Winning at Source ~ Encouraging source separation of waste by households & business ~ African Waste Week: 3 September 2015

Transcription

1 Winning at Source ~ Encouraging source separation of waste by households & business ~ African Waste Week: 3 September 2015 Alison Davison Head: Waste Minimisation CoCT Solid Waste Management Department

2 Mixed waste: Immediate economic value = minimal What value is locked away here? How do we unlock a lot of this value? Separation at source Others : - fabrics underfelt - electronics re-used, refurbished etc. - tyres energy, tyre crumb etc. Organic waste: - compost - biogas - nutrient recovery Paper & packaging waste: - recycling into variety of products - re-use (arts, crafts) - composting (paper) Builders Rubble: - crushed as aggregate - concrete bricks/blocks - sand, bricks, timber, tiles re-used

3 BUT: Levels of at-source separation remain low What are the causes? How can higher at-source separation be achieved from households and commerce?

4 Cape Town: What is still landfilled? Household greens 6% Greens directly to landfill as free waste 2% Builders rubble 22% Builder s rubble = 22% Characterisation of Waste Landfilled w.r.t Mass Parks 0% Other trade wastes (incl. recyclables) 18% Household Hazardous 3% Other hazardous 6% Household Packaging 15% Household Paper 6% Household Food 5% Household Other 10% Organic trade wastes 7% Household recyclables = 21% Organic wastes = 20% Approx 27% TOTAL waste stream (by mass) diverted from landfill (MSA S78 Report, 2011) CT s total waste: > 2.5 M tons/year 18.2 % = Pvt. Sector 8.8 % = CoCT Landfilled waste 45% = residential 55% = commercial & industrial

5 If only it was this simple!

6 Source separation: mechanisms and barriers

7 Organic waste CT Mechanisms (6.5%)* Barriers *Home and worm composting Public acceptability (gross factor) Perceived effort (hard work) Lack of incentives Cost On-site processing - e.g. composting/ad (commercial) Capital cost/payback Lack of perceived benefits Lack of technology knowledge Scarcity of service providers Convenience (distance) *Dropping off green drop-offs Separate municipal collections - garden waste No of drop-offs Transport/ Effort - kitchen waste Double municipal cost (vehicles, drivers, fuel) who pays?

8 Paper & packaging waste CT Mechanisms (1.5%)* Barriers * Think Twice separation at source (S@S) programme Participation rates 13% - 60%: (n=8) * Dropping off recyclables at City drop-off sites Commercial: - Onsite sorting, separation & recycling Values & beliefs don t prioritise recycling (why should I?) Lack of incentives Cost (rollout barrier) Convenience (distance) Long process: open new drop-offs No of drop-offs Transport/ Effort (some = perceived) Corporate recycling culture Reliability of service providers Cost effectiveness (market fluctuations)

9 How can separation at source be encouraged? Organic waste

10 Organic waste How can separation at source be encouraged? Households Home composting - Social marketing on benefits Garden waste drop-off - Increase number of drop-offs - convenience - Budget constraints - Licencing & town planning barriers - Provide container/equipment at subsidised price (once-off) + support - Communal systems at schools/community gardens (those without gardens) - Public acceptability - Free access to garden services - Ensure licenced infrastructure (chipping, commercial composting) - market Collection services - Enable private sector where possible - Market their services

11 Organic waste CoCT home composting research and rollout Households Research Phase ( ) (approx. 700 participants + 2 schools) Results: Low and middle income areas Participants received composter, data booklet & instructions From reported data over 38 Tons landfill diversion Average 16.9 kg organic waste/hh/month Extension Phase & Willingness to Pay Survey SWM Dept Plans: Test 5000 composters /16 Market Research: 2015 Over 7000 residents surveyed: Would you participate in Home Composting (& TT)? What would you pay for the Composter?

12 Organic waste How can separation at source be encouraged? Commercial General - Effective knowledge transfer - hidden waste costs - Social marketing on company benefits - Progressive landfill bans: organics (may backfire) Onsite processing - Full cost accounting to enable robust capital investment/payback models Collection services - Enable private sector where possible - Market their services

13 How can separation at source be encouraged? Paper and packaging (and other wastes)

14 Paper & packaging waste How can separation at source be encouraged? Households At source recycling collection services (e.g. Think Twice) Social marketing - Make recycling (separation) social norm - Provide ongoing +ve feedback (how are we doing?) Ensure support system - Robust contract with recycler - Adequate funding - Infrastructure for sorting & processing Recycling at drop-off sites - Increase number of drop-offs convenience - Budget constraints etc. as discussed User friendliness! - Make it as user friendly as possible: - Flexibility to drop off other wastes for recycling/re-use (e.g. appliances, timber) - Ensure processing infrastructure & markets (recycling & re-use) - Aggressive drop-off marketing location, operating hours etc.

15 Paper & packaging waste Think Twice Successes and Lessons Learned Households Successes: Ongoing year on year increase in tons diverted Increase in number of TT contracts Increase in number of households Improvement of cost effectiveness of service (as contractors established infrastructure) Lessons learned: Free didn t work in low income areas (min recyclables collected) Sufficient budget for education & awareness MUST be included (international research 10% of budget) Performance targets/penalties NB

16 Paper & packaging waste How can separation at source be encouraged? Commercial -1 General - Effective knowledge transfer - hidden costs of waste - Social marketing on company benefits - Extended producer responsibility - Ensure sorting & processing infrastructure & markets (recycling & re-use) Collection services - Enable private sector where possible - Market their services

17 Paper & packaging waste & other wastes How can separation at source be encouraged? Commercial Promote and facilitate waste exchange programmes such as IWEX and WISP IWEXIntegrated Waste Exchange - Free, online platform to encourage schools/communities/businesses to exchange waste. Funded by: Delivered through: - Currently being upgraded - Benefits: - save costs, reduce waste & be green - Facilitated Industrial Symbiosis programme connecting businesses through cost effective waste exchange synergies - Over 1000 T diverted since May Over R4 Million revenue generated for participating businesses

18 Paper & packaging waste & other wastes How can separation at source be encouraged? Support creative entrepreneurs by hosting Waste to Art markets General Encouraging Out of the box thinking rethink the box e.g. Fabric waste

19 ... unlocking the true value of waste

20 Thank You Thank You Alison Davison