and toxins.

In addition, poorly designed and unstable sites carr y the risk of the waste collapsing outside the bounds of the site, and sites

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with poor leachate management can lead to contaminated run-off polluting sur face- and groundwater resources.

Schoonraad stresses that, as par t of good landfill design and management, the implementation of the correct buffer zone around a site is essential to prevent people encroaching too closely to the landfill with clear acknowledgement that landfills are known to generate some odour, even if just from the fresh waste being tipped at the site.

Where there are problems, remediation techniques should be employed, such as: • Fires – control incoming waste and ensure proper compaction and application of iner t material (e.g. ash) as cover to prevent ingress of air.

• Odour – properly compact and apply daily cover and be aware of potential biological changes and activity that can occur in landfill sites.

• Leachate – engineer leachate capture, control and treatment systems to prevent leakage into the environment.

Proper capping Capping is an integral par t of the management of any landfill. However, Nico Vermeulen, operations director, EnviroSer v Waste Management, highlights that the capping system must be designed uniquely for each site, determined by the individual site’s design and the liner the site has underneath.

“Older sites would have a higher spec cap.

You want to do progressive capping on your site – as you have one or two cells that are filled, you should star t the capping process, because this reduces leachate production, as rainwater cannot enter the site,” explains Vermeulen.

Typically, a capping system will have several layers: 1.

A barrier, typically clay or a composite plastic liner.

2.

A top soil layer with vegetation on top of the barrier.

3.

A drainage layer that captures water that might leak through the clay layer, as well as any gases that escape from the site. These gases are collected through a pipe system

LANDFILLS

and put through a whirlybird that has an activated carbon filter to absorb potentially odorous compounds in the gas.

4. A system to collect any rainwater that falls on the sur face and remove it from the site.

Post-closure management It is vital to properly manage and monitor closed landfills to protect the environment and neighbouring communities. This is a process that lasts for up to 30 years and will require significantly more attention during the early post-closure period. According to Vermeulen, it takes five to seven years for leachate to stop being produced with a capping system in place.

Unfor tunately, Vermeulen repor ts that there is not a significant oppor tunity for landfill reclamation or mining in South Africa due to an abundance of natural resources that can be mined far cheaper than reclamation from waste sites.

In addition, few to no landfill sites can pinpoint exactly where a material was disposed of and, because the sur face area of a landfill is large, a significant por tion of the dumped waste will be reprocessed to extract just a

Aloes Landfill

small por tion of valuable material. The concept has therefore been applied more successfully to old mine dumps due to the high value of the recovered material and the uniformity of the material being processed.

Vermeulen adds that the oppor tunities to transform closed landfills into productive land such as recreational parks have been successfully embraced by other countries where open land is at a premium. However,

this is not a significant driver in South Africa, where most cities have space for development.

Ultimately, good management at both active and closed landfills comes down to compliance and enforcement, says Vermeulen. While the legislation is in place, it is up to the relevant authorities to tackle non-compliance and prevent the growing threat of illegal and unregulated dumps.

Specialist Waste Management Consultants • • • • • •

Waste Collection Optimisation Waste Transfer Station design General Waste Landfill design Hazardous Waste Landfill design Landfill Rehabilitation Landfill Auditing and Monitoring

Contact Numbers

Telephone:+27 (0)21 982 6570 Fax:+27 (0)21 981 0868

• • • • • •

Landfill Closure Leachate Treatment Regional Waste Studies PPP Involvement in Waste Management Alternative Technologies for Waste Reduction Integrated Waste Management Plans

Physical Address

60 Bracken Street, Protea Heights South Africa, 7560

Postal Address

P.O. Box 931, Brackenfell South Africa, 7561

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ORGANIC WASTE

Food manufacturers and retailers commit to

REDUCING FOOD WASTE In a bid to adhere to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal to halve global food waste by 2030, the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) has launched the South African food loss and waste voluntar y agreement, committing food manufacturers and retailers to waste reduction effor ts.

C

urrent estimates show that about 10 million tonnes of local agricultural production in South Africa is wasted each year. This is equivalent to an estimated R60 billion a year, or about 2% of GDP. In a country where an estimated 14 million people go to bed hungry every night, this is a “monumental unnecessary waste, which cannot be allowed to continue,” says Matlou Setati, executive, CGCSA Food Safety Initiative (FSI).

The food loss and waste agreement brings together CGCSA; the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition; and the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries.

It will provide opportunities for public awareness campaigns to highlight the state of food waste and its impacts on the environment and human health.

It commits CGCSA food manufacturing and retail members to: • reducing food loss and waste in South Africa by 50% by 2030 • adopting the food utilisation hierarchy, which, first, prioritises improved food utilisation and food loss and waste reduction and, second, the redistribution of edible, nutritious surplus food for human consumption, and to enable secondary markets for surplus food • identifying food surplus and waste management

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solutions that respond to a circular economy and sustainable food systems agenda.

Setati says they have also put in place shorter-term goals, which they want to achieve within the next 10 years. This includes establishing a baseline for a more target-based measurable approach by 2022 and a 28% reduction of food waste by 2026.

Where it all started The DTIC started conceptualising the establishment of a voluntary agreement to prevent food wastage by both manufacturers and retailers in South Africa back in 2012. The initiative is thus the culmination of efforts made since then. In 2015, the DTIC approached CGCSA to lobby its members to sign a voluntary agreement on food waste in line with both the UN goal to halve global good waste by 2030 and another commitment by the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) to reduce global food waste by half by 2025.

CGCSA-FSI, together with the DTIC, subsequently submitted a proposal for funding from the EU through the SA-EU Dialogue Facility for a study tour in Europe to engage with other organisations that have implemented similar programmes to reduce food waste and share best practices for implementation and trial in South Africa.

The funding had a research component to evaluate the current status of food waste in South Africa and come up with levels of food currently wasted, in order to enable the industry and government to set informed reduction goals.

A moral obligation Gareth Ackerman, co-chair of CGCSA, says given that South Africa’s retailers sell approximately 80% of the food consumed in the country, they sit at a

ORGANIC WASTE

critical point in the value chain to influence changes to reduce some of the food waste South Africa generates each year.

“By developing the voluntary food loss and waste agreement, CGCSA is making a bold call to South African food manufacturers, distributors and retailers to commit themselves to prevent and reduce food waste.”

Setati asserts that making this a ‘voluntary’ agreement will insure better and faster adoption.

“CGCSA prefers its members to voluntarily agree to commit to reduce and eventually eliminate food waste. They acknowledge that they have a role to play in reducing food waste in a country where over 14 million people go to bed hungry every night; it is morally wrong and untenable, given the food insecurity in South Africa.

“We believe that through a voluntary approach, change can be faster and more flexible to implement compared with ‘command and control’ interventions. In any event, the drafting of specific regulations – which CGCSA is advocating for to control food waste and enhance surplus food redistribution – can take years and, once implemented, may not

reflect changed circumstances nor produce the intended outcomes.”

Setati further says that its collaborative nature will also enable companies to take full responsibility for their actions and implemented activities, considering changes in the systems are not cheap.

“It has a holistic approach, outlining the different roles that sectors need to play in the food system and how activities can be streamlined to prevent and reduce food loss and waste and enhance sustainable food production and consumption.”

Committing to change Some of the South Africa’s largest retailers and food manufacturers who have taken the pledge include Massmart, Danone, Tiger Brands, Pick n Pay, Woolworths, Spar, Distell, Premier Foods and Shoprite.

They are committing to: • the prevention of food loss and waste in their establishments • the reuse of food/surplus food redistribution • recycling • reporting on the progress they are making in the prevention and reduction of food loss • ensuring that no food is sent to landfill.

Lobby for legislative changes CGCSA is advocating for legislation to make it

possible for surplus food, which is still safe for human consumption, to be donated to the needy as part of national goals to avert food insecurity in South Africa.

In addition, they are also looking at establishing a local definition of food loss, food waste and surplus food, to enhance the recording and reporting of data in the South African context, while still being aligned with FAO definitions.

Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Barbara Creecy has welcomed the initiative and its potential to foster sustainable patterns in the country. Creecy notes that water scarcity, land degradation and burgeoning food and packaging waste are some of the major environmental problems of our time.

She says that the more responsible consumption of agricultural produce will assist to promote both food security and more sustainable agricultural practice.

“In the modern world, we now all understand that natural resources are not infinite, and it only makes sense that food waste be curbed.

Organic waste is a major component in any landfill and all efforts to divert this waste through ensuring better use of food products is a significant contribution to our joint efforts to promote resource efficiency,” Creecy concludes.

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ORGANIC WASTE

Using the Western Cape’s ban as a NATIONAL MODEL

Most South African cities and local municipalities have ver y little landfill space left, with estimates suggesting that the countr y has between three and five years before all landfill sites are full.

To help address this, the Western Cape is turning its attention to organic waste.

L

andfills are coming under increasing public scrutiny as an unsustainable and harmful method of waste management.

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

At least 37% of waste generated in the Western Cape is organic. This waste stream includes food waste, animal waste, paper and wood clippings – basically, anything that is naturally biodegradable.

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Fur thermore, according to GreenCape’s Western Cape Waste-to-Energy Position Paper (2014), there are potentially 2 992 642 tonnes of organic waste available per year in the province.

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

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

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

Reducing emissions According to Hein Fourie, operations director at Zero Waste Technologies, disposing of organic waste in landfills is par ticularly harmful for the environment, as it rots and produces methane.

This methane is 24 times more damaging as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

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

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

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

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

Leachate requires expensive landfill contamination barriers to mitigate sur face- and groundwater contamination – which results in high logistical costs, fur ther diver ting funds that could have been used for other infrastructure, he explains.

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

Separation at source vital Separation at source is vital to ensuring the success of an organic waste to landfill ban.

Ludwig asser ts that the first step towards enforcing separation at source would be creating enough awareness.

“Studies have found that there is more awareness about recycling in higher-income areas than there is in lower-income ones.

Knowing that, we need to put in place an incentive system for those areas. There needs to be an understanding that there is a cost to waste,” stresses Ludwig.

ORGANIC WASTE There are a variety of treatment options that can be implemented to transform organic waste into a valuable resource. The most common include: 1. Anaerobic digestion is a series of biological processes in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen. One of the end products is biogas, which is combusted to generate electricity and heat, or can be processed into renewable natural gas and transpor tation fuels.

2. Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fer tiliser that can enrich soil and plants. Composting can diver t as much as 30% of household waste away from the garbage can. Compost is rich in nutrients and can be used for gardening, hor ticulture and agriculture.

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

“Diversion in this instance is going to be vital.

If companies do their par t by implementing separation at source, the private sector and industr y will be able to do their par t,” says Fourie.

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

He adds that separation at source is vital because it: • increases the value of recyclables • makes processing much easier and more cost-effective (does not require expensive pre-treatment technology) • adds value to the resultant material (due to a lack of contamination).

Fourie insists that legislation like the ban will encourage a renewed focus on extracting nutrients and energy from organic waste. “Organic waste is a resource that has the potential to be of economic value if separated properly and used either for compost, nutrient extraction or as an energy source.”

Reason to be optimistic Fourie stresses that the reason why South Africa has struggled with utilising organic waste effectively is due to the lack of adopting the necessar y technologies and a lack of the necessar y exper tise.

“Investor confidence is also quite low because of previously failed technology. Furthermore, energy and landfill costs are also not conducive to building a proper business model.

However, I am optimistic that these are going to be resolved; we are very close to rectifying where we are lacking. We should see growth in this space in about two to three years,” concludes Fourie.

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17

HAZARDOUS WASTE

Handling and reporting responsibly

For most, the term hazardous waste conjures up images of toxic sludge, depleted uranium or the ubiquitous green slime. However, the reality is that hazardous waste is an ever yday thing.

A

ll businesses generate some form of waste, but many don’t realise that their waste stream may be considered hazardous – and potentially harmful, or even fatal, if not disposed of correctly. So, how would a business know how hazardous their waste is and what steps should be followed to ensure compliance with regulations?

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Global integrated waste management company Averda asserts that the first thing would be to understand what is defined as hazardous waste.

According to the South African Waste Information Centre, hazardous waste is waste that contains organic or inorganic elements or compounds that may, owing to the inherent physical, chemical or toxicological characteristics of that waste, have a detrimental impact on health and the environment.

Hazardous waste may be generated from households, agriculture, mining, manufacturing processes, medical facilities, educational institutions, research institutions, and many other sources. When this waste is released into the environment, it can spread and contaminate the air, water and land. It poses a threat to human health and the environment.

The impacts of hazardous waste are determined by four major characteristics: • ignitability, or something flammable • corrosivity, or something that can damage eyes and skin • reactivity, or something that can react violently, e.g. with water • toxicity, or something poisonous.

Brindha Roberts, head: Sustainability, Averda, believes that it is crucial for waste to be correctly classified. This needs to be done as per the Waste Classification and Management Regulations.

Roberts says that classification must be conducted within 180 days of generation, in accordance with SANS 10234, and ultimately establishes whether a

waste is hazardous based on the nature and the severity of hazard posed.

“Any breach of this protocol could have far-reaching implications. If not properly managed, some forms of hazardous waste can quickly spread and contaminate land, water and air,” Robert explains.

The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries manages hazardous waste in South Africa through the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (No. 59 of 2008). The Act sets out guidelines for both the management of such waste and the collection of accurate data around how much of what type of waste is being generated.

The Act aims to protect public health and the environment by providing measures for: • minimising the consumption of natural resources • avoiding and minimising the generation of waste • reducing, reusing, recycling and recovering waste • treating and safely disposing of waste as a last resort • preventing pollution and ecological degradation • remediating land where contamination exits • securing ecologically sustainable development, while promoting justifiable economic and social development.

Other associated regulations include the Waste Classification and Management Regulations, National Norms and Standards for Disposal of Waste to Landfill, and the National Norms and Standards for Storage of Waste.

Recording generated waste For over a decade, Sawis (the South African Waste Information Centre) has recorded routine data on the tonnages of waste generated, recycled and disposed of in South Africa.

Typical examples of everyday hazardous waste include:

“This information allows for authorities to keep track of the volumes of hazardous waste that are in circulation and plan accordingly – both at a governmental level and the level of individual businesses – and assists to establish duty of care,” adds Roberts.

The objective of the national waste information system is to store, verify, analyse, evaluate and provide data and information for the protection of the environment and the management of waste within South Africa.

The analysis provided by Sawis gives vital information on the proportion of hazardous wastage that is recovered via recycling and that which is treated and disposed of. This information is made readily available to the public, as well as government departments, and can be requested online in the form of auto-generated reports from the database.

Businesses still unaware of legislation By law, any company that generates 20 kg or more of hazardous waste per day needs to apply for a Sawis

• Paints • Pesticides • Electrical and electronic equipment • Batteries • Chemicals • Healthcare risk waste • Pharmaceuticals • Aerosols • Drums • Glue • Solvents • Mercury-containing waste • Cleaning agents registration number. Gauteng and the Western Cape have localised systems – the Gauteng Waste Information System (GWIS) and the Integrated Pollutant and Waste Information System (IPWIS) – which feed into Sawis. Businesses based in either of these provinces apply using their local system.

“Nevertheless, we’ve noticed that many smaller firms are still unaware of this legislation, and how it affects their duties and obligations when it comes to hazardous waste,” notes Roberts.

“In fact, around half of the hazardous waste that arrives at Averda’s flagship Vlakfontein Landfill site have no Sawis registration number, which compromises Averda’s own licence requirements, and causes administrative hiccups.

“The waste then needs to be retroactively reloaded on to the system so as not to compromise the accuracy of our reporting or our compliance,” Roberts explains.

Hazardous waste is assessed and verified before being accepted for treatment or disposal.

Roberts clarifies that waste is handled according to local regulations, and the specific needs of the client. The various types of hazardous waste require differing approaches.

According to Roberts, the Sawis application process is simple and can be done online or in hard copy. She adds, “Complying with the Sawis guidelines is important, not only for the sake of waste management procedures but, ultimately, because responsible waste management will protect people and the environment.”

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19

HAZARDOUS WASTE

Insist on

certified containers

self-regulation within the industry becomes more robust, there will be a reduced need for additional strain on regulatory authorities to enforce compliance.”

Certification and testing

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the collection and disposal of hazardous waste is a critical focus area that requires greater self-regulation by the industr y, general increased vigilance, and insistence on the use of cer tified containers by authorities.

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W

hile the focus during the ongoing pandemic has largely been on the detection and prevention of infection, Jodi Scholtz, lead administrator, SABS, stresses that there needs to be increased vigilance concerning the containment and disposal of all medical waste products. Furthermore, the end-to-end handling process of containing and disposing of hazardous waste must be guided by the various existing national standards and quality management systems.

“While there are several specifications and regulations that guide the use, containment, transport and disposal of hazardous waste, there is no overarching independent verification of the overall process. Various service providers are involved at different stages of the process and there is a need for tighter controls of the overall process,” says Scholtz.

“Even though discussions are under way with various regulatory stakeholders, all industries that are responsible for the disposal of hazardous materials and of its packaging or used products need to insist that service providers are using certified containers. If

In line with UN recommendations and SANS 10229-1, the Department of Transport requires that containers used to transport hazardous and medical waste be tested and that the transporters carry a certificate that provides proof of this. These certificates are valid for 12 months, effective from the date of the test. Any accredited testing authority may conduct tests and issue certificates.

According to Scholtz, the SABS has been testing packaging and containers for the removal of hazardous waste since 2005 and has a dedicated and operational packaging laboratory. The SABS is also able to offer inspection services to all spheres of government and the private medical industry to ensure that the containment, collection and disposal of hazardous waste is performed according to accepted national standards.

Some of the common test methods include drop tests to ensure the contents do not spill or distort, water absorption tests to ensure that the packaging is resistant, tests to validate the integrity of the packaging in various conditions, and compression tests to ensure that packaging can retain its integrity when stacked. Needle penetration tests are applicable to any medical waste packaging.

The SABS Mark Scheme, commonly referred to as ‘SABS Approved’, provides confidence in the quality of the products and the production processes to manufacture the product. Samples are collected from the production facility and retail outlets (where relevant) at various intervals over a three-year cycle to ensure that quality products are produced all the time.

Loopholes Scholtz highlights that there are several potential loopholes in the current certification of packaging for the disposal of hazardous medical waste, namely: • Manufacturers supply their own samples for testing. This is problematic as there is no indication or verification of the production processes. It is possible that a ‘golden sample’ is prepared for testing and subsequent reproductions are not subject to the same processes.

• There is no regulation that guides the resale of tested products. For example, a company that

manufactures substandard products can resell to others, which threatens the health and safety of the country.

• The use of the containers is currently unregulated and lacks any sort of inspection services.

Inspection needs to include the storage of these containers of hazardous waste while awaiting transportation for disposal and the disposal processes themselves.

Recommendations Scholtz stresses that it is incredibly dangerous to communities, water supply and the environment if medical and hazardous waste is handled,

transported and disposed of irresponsibly. The appropriate standards and processes must be applied to each step in the collection and disposal of hazardous waste.

Verification and certification from independent and accredited authorities, such as the SABS, have an important role to play in assisting regulators to ensure full compliance and the continued safety of people and resources.

Unannounced inspections, coupled with SANS/ ISO 14001 and SANS/ISO 45001 certification, will ensure that all companies meet the required statutory and regulatory requirements for the disposal of hazardous waste.

S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

Honouring SA’s greenest The 9th annual Eco-Logic Awards, hosted vir tually for the first time by the Enviropaedia, recognised the ecologically beneficial products, ser vices and people who are taking effective action to protect and preser ve the environment.

S

peaking at this year’s virtual event, Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Barbara Creecy emphasised the need to focus on a nature-positive future as part of South Africa’s overall economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic, calling for investment in green and sustainable solutions.

“South Africa’s conservation landscapes and ecological infrastructure play an important part in the development of an inclusive and climateresilient economy. Without the necessary and relevant financial backing, this sector faces a major setback that could lead to thousands of job losses as conservation-based tourism industries, the wildlife industry and related economic sectors feel the effects of the lockdown. All our efforts postCovid-19 must ensure that the present situation does not further escalate and result in greater environmental harm,” she said.

The minister went on to say that embracing a nature-positive future as part of South Africa’s overall economic recovery would have a positive impact on job creation in new industries, offering potential for the creation of new enterprises, using new technologies.

SA’s most sustainable solutions Finalists in each of the 12 categories were selected from across the country and assessed by a panel of judges made up of influential environmental voices.

“It’s so important to highlight these eco-initiatives.

The more we empower people, communities, schools, organisations and businesses who are taking steps to change our environmental footprint,

Youth leaders at a march for Project 90 by 2030 – Bronze winner in the climate change category

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the bigger the impact can be – every bit helps, whether big or small. There is power in the hands of all people and consumers to support worthy causes and choose where they spend their time and money,” said David Parry-Davies, director of the Enviropaedia and the Eco-Logic Awards. This year’s winners are as follows:

THE CLIMATE CHANGE AWARD Supported by the Department of Environmental Affairs • Gold: Western Cape Department of Agriculture – ‘Die Kwik Styg’ Radio Programme • Silver: City of Cape Town – Smart Driver Programme • Bronze: Project 90 by 2030

THE INNOVATION AWARD Sponsored by Interwaste • Gold: Democratic Alliance – Plastic Road in Jeffreys Bay • Silver: University of Pretoria – Pushing Back Day Zero • Bronze: Wilderness Foundation Africa

THE RECYCLING AND WASTE MANAGEMENT AWARD Sponsored by Plastics|SA • Gold: Kabega Primary Eco-life • Silver: Imagined Earth – Reverse Vending Machine • Bronze: Virgin Active Constantia – Net Zero Waste

THE ECO-BUILD AWARD Sponsored by Envirochem • Gold: USE-IT – Hammarsdale Waste Beneficiation Centre • Silver: Democratic Alliance – Plastic Road in Jeffreys Bay • Bronze: BOXA Loo

THE WATER CONSERVATION AWARD Supported by Rand Water • Gold: Amalooloo • Silver: South African Breweries (Pty) Ltd – City/SAB Water Partnership • Bronze: The Coca-Cola Foundation, Peninsula Beverages – GCTWF

Plastic Road in Jeffreys Bay – Gold winner in the innovation category

THE GREEN ECONOMY AWARD Supported by the National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA) • Gold: Abalimi Bezekhaya – Harvest of Hope • Silver: Wilderness Foundation Africa • Bronze: Khanyi Designs

THE BIODIVERSITY AWARD Sponsored by Ford Wildlife • Gold: WESSA Green Coast • Silver: SANBI Biodiversity Crimes Enforcement Project • Bronze: CTEET – Biodiversity Offsetting

THE MUNICIPALITY AWARD Sponsored by Santam • Gold: Sedibeng District Municipality – Installation of Smoke Detectors • Silver: Cape Winelands District Municipality – Ward Based Risk Assessment • Bronze: Garden Route District Municipality – Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF)

THE ECO-COMMUNITY AWARD Sponsored by Dis-Chem • Gold: Abalimi Bezekhaya • Silver: CTEET – Sustainable Schools • Bronze: Scarborough Environmental Group

ECO-YOUTH AWARD Sponsored by Pick n Pay • Gold: Siya Ntsumpa – Giving Them Wings Foundation • Silver: Matthew Furlonger – Warrior Youth • Bronze: Sakhe Silwana – Silwana Industries

THE ECO-ANGEL AWARD Sponsored by Pam Golding Properties • Gold: Fortunate Mafeta – Youth 4 African Wildlife • Silver: Jonathan Leeming – One World • Bronze: Blake Dyason – Love Our Trails

THE ECO-WARRIOR AWARD Sponsored by Endangered Wildlife Trust • Gold: Phil McLean – SANBI Biodiversity Crimes Project • Silver: Blake Dyason – Love Our Trails • Bronze: Desmond D’Sa – SDCEA

ECO-INTELLIGENCE AWARD RECIPIENT Sponsored by the Enviropaedia • Craig Foster – The Sea Change Project

Reverse Vending Machine by Imagined Earth – Silver winner in recycling and waste category

With more than three decades of experience in the water and wastewater treatment sector, Talbot’s SANASaccredited laboratory also specialises in waste testing and characterisation.

T

albot’s unique ser vice does not just include testing and assessment, but specific advice on classification and safety data sheet (SDS) compilation as per South African national norms and standards for the disposal of waste to landfill (GNR 634, 635 and the SANS 10234 Globally Harmonised System).

Par tnering with Talbot ensures clients: • c an accurately classify their waste as hazardous or non-hazardous • r eceive treatment options to limit waste sent to landfill, thereby reducing unnecessar y disposal and disposal costs • h ave the appropriate knowledge for the safe handling of hazardous waste.

WATER

WASTE WATER

WATER RECOVERY

Solid foundations Talbot’s environmental laborator y provides valuable, accredited data to afford clients the best oppor tunity to make informed decisions. Talbot’s offering builds on over 30 years’ experience in delivering sustainable water, wastewater, water recover y and biogas solutions across Africa.

In collaborating with its clients, the company helps to identify and effectively deal with water risks and manage associated requirements. An inspired, multidisciplinar y team provides solutions to water management needs and challenges utilising TalbotAnalytics to maximise per formance efficiencies that improve environmental per formance, increase water recover y rates, reduce demand on water resources, improve final effluent discharge and associated compliance.

BIOGAS

SMART WATER

ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING | R e S o u r c e NOVEMBER 2020

www.talbot.co.za | talbot@talbot.co.za | +27 33 346 1444 | B-BBEE LEVEL 2

WASTE CLASSIFICATION AND SDS COMPILATION

Activating Tomorrows Opportunities ''

23

B I O R E M E D I AT I O N

Bioremediation of chlorinated hydrocarbons using emulsified vegetable oil substrate The science of bioremediation draws on the power of naturally occurring life underground – in the form of microbes – to degrade chlorinated hydrocarbon (CHC) contaminants in groundwater and soil. Key to this process is the enhancement of these microbes with a suitable food resource to multiply. This is Par t 2 in a four-par t series.

By Michelle Roux and Sathisha Barath

M

any types of substrate are available to use in the treatment in CHCs in an aquifer, but various factors need to be considered.

These include the scale of the problem, the CHC concentrations involved, competing chemical compounds, the geological composition of the aquifer, and then the availability and practicality of using a selected substrate or food source to stimulate the bioremediation.

As explained in Par t 1 of this series (published in ReSource August 2020), a cer tain group of microorganisms – dehalorespirators – ‘breathe’ the chloride in the contaminant as par t of the degradation process. However, they need to be supplied with enough hydrogen to provide the required exchange molecules with which to replace the chloride molecules in the CHCs. The degradation process essentially makes the chemical compound progressively simpler, as it breaks down to finally become harmless to human health.

Carbon-based ‘food’ To be effective, the dechlorinating microbes need a carbon-based food source. Popular substrate options include substances such as molasses, with simple molecules that are quick and easy to break down. Other carbon substrates range from the shells of molluscs (chitin) to lactate, a by-product of milk production. These all stimulate microbes through fermentation, releasing hydrogen to create and sustain a favourable bioreactive zone in the aquifer.

For a more sustained energy supply to the microbes, however, a complex carbon is required – with a high composition of hydrogen. The bioremediation process for CHCs aims to achieve the maximum amount of hydrogen molecules released from the volume of chemical compound added to the contaminated aquifer. If sugar-water, for example, were injected into a contaminated aquifer, the various successions of microbes in the groundwater would quickly conver t the sugar and release the hydrogen in a sharp spike – too fast to be useful for the purposes of our case studies.

Pure food-grade vegetable oil presents a more suitable option; as a fatty acid, with

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Michelle Roux, principal hydrogeologist and contaminated land scientist, SRK Consulting

Formulation of EOS100 via the addition of pure food-grade vegetable oil to Component A (an emulsifying agent) to create an emulsion (Credit: EOS Remediation)

more cumulative hydrogen relative to the carbon in the material, it represents a better food volume. A much smaller amount of oilbased ‘food’ is therefore required than a simpler substrate option.

Conditions guide substrate choice The choice of carbon substrate therefore depends on the conditions of the aquifer, the

source of the pollution, and the availability of the food substrate – which also impacts on its cost. The most practical and cost-effective remedy is often to use a local substrate, close to the site; but it will remain dependent on factors like the concentration of the plume, the type of geology, and the depth of groundwater.

Treating a chlorinated hydrocarbon plume at a dair y farm workshop, for instance, may be able to consider using off-spec milk products as the substrate.

An early task in the selection process is calculating the hydrogen demand, or the substrate demand. This needs to answer the

Satisha Barath, senior hydrogeologist, SRK Consulting

question of how much free hydrogen can be generated, to match what is required to treat the aquifer.

Getting through the cracks In one of our case studies, we faced concentrations of CHCs in the groundwater of about four times higher than the permitted level.

This required the generation of considerable quantities of hydrogen, taking into account the depth of the groundwater system at 40-60 m below sur face.

The geology was also characterised by fractured rock, making it difficult to exactly

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B I O R E M E D I AT I O N

Bioremediation of chlorinated hydrocarbons In this four-part series, SRK Consulting discusses the current advances it is making locally and how these will benefit efforts to clean up legacy impacts in the subsurface environment. The first article provided an overview of why enhanced in situ bioremediation (EISB) is an effective option for degrading chlorinated hydrocarbons. In this article, the second in the series, the focus is on the use of emulsified vegetable oil as substrate for EISB. The next edition will carry a third piece on the practical implementation of EISB technology in two case studies, while the final article will focus on monitoring the EISB system and identifying key goals to evaluate its success.

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Biostimulation of the subsurface using emulsified vegetable oil substrate (Modified from ACFEE & Weidemeier)

locate the pollution. The substrate could therefore not be too viscous, or it would not penetrate this type of geology, but the complex chemistry and the high concentrations of CHC also had a high requirement for available hydrogen to stimulate the remediation. Trials were conducted with several products, including molasses-based and then oil-based products.

From the trials, it was evident that the substrate was complex enough to provide a suitable ratio of carbon to hydrogen, while also being emulsified – to better penetrate the tiny pore spaces in the rock. The emulsified product creates a homogeneous mix of particles down to one micron in size, to penetrate the fine fractures while providing the microbes with the required food. It is also easier for the in situ microbes to Photomicrograph of oil in water emulsion where the emulsion droplet size is between 2-15 µm. The EOS emulsified oil products have been engineered to ensure that the particle sizes are small enough to flow unrestricted through the fractures of the underlying bedrock where the CHC contamination is present (Credit: EOS Remediation)

digest the emulsion and release the hydrogen for the dechlorinating microbes to latch on to.

For many years of our work on this particular project, emulsified vegetable oil was not available locally. Shipping from overseas was problematic, as any delay would lead to the mixture separating by the time it arrived on-site. It is vital for the mixture to be homogeneous, even and stable.

Fortunately, working with a global company at the forefront of these technologies, we could secure local sources of pure food-grade vegetable oil and develop a product on-site that was ideal for the site conditions. This collaboration led to a simpler export component of the manufactured product that could be easily shipped and used to produce the substrate on-site. This allowed for quality products of this global remediation brand to be utilised in South Africa at a fraction of the original cost.

Oil absorbs oil There was also space in our solution for pure foodgrade vegetable oil – which we injected at the source area to reduce the concentration of CHC. This oil injection, while not permeating

About Sathisha Barath

About Michelle Roux

As a senior hydrogeologist at SRK Consulting’s Durban office, Sathisha has more than 11 years of experience in land contamination, remediation and groundwater projects. Her specialisations include enhanced in situ bioremediation of chlorinated hydrocarbons, site characterisation of LNAPL and DNAPL sites, and soil and groundwater remediation of contaminated sites. She holds an MSc Hydrogeology and a BSc (Hons) Geology.

Michelle is a principal hydrogeologist and contaminated land scientist in SRK Consulting’s Durban office, with more than 14 years of experience in hydrogeology, microbiology, contaminated land characterisation and management. Her specialisations include project management, groundwater assessment and remediation, and bioremediation in situ treatment design. Her work includes conducting contaminated site assessments, developing and implementing long-term groundwater monitoring projects, and developing site conceptual models for DNAPL and LNAPL sites. Michelle holds an MSc Geohydrology, and a BSc (Hons) Microbiology.

deeply, was still able to sequester – or absorb – the CHCs, as these are also oil-based. Oil absorbs oil. Further down-gradient, we then injected emulsified vegetable oil to create the bioreactive zone where small particles could follow the smaller fractures in the aquifer.

Our work in South Africa – which has included

dealing with both chlorinated ethanes and chlorinated ethenes – demonstrated that detailed testing is vital, both in the laboratory and in situ. This testing delivers the required data for crucial decisions about bioremediation options and substrate choices. It also contributes to developing methods to implement

the technologies that are fit for purpose and customisable rather than off-the-shelf.

Treating CHCs through bioremediation is certainly a complex task, but it is possible if the chemistry of the source material – as well as the geological matrix – is well understood. This is the focus of the next article in this series.

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C A R B O N TA X

SA’s novel approach to carbon pricing

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he Carbon Tax Act (No. 15 of 2019) permits the reduction of a carbon tax liability by the application of carbon of fsets to the taxable amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the Carbon Offsets Regulations (2019) provide for the online administrative functionality enabling the listing, transfer and retirement of offsets by an immediately recognisable set of commodity market par ticipants – buyers, sellers, aggregators, brokers and regulators.

The carbon tax is an essential element of government’s Post-2020 Mitigation System and, by its imposition, South Africa becomes the first African jurisdiction (and one of only ver y few developing countries) to introduce a domestic price on carbon emissions.

Why a carbon tax?

Carbon taxation and pricing must be understood

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October 2020 marked the commencement of a viable South African carbon market, established as a component of the domestic carbon tax legal regime.

By Andrew Gilder, in the context of the national climate change response, which Olivia Rumble and is based on the scientifically Mansoor Parker* demonstrated acceleration of changes to the global climate system that are being driven by anthropogenic GHG emissions.

South Africa is a par ticipant in the multilateral climate change legal regime and has indicated its clear intention to contribute to the global climate response through the urgent implementation of national measures.

The impor tance of domestic action is not only a function of international diplomacy, global realpolitik and macroeconomics but is also driven by the need to cur tail the countr y’s elevated emissions profile and geophysical vulnerability to climate change.

South Africa has the highest GHG emissions on the African continent, is among the top 20 global per capita emitters, and exhibits

a carbon intensity on par with highly industrialised countries such as Japan, the USA and China (carbon intensity is a measure of GHG emissions per unit of GDP).

The National Climate Change Response Policy describes a ‘Peak, Plateau and Decline’ GHG emissions trajector y range, intended to peak emissions between 2020 and 2025, to plateau them for approximately a decade, and to achieve an absolute emissions decline from 2035.

The global trend towards future carbonconstraint means that economies that avoid taking mitigating action will become increasingly uncompetitive, and throughout the lengthy

C A R B O N TA X

gestation of the carbon tax legal regime, National Treasur y was at pains to emphasise that its intention was not to disadvantage or penalise South African industr y but, rather, to provide an impetus for the local economy to regain and retain its competitiveness in an increasingly carbon-constrained world.

Consequently, the carbon tax impels large emitters to consider the negative adverse costs (of GHG emissions) in their future investment decisions and seeks to incentivise a shift towards cleaner technology. Treasur y maintains that it has softened the impact of the carbon tax measures, including the use of carbon offsets to reduce liability.

The future of carbon tax The first period for the submission of carbon tax returns ran between 1 and 29 October 2020 and, despite the difficulty of the regime’s lengthy gestation, appears to have been largely successful. While the complexity of the administrative processes was not without its challenges, carbon taxpayers seem on the whole to have complied with their legal obligations and to have adopted a robust and engaged approach.

This is understandable given strident messaging from SARS that failure to comply would attract adverse attention from the regulator.

The dramatic increase in demand for locally generated carbon offsets is an early (although partial) indicator of success and proves that

Concise Guide to Carbon Tax The authors recently published the Concise Guide to Carbon Tax, a single and up-tothe minute repository of the diverse suite of regulatory and other documentation in a concise, user-friendly format. The first publication of its kind, this practical guide offers insightful analysis of the entire carbon tax legal regime and is informed by the authors’ years of carbon tax practice, interactions with practitioners, National Treasury, DEFF and SARS. The guide is available for purchase here: store.lexisnexis.co.za/categories/tax/incometax-180/concise-guide-to-carbon-taxskuZASKUPG5617 National Treasury’s inclusion of offsetting in the carbon taxation legal regime has invigorated a previously lacklustre market segment.

Significantly, offset demand has outstripped supply in the market’s first iteration and the next 24 months will be foundational for local project developers who must rapidly increase the generation of cost-effective and eligible offsets if they are to capitalise on the opportunity offered by a reinvigorated domestic carbon market. Driven

by National Treasury’s innovative approach to domestic carbon pricing and underpinned by our national contribution to the global climate change response, the development of mitigation project activities has a bright future in South Africa.

*Andrew Gilder and Olivia Rumble are directors of Climate Legal. Mansoor Parker is a tax executive at ENSafrica.

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EMISSIONS REDUCTION

SA’s plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050 Like the rest of the world, South Africa is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. In unmitigated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions scenarios, drier conditions will be experienced, and rainfall patterns will become more unpredictable.

S

outh Africa’s climate changes will impact water resources and food production as well as increase the vulnerability of impoverished communities. Government has thus passed three bills as par t of a plan to combat climate change.

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South Africa's new climate policy consists of the following three pillars: the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Low Emission Development Strategies (LEDS), and an improved waste management strategy.

Establishment of the PCCCC and NDCs The climate change plan adopted by the South African government aims to meet the countr y’s international commitments and find adaptation solutions. As part of this new policy, several bills have been approved by the Council of Ministers, including the bill to establish the future Presidential Climate Change Coordination Commission (PCCCC).

The council will consist of 24 members and has a budget of R50 million. The mission of the PCCCC will be to advise and guide South Africa’s response to climate change and to ensure that the policy objectives of building sustainable social, economic and environmental resilience and emergency response capacity are met.

According to government, the future commission will also explore oppor tunities

for new jobs and green industries that should be exploited, as well as climate resilience inter ventions that need to be scaled up in areas at risk.

The overall objective is to advise and guide South Africa’s climate change response to ensure the realisation of the policy objectives of building sustainable social, economic and environmental resilience and emergency response capacity, and a fair contribution to the global ef for t to stabilise GHG concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that avoids dangerous anthropogenic inter ference with the climate system, within a timeframe that enables economic, social and environmental development to proceed in a sustainable manner.

Measures currently being implemented by government to address GHG emissions mitigation stretch across the four key sectors of the economy, namely: • energy (supply and demand) • industr y • agriculture, forestr y and other land use • waste.

EMISSIONS REDUCTION

The first step will thus be to ensure national targets are aligned with the Paris Agreement. Thereafter, planning teams with analytical and sectoral exper tise will engage in detailed scenario work to develop transformation pathways towards achieving the national targets.

The efforts of translating such a plan to policy is a challenge all parties will have to grapple with over the coming months and years. South Africa aims to inform roll-out plans using a dedicated change framework.

Implementing LEDS The goal is to reduce GHG emissions, using South Africa’s LEDS, which government calls “the beginning of our journey towards ultimately reaching a net zero economy by 2050”.

The deposit of the LEDS with the UNFCCC will help communicate South Africa’s needs and priorities, so that developed countries that wish to support implementation efforts through finance, technology or capacity building can be assured that South Africa has a plan to reduce its emissions LEDS came about in response to the Paris Agreement’s call for all parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to set out long-term climate strategies. It draws together existing policies, planning and research across economic sectors.

SA-LEDS will be implemented within the framework of the Global Partnership for LowEmission Development Strategies, which aims to advance low-emission development and support the transition to a low-carbon economy through coordination, information exchange and cooperation among countries and programmes that support sustainable economic growth. The LEDS will then be deposited with the secretariat of the UNFCCC. “The deposit of the LEDS with the UNFCCC will help communicate South Africa’s needs and priorities, so that developed countries that wish to support implementation efforts through

finance, technology or capacity building can be assured that South Africa has a plan to reduce its emissions,” government states.

SA-LEDS will be reviewed at least every five years, or earlier, should there be significant changes in sectoral or national plans/ programmes that can result in big structural changes, growth or decay of the economy and major global events that impact on its content or implementation.

Improving waste management The new climate plan will address waste management through the adoption of the National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) 2020. Government wants to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill through incentives for reuse, recycling and alternative waste treatment such as energy recovery or composting.

NWMS 2020 is a revision and update of the 2011 strategy and builds on the successes of and lessons learned from its implementation.

NWMS 2020 is broadly focused on preventing waste and diver ting waste from landfill by leveraging the concept of the circular economy to drive sustainable, inclusive economic growth and development in the waste sector, while reducing the social and environmental impacts of waste. Its implementation plan will create jobs in the waste sector and increase awareness and compliance around waste.

Among the significant strategic shifts from the 2011 strategy in NWMS 2020 include addressing the role of waste pickers and

the informal sector in the circular economy, promoting product design packaging that reduces waste or encourages reuse, repair and preparation for recycling, and supporting markets for source-separated recyclables. The strategy investigates potential regulatory or economic interventions to increase participation rates in residential separation-at-source programmes, while investing in the economies associated with transporting recyclables to waste processing facilities and addressing the sector’s skills gaps.

The strategy will also require a commitment with National Treasur y on the operational expenditure for municipalities associated with implementation.

NWMS 2020 pillars There are three overarching pillars of the NWMS 2020.

Waste Minimisation aims to prevent waste.

Where waste cannot be prevented, 40% should be diverted from landfill within five years through reuse, recycling, recovery and alternative waste treatment. A 25% reduction in waste generation is sought and 20% waste should be reused in the economic value chain.

Effective and Sustainable Waste Services would see all South Africans living in clean communities with waste services that are well managed and financially sustainable.

Waste Awareness and Compliance is aimed at creating a culture of compliance, with zero tolerance for pollution, littering and illegal dumping.

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The evolution of the student pod

Nkosi Johnson House, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg Campus

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he star ting point for any student housing project is the cost of construction and how much clients can afford to spend. Other key considerations include the future operational and facilities maintenance expenses, plus the return on investment for proper ty owners.

“We don’t introduce a product or building system without first researching what the market can afford,” explains Sean Kenealy, director and professional architect, STAG African. “Our starting and end point is to ensure absolute efficiency in terms of the design, technology and methodology, whether the client opts for a conventional concrete-framed brick and mortar structure, or an IBT prefabricated approach,” he continues, adding that STAG African is a signator y to the African Green Campus Initiative.

Worldwide, the demand for IBT systems is growing, largely due to their lower cost and faster build times. “The scale and scope of the project will best determine the construction technique; however, in the case of both conventional

Sean Kenealy, director, STAG African

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and IBT, green technologies still apply,” adds Kenealy.

Within the IBT space, STAG African has gained extensive experience over the past decade in executing light steel frame buildings (LSFBs). This has had a major influence on the direction of its research and development (R&D) initiatives on student pod accommodation designs.

Since many components of these systems are made to order in the factor y, the key advantage of LSFBs is a major saving on construction waste – typically less than 0.1% of building bulk. That compares to some 25% for traditional brick and mortar. Being made of steel, LSFBs are also recyclable.

Facilities management However, the construction cost is just one par t of the equation. Institutional building administrators also need to know what it costs per month per bed to run student residences.

When STAG African designs its projects, the future operating cost projections are incorporated into the model. That has a direct bearing on the materials and products specified during construction, as well as the energyefficient technologies employed. Examples of the latter include STAG African’s specification of alternative hot water heating systems. For recent projects, these have included heat pumps. Now, the company is investigating the potential of inline water heating, which only activates on demand, passing on electricity savings.

“Including the facilities management team at the initial project planning stage is a crucial part of optimising the overall life-cycle costing,” Kenealy explains.

Stellenbosch University LSFB milestones for STAG African include

South Africa’s backlog in student housing, estimated to be around 300 000 beds, presents new oppor tunities for innovative building technologies (IBTs) that can accelerate the process without compromising on quality and the living experience.

Spearheading the change is STAG African, a multidisciplinar y leader in student accommodation.

By Alastair Currie the development of three residences for Stellenbosch University. The most recent is Nkosi Johnson House, completed in 2017, which received an EDGE green building rating.

An innovation of the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation, EDGE stands for ‘Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies’ and is a highly sought-after accolade.

“Our design for Nkosi Johnson House incorporates a host of green features. These encompass the use of natural ventilation, solar energy, greywater reuse, rainwater har vesting, low-flow water fittings, and LED lighting, with the LSFB cladding panels manufactured from recycled materials,” Kenealy explains. Each self-contained pod within this three-storey building caters for eight separate, singleoccupancy bedrooms.

GREEN BUILDINGS

By ruling out the use of mechanical ventilation, and optimising thermal efficiencies, the heating and cooling costs have been reduced by almost 70%. Then, from a facilities management perspective, all ser vices are mounted externally to maximise ease of maintenance.

Precast pods While LSFBs clearly have their advantages, STAG African’s R&D team has been investigating even more affordable and efficient IBT alternatives for pod designs. Working with Cape Townbased manufacturer Concretex has led to the development of a lightweight, cellular, concretewall-panel system.

Each 150 mm thick wall panel is formed in a mould under strict quality control conditions, with the final product incorporating electrical conduits and plumbing connections according to specific building design layouts.

“We’ve built a prototype two-storey building using the wall technology, so we know it works in terms of concept and assembly,” says Kenealy.

The ground-floor sur face bed is established conventionally by forming a concrete slab and brickwork foundation wall. The panels are then installed in their planned sequence, without the need for any scaffolding on-site.

Proof of concept Having brainstormed and refined the optimal building methodology with the contractor, structural engineer and its technology partner, STAG African is now moving to the proof of concept stage.

This will entail the construction of a 24-bed, three-storey building in Rosebank, Cape Town, which will aim to attract University of Cape Town students. Each floor will comprise one selfcontained pod, comprising eight double-occupancy beds.

Construction is scheduled to commence in Januar y 2021.

STAG African will be using the same contractor currently employed on its 2 050-bed student accommodation village project for the University of For t Hare in Alice. This is believed to be

The Nkosi Johnson House project has a facility to recycle greywater

the largest student housing project undertaken at a public university to date in South Africa.

The final phase of the project is due for completion in December 2020.

“On ever y project, our objective is to create a living environment that promotes student well-being and a sense of community, as well as contributes to academic success. Our latest pod design meets these per formance criteria and presents one of the most affordable solutions to date in the IBT field,” says Kenealy.

“Ultimately, we believe it’s going to be a game changer in helping to fill the student housing gap, providing a proven, credible and affordable alternative to conventional walling,” he concludes.

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PLASTIC WASTE

POST-COVID-19: Not all doom and gloom for PET recycling

It has been widely reported that the novel coronavirus pandemic has had a positive impact on the environment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution around the world. But how has it affected plastic recycling?

C

ovid-19 had an unexpected impact on the whole PET recycling value chain – from our conver ters and recyclers down to the informal reclaimers. But, even during this difficult and unprecedented time, the PET plastic recycling value chain kept its wheels turning,” says Cheri Scholtz, CEO at PET Recycling Company (Petco).

Petco was established at the end of 2004 as an industr y-driven and -financed national recycling initiative, based on the concept of extended producer responsibility (EPR), with the goal being to act as the vehicle through which the PET industr y could self-regulate and coordinate its recycling activities.

Petco is not involved in the physical collection or recycling of waste PET in South Africa – it acts as a producer responsibility organisation (PRO) that financially suppor ts activities along

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the waste PET value chain.

Members include brand owners, resin producers, conver ters, retailers and bottlers.

Value chain kept moving

Scholtz asser ts that, although this has been a challenging time, bottleto-bottle recycling par tner Extrupet was able to register as an essential supplier to the food and beverage industr y during lockdown – meaning that food-grade Phoenix rPET remained available and kept their value chain moving.

“This is really important, as it means that, once total lockdown ended, collectors were immediately able to start collecting and selling their bottles to one of our contracted recycling partners. In May and June of this year, Extrupet purchased a whopping 3 000 tonnes of postconsumer PET bottles for recycling, despite feeling the impacts of Covid-19,” she added.

Added to this, many in the extended Petco network continued with their good work during the lockdown, suppor ting their communities, contributing food vouchers for informal reclaimers, and providing income oppor tunities wherever possible.

Additionally, the paper and packaging industr y raised almost R800 000 in funds for the donation and distribution of electronic vouchers, to help sustain almost 4 000 informal reclaimers across the countr y.

Positive PET recycling rate In June, Petco announced positive PET recycling rates for 2019, despite market contractions; however, for the first time in the organisation’s histor y, it not only fell short of its target in percentage terms, but also saw a contraction in the tonnes of bottles collected for recycling.

“Our collection dropped from 98 649 tonnes to 95 879 tonnes and, in percentage terms, from 63% to 62% of beverage bottles. While the overall year-on-year decrease in volume was disappointing, it was as good as could be expected.

“The primar y cause of the shor tfall was the unexpected closure of Mpact Polymers in August 2019. Although it was clear that the company had been struggling for some time, the decision to cease operations caught most of the industr y by surprise.”

The Mpact Polymers closure accounted for over half of the nearly 8 406 tonne collection shortfall in 2019. Other factors that contributed to the underper formance included an increase in imports of material for recycling and load-shedding.

“Consumers and brand owners are starting to take their product packaging’s ‘green credentials’ seriously.”

PLASTIC WASTE

On a positive note, the tonnage of rPET sold in South Africa – more than 23 904 tonnes – was similar to 2018, reflecting both the improving output at the remaining recyclers, as well as the increasing demand for rPET. “This shows that consumers and brand owners are starting to take their product packaging’s ‘green credentials’ seriously,” Scholtz adds.

She asserts that the fact that Extrupet, the country’s only bottle-to-bottle recycling plant, was able to operate as an essential service under lockdown also helped to keep the value chain moving.

Reason to be optimistic According to Scholtz, although 2019 and 2020 have been challenging, there are still plenty of reasons to be optimistic about recycling and collection.

“We have fallen slightly behind in our long-term strategic plan, but we still believe that PET is well positioned to deliver on the collection targets that we expect to be outlined in the Section 18 EPR notice.”

Section 18 regulations, which are expected to be effective from January 2021, are set to permanently alter the operating landscape for many South African industries – with a significant shift from voluntary to mandatory EPR. This means that producers will be legally obligated to take financial and/or operational responsibility for collecting, sorting and treating their post-consumer products or paper and packaging for recycling and recovery. One of the most likely outcomes is alignment across PROs and material streams with respect to reporting standards.

“Petco believes that our approach to measuring, collection and recycling is particularly robust. To ensure equivalent reporting across the various PRO and material streams, some changes will be required, such as the definition and measurement of markets (e.g. consistently accounting for imports and exports), as well as accounting for

waste in the collection streams. These issues are not unique to South Africa and global best practice will guide us.”

The SA Plastics Pact has already set a target of 70% collection by 2025 for members and, although not all Petco members have signed up to the pact, it will be critical that collection of beverage PET exceeds this benchmark.

Scholtz adds that current demand for rPET is strong, with experts predicting growth for the next 5 to 10 years as brand owners increase recycled content in line with their public commitments.

Petco is also encouraged by the plans announced

by Extrupet to expand its rPET capacity.

“We remain convinced that circular systems, such as bottle-to-bottle, will continue to be more stable than bottle-to-fibre and strapping.”

PETCO will be working with existing recycling partners and potential investors to meet this need.

“Going forward, we will need to focus on dealing with the short- and medium-term impacts of the Covid-19 crisis to ensure that our recycling value chain survives.

There is no doubt that a further contraction in the PET market, low commodity prices and business interruption will place enormous financial stresses on the Petco system. However, we know that if our members wish to continue to use PET to sell their products, we simply must find solutions. Although the crisis might delay the implementation of Section 18, it is clear globally that sustainability will not be deprioritised, and

“Petco believes that our approach to measuring, collection and recycling is particularly robust.

To ensure equivalent reporting across the various PRO and material streams, some changes will be required, such as the definition and measurement of markets (e.g. consistently accounting for imports and exports), as well as accounting for waste in the collection streams.

These issues are not unique to South Africa and global best practice will guide us.” government is unlikely to back down. As Petco, we need to be ready to meet the requirements of the pending Section 18 notice and maintain our position as a leading PRO.” Regarding what the pandemic has taught the body, Scholtz says: “The novel coronavirus crisis is a story with an unclear ending. The months ahead will surely test us but, unlike many organisations in this space, we believe that we have the skills and experience developed over 16 years to weather the storm with our members and recycling partners, who remain committed to helping us achieve our goals.”

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EVENTS

Upcoming EVENTS WASTECON 2020 Venue: Emperors Palace, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng Date: 9 to 11 February 2021 Website: www.wastecon.co.za IWMSA will host its 25th flagship conference and exhibition, WasteCon, from 9 to 11 February 2021 at Emperors Palace, Gauteng. The conference will take place over a period of three days, with plenary, parallel and workshop sessions.

The exhibition floor and outdoor exhibition, which will be open to the public, will showcase the many innovative products and services that service providers to the industry have to offer.

WISA 2020 Venue: Virtual Date: 7 to 11 December 2020 Website: wisa.org.za

Need your CPD points?

As members of an ECSA-recognised voluntary association, IWMSA members qualify for Category 3 CPD points.

You can also earn Category 3 CPD points by reading ReSource in line with ECSA’s self-study requirements.

Despite the current Covid-19 climate, WISA is forging ahead with the 2020 WISA Biennial Conference and Exhibition, which will be 100% virtual, as well as better and more exciting than ever before.

Taking place from 7 to 11 December, #WISA2020 will incorporate everything that a traditional conference offers, adding a host of additional opportunities and benefits that only the virtual world can offer.

AFRICAN UTILITY WEEK & POWERGEN AFRICA Venue: CTICC, Cape Town Date: 11 to 13 May 2021 Website: www.african-utility-week.com The 20th edition of African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, scheduled to take place from 11 to 13 May 2021, is set to feature world-class speakers, discussions, networking and product showcases.

Being the premier meeting place for the entire power, energy and water value chain, African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa is a three-day trade exhibition and conference.

AFRICAN CONSTRUCTION EXPO AND TOTALLY CONCRETE EXPO

A-OSH EXPO Venue: Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, Gauteng

Date: 1 to 3 June 2021 Website: www.aosh.co.za A-OSH Expo commemorates its 10th anniversary in 2020, with the upcoming 2021 edition taking place, as before, at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand.

Are you serious about health and safety in the workplace? Then a visit to Africa’s foremost occupational health and safety (OHS) trade show is a must in your calendar in June 2021!

The show will be running alongside two shows: the highly respected security and fire exhibition, Securex South Africa, and Facilities Management Expo, which showcases products and services associated with property and building management and maintenance.

Venue: Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, Gauteng Date: 29 June to 1 July 2021 Website: www.africanconstructionexpo.com With thousands of built environment professionals from over 45 countries visiting the expo every year, the African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo provides the platform for distinctive opportunities for business expansion, networking and learning.

The annual expo is Africa’s mega construction and infrastructure show, hosting a gathering of roughly 8 500 qualified buyers and sellers for the entire built environment value chain.

In 2021, the event will once again feature an exciting exhibition and robust workshops programme.

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS African Utility Week-Powergen AKS Lining Systems Amandus Kahl

IBC

JPCE 13

2

NCPC-SA OBC

27

Envitech 19

NOVEMBER 2020

|

ReSource

OFC

25

Talbot 23

IWMSA 4

WasteCon IFC

EOS Remediation

36

Pamdev NPC

INVESTING IN BETTER WATER MANAGEMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE HYDRO SOLUTION: HIGHLIGHTING THE GLOBAL SHIFT FOR A LOW- CARBON ECONOMY AND THE WATER OPPORTUNITIES REGISTER ONLINE TO ATTEND AS A FREE EXPO VISITOR OR THE STRATEGIC CONFERENCE www.african-utility-week.com www.powergenafrica.com

11 – 13 May 2021 CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

IDEAL ESCAPES