BUSINESS NEWS - The cost of waste management in South Africa has been undervalued, with landfill disposal often seen as the cheapest option. In fact, our country produces around 122 million tonnes of waste each year, with only 10% of this waste being recycled.
The remaining waste is often directed into landfills, polluting land, air, and water supplies – which not only poses a serious threat to biodiversity and impacts climate change but also puts the overall wellbeing of communities at risk.
At Interwaste, we believe that the preservation of our planet depends not only on how we protect what is natural, but also on how we manage what we waste.
That is why as we observed World Nature Conservation Day on 28 July, it is an apt time to raise awareness about the urgent need to shift away from outdated, linear methods of waste disposal and move toward an integrated, circular approach.
From a linear to circular model
Waste management is not just about getting rid of refuse – it’s about creating value from what is typically discarded. Let’s face it – the traditional ‘take-make-disposal’ model is no longer sustainable. Instead, a circular economy model provides a more sustainable option.
Interwaste is helping businesses and industries with this transition to a circular economy - a reformative system that eliminates unnecessary waste, energy losses, and carbon emissions by rethinking operations and consumption.
A circular model promotes practices like reuse, remanufacturing, recycling, and upcycling – effectively converting waste into new resources. Not only do these practices lessen pressure on landfills, but also foster job creation, entrepreneurship, and innovation – aligning economic goals with environmental priorities.
From waste to energy
Another approach to waste management is the transformation of alternative fuels produced from industrial waste to strategies aimed at achieving zero waste to landfills. Leading at the forefront with advanced treatment facilities, Interwaste’s ‘Refuse Derived Fuels’ (RDF) plant in Germiston converts non-recyclable, solid industrial waste into an alternative fuel that can be either co-fired with coal or used independently.
Not only does this method decrease the amount of waste sent to landfills – it also provides a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels – many of which are non-renewable and hazardous to the environment.
Furthermore, Interwaste’s Blending Platform also converts hazardous liquid waste like hydrocarbon sludges, oils, and greases into alternative liquid fuels appropriate for co-combustion.
This solution helps companies meet increasingly strict hazardous waste regulations, while also supporting their goals of zero waste to landfill.
Beyond environmental benefits, these solutions create economic opportunities by fuelling new green industries and enabling businesses to meet ESG and sustainability targets with confidence.
Organisations as the drivers of conservation
Organisations that prioritise responsible waste management minimise their environmental impact, while also creating lasting operational and reputational impacts.
This is the reason sustainability is no longer just a ‘nice to have’ but has become a business imperative, as investors are also increasingly attracted to organisations with greater accountability in sustainable practices.
Through collaboration with waste management partners such as Interwaste, organisations can ensure regulatory compliance, improve operational efficiency, and most importantly – contribute to the global mission of conservation and environmental stewardship.
The future of our planet depends on the choices we make today. From separating recyclables at home to embracing zero-waste policies in business, each step towards better waste management is a step towards conserving nature.
We urge all stakeholders – citizens, corporates, policymakers, and communities alike to rethink waste not as a problem, but as a critical piece of the sustainability puzzle.
Together, we can drive the change needed to protect our planet for generations to come.
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