AS PUBLISHED ON SECHE ENVIRONMENT NEWSLETTER

Regulation requires that landfill storage cells be monitored for 30 years after they have been used, as such, the cells from the end of the 20th century will, in the coming years, be confronted with the question of their future. Should we keep them as they are? Or should we / could we reuse the space?

Preoccupied with anticipating this problem and providing long term and responsible solutions, Séché Environnement is investing in a promising solution: landfill mining.

There has been mass production of plastic waste across the globe, driven by the need for food preservation solutions, customer convenience and attractive marketplace packaging. Therefore, we are seeing approximately 8.3 billion metric tons being produced annually. What’s worse however, is that 91% of this waste is not being recycled and, if we continue on this downward spiral, by 2050 there will be over 12 billion metric tons of plastic in landfill each year.

Research from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicates that seven million people die each year from air pollution, where nine out of ten people breathe in polluted air each day. “This is a staggering number and, this World Environment Day, we encourage all South Africans to strongly reflect on the role everyone has to play in this and, more importantly, what proactive steps can be taken to combat air pollution,” says Jason McNeil, CEO at Interwaste.

South Africa is experiencing an energy crisis that requires the public and private sectors, along with households to work together. Fundamental to this is embracing innovative technology that provides more efficient ways of managing the country’s energy.

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

Sunday, 03 March marks Word Wildlife Day – a day commemorated to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora. In support of this global programme, Interwaste, together with The Future Kids, gathered on Sunday, 24 February to clean up a 400m long stretch of beach in the Strand, Cape Town.

Despite the large impact mines have on the environment, mining is a significant contributor to the local economy from both a financial and employment perspective - with an estimated worth of R20.3 trillion - and will therefore continue to play a critical role in the country’s future.

Initiatives such as Clean-up and Recycle SA Week are a great measure to raise awareness on the waste to landfill versus recycling conundrum faced in the country. However, the message needs to be far clearer; that Government, corporate South Africa and individual citizens all have a role to play - and strong focus should be placed on driving collective accountability - if we are to reduce landfilling and increase recycling of waste in the country.

According to recent statistics, South Africa produces 10 million tonnes of food waste every year and our country reportedly has the largest proportion of food wastage in Africa. That is food that is produced but never consumed and ends up in landfills, including fruits, vegetables and cereals which alone account for 70% of this waste.

According to Statistics South Africa, the country has an estimated population of 56.5 million, up by 1.61% from 2016. This number is expected to increase to 65.55 million by 2050. When looking at this forecasted growth, it’s critically important that we consider the direct correlation between an increasing population, and waste generation surges, where this not only exists but will have a long-lasting impact if not managed effectively.