Composting & Material Recycling Facility Underway in Tshwane, South Africa

A ground breaking ceremony for a multi-purpose Material Recycling Facility (MRF), composting plant and Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste processing facility at Kwaggasrand Landfill Site in the City of Tshwane, South Africa has been held. According to the City government, the facility marks the transition to a green economy in line with the Tshwane Vision 2055 outcomes, and will be developed in partnership with New GX Enviro Solutions and Logistics, a South African waste, environmental management and bulk logistics service provider. The company currently provides waste management services to the City of Tshwane through an SMME training and incubation model. The City explained that the Kwaggasrand facility is made up of the following three components: An MRF with recyclables processed from a free bag system distributed by the City to residents A composting facility where green waste will be shredded and turned into organic compost A C&D facility where building rubble will be recycled into aggregates The three waste streams are said to make up approximately 65% of the waste that is disposed in various landfill sites. “Today is testimony to the City’s conscious decision to partner with the private sector on green economic interventions,” commented Executive Mayor, Councillor Kgosientso Ramokgopa. “The partnership with New GX is one of a range of other collaborative arrangements we are entering into to significantly reduce costs and enhance service delivery,” he continued. Masopha Moshoeshoe, executive director at New GX Enviro Solutions explained that the diversion from landfill to recyclables will have many benefits for Tshwane. “The facility will create 261 permanent jobs, attract private sector investment of between R80-100 million ($7.7 to $9.6 million)… in previously marginalised township areas, reduce pollution and reduce the city’s carbon footprint,” said Moshoeshoe. In addition to the economic benefits, the facility is also expected to assist the city in reducing its carbon footprint and make a contribution towards achieving the government’s target of a 34% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020 and a 42% reduction by 2025. The construction period of the MRF is expected to be approximately 24 weeks with work scheduled to be completed by September 2014. The composting and building rubble recycling components will be completed in June 2015. Similar facilities are planned for other regions in the city to reach a 50% reduction of waste that is disposed at the landfill sites. Read More E-Waste: South Africa's Next Gold Rush? With its rapidly growing appetite for electrical and electronic devices, the tide of domestically produced e-waste is set to rise significantly in South Africa. But with a number of incoming laws, regulations and voluntary agreements, the e-waste recycling industry has a golden opportunity to protect the environment and prosper. By Dr Koebu Khalema. Recycling Facility Modernised in South Africa's Kruger National Park South Africa’s Kruger National Park (KNP) has teamed up with South African packaging firm, Nampak, to launch a waste separation and recycling system in Skukuza. GE Engines for 2.4MW Food Waste to Biogas Plant in Kenya UK based distributor and service provider for GE’s gas engines, Clarke Energy is to supply the first two containerised Jenbacher biogas engines to an anaerobic digestion project which will produce biogas from food wastes in Kenya.