Sustainable solutions for organic waste

25%

40%

20%15%

22%

38%

22%

18%

Mainline recyclablesNon-recyclablesBuilders rubbleOrganics

The results of this study suggested that there are problems with:• the measurement of efficiency, • absence of a standard system of waste characterization, classification and reporting.

Sustainable solutions for organic waste

National Waste Information Baseline Report (2012). Department of Environmental Affairs.- Gibb (2008) A study on Waste Characterisation for Solid Waste Services in the City of Cape Town - GDACE (2008). Gauteng Waste Minimisation Plan: Status Quo Report V3.

Cape Town Gauteng

Mudua, N.V., Ruhiiga, N.V.T.M and Malan, P.W. (2013). A review of efficiency measures in South Africa’s municipal solid waste management. Asia Life Sciences Supplement No. 9.

Municipal Solid Waste Composition % by mass

How much Organic material is there in Municipal Solid Waste?

50.3%

18.80%

14.90%6.30%

3.00%2.90% 3.00% 0.20%

39%

20%18%

11%7% 5%

Greens & organicPaper & cardboardPlastic Glass MetalTextileOtherHazardous

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality IWMP (2005).

Domestic Waste Composition

Organic 46% Greens 4,3%

State of Environment Outlook Report for the Western Cape Province (2012).

Waste Management Chapter

Waste stream analysis for the Western Cape Fig 4.

• One third to one half of Municipal Solid Waste is Organic.• Cape Town may send in the region of ¾ of a million tonnes of organics to each year.

Sustainable solutions for organic waste

How much Organic material is there in Domestic Municipal Solid Waste?

70.7%

1.6%3.7%

2.1%2.5%

2.2%4.4% 12.8%

PutresciblePaper & cardboardPlasticsGlass MetalsTextileOtherFines

51.5%

5.3%

11.1%6.4% 4.3% 7.4% 4.7%

8.9%

33.9%3.3%

9.4%

7.7%5.4% 7.7% 15.2%

17.1%

Mbeng,L.O., Phillips,P.S. and Fairweather . (2012). Waste Characterization as an Element of Household Waste Management Operations: a Case Study in Limbe, Cameroon. The Open Waste Management Journal, 5, 49-58

• Lower income households have proportionately more organic (food) waste.

- and the residential units are generally speaking closer together.• Higher income households have proportionately more recyclables (and more organics?)

Sustainable solutions for organic waste

High income Medium income Low income

Does income affect the composition of Domestic Municipal Solid Waste?

A developing country case study - Cameroon

Sustainable solutions for organic waste

What is the REAL cost of Organic Waste Disposal?

http://www.nature.com/news/global-warming-improve-economic-models-of-climate-change-1.14991

An interagency working group for the US government used three leading economic models to estimate that a tonne of carbon dioxide emitted now will cause future harms worth US$37 in today’s dollars.

Future costs for each tonne of food waste:

1.4 tonne CO2e x US$34.00 / tonne CO2e x 11.186 ZAR/US$ = R532.17/tonne

TOTAL R1,284.78 / tonne

Lifecycle costs of Landfill – from planning to long-term management & remediation.• Landfill planning, obtaining permits, consultants etc.• Acquiring land, infrastructure – lining, leachate collection & treatment etc. • Landfill operation – staff and machinery• Landfill capping and long-term management• Dis-amenity (land unavailable for other uses, lower surrounding values, visual intrusion)• Dust and associated public health issues (pathogens, pests, toxicity)• Long term damage to water resources / remediation measures R600.00/tonne (or more?)

Fertiliser value of food waste (NPK only) R152.61/tonne

Future costs of greenhouse gas emissions (passed on as ‘externalities’)

Sustainable solutions for organic waste

Why should we keep organic waste waste out of Landfills?

Meadows & Meadows (1972) The Limits to Growth. Club of Rome Report

Turner, G. (2014) ‘Is Global Collapse Imminent?’, MSSI Research Paper No. 4. Melbourne Sustainability Society Institute. The University of Melbourne. http://www.sustainable.unimelb.edu.au/files/mssi/MSSI-ResearchPaper-4_Turner_2014.pdf

• Fossil fuel supplies are limited – food production is currently highly dependant on them. • Pollution and ecological damage are limiting nature’s capacity to support us.• We need to switch to organic inputs for Sustainable Agriculture / Food Security.

FOOD HUMAN POPULATION WHAT PATH ARE WE ON?

Sustainable solutions for organic waste

How do we keep organic waste waste out of Landfills?

Large scale Small scale

Low tech, low energy

High tech, high energy

• Move away from large-scale high tech, centralised, high energy methods of disposal? • Move toward smaller scale, local, low tech, low energy processing?• Move toward circular metabolism / cyclic system of resource use.

Waste Continuumwww.gdrc.org

Sustainable solutions for organic waste

How do we keep organic waste (sewage solids) out of Landfills?

• Located at a sewage works and waste drop-off (including garden waste)• The HotRot 3518 is able to process over 10 tonnes of organic waste per day. • The HotRot as reduced the electrical consumption and running costs of the facility.• Compost can be used locally by the Municipality, farmers and residents.

HotRot 3518 in-vessel composting unit at Grabouw Waste Water Treatment Facility

Sustainable solutions for organic waste

How do we keep organic waste (food waste) out of Landfills?

HotRot 1811 in-vessel composting unit and Worm Hammocks will be used by Waste to Food

• Waste to Food is located at a Fresh Produce Market in Philippi East, Cape Town.• HotRot 1811 units and Worm Hammocks (vermicomposting) will be used together. • The earthworm composting will be structured as Enterprise Development opportunities.• A variety of high value organic products are produced, including vegetables.

Sustainable solutions for organic waste

How do we keep organic waste (food waste) out of Landfills?

Sustainable solutions for organic waste

How do we keep organic waste (food waste) out of Landfills?

Sustainable solutions for organic waste

What are the gains of diverting organic waste from landfill?

Environmentally beneficial

Socio-economic impact

Innovative business model• Vastly reduced Greenhouse gas

emissions (compared to landfill).• Avoided environmental damage

associated with landfill and the use of inorganic fertilisers & pesticides.

• End products support Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security.

• Linked technologies (composting & earthworm composting) optimize beneficial qualities of the organics. • High tech & low tech components

allow safe handling of processed organics and create Enterprise Development opportunities for low-income entrepreneurs.

• Sustainable livelihoods for individuals from low-income communities.• Percentage of profit re-invested into Social Entrepreneurial activities.• Food Security and Poverty Relief.

TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE BENEFITS

Sustainable solutions for organic waste

Close the Loop!

Thank you

Roger Jaques+27 73 228 8513roger@closingtheloop.co.za

www.closingtheloop.co.za

www.waste-to-food.co.za