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Environmental News

DBSA awarded funding to create R2bn climate finance facility

By: African News Agency 22nd October 2018 The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) announced on Monday that it has been awarded funding of R795-million to establish a R2-billion Climate Finance Facility (CFF) focusing on infrastructure projects and businesses that mitigate or adapt to climate change. The DBSA received funding from... →

Packaging system saves about 76% of plastic

19th October 2018 Brewery company Carlsberg Group has switched to packaging solution Nature Multipack which is aligned to its new industry-leading sustainability programme called ‘Together towards Zero’ to be implemented by 2030. Being an innovation of global company KHS subsidiary NMP Systems, Nature Multipack... →

GROUND BREAKING The Snap Pack replaces plastic wrapping

Coca-Cola says all containers to be made from recyclable materials by 2025

By: Schalk Burger 19th October 2018 Beverages multinational subsidiary Coca-Cola Southern and East Africa (CCSEA) continues to reduce the weight of its bottles and has committed to recovering the equivalent of 100% of all its packaging by 2025, says CCSEA head of sustainability Dr Casper Durandt. These commitments are part of... →

Better recycling requires pact with consumers

By: Schalk Burger 19th October 2018 While commercial companies continue to work to reduce the impact of their products on the environment, improving the recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) requires the involvement and understanding of consumers, said recycling company Mpact GM Nicholas Schild. PET recycling rates in South... →

Improved, integrated healthcare waste management policy needed – health dept

By: Marleny Arnoldi 17th October 2018 A survey conducted by Department of Health found that the majority (79%) of Gauteng public healthcare facilities have a healthcare waste management policy (HCWMP) in place; however, the policy was not always integrated with the various environmental, occupational health and safety as well as... →

E-waste recycling sector still underdeveloped in South Africa

By: Marleny Arnoldi 17th October 2018 The South African electronic-waste (e-waste) recycling industry has not yet reached a point where most components are recovered for reuse, University of KwaZulu-Natal rare earth recycling technologies researcher Mark Williams-Wynn told delegates at the WasteCon 2018 exhibition on Wednesday. He... →

Informal waste pickers should be integrated into formal waste management sector, suggests analyst

By: Marleny Arnoldi 17th October 2018 The informal waste economy in South Africa has been largely responsible for the high rates of post-consumer material recycling that have been achieved, GreenCape Sector Development Agency waste economy analyst Dr Kirsten Barnes noted during a presentation at WasteCon 2018, on Wednesday. Her... →

Organisations oppose coal in IRP public hearings

By: Kim Cloete 16th October 2018 Public hearings into the Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) kicked off in Parliament on Tuesday, with several organisations voicing their concerns about the plan’s provision for new coal-fired power stations. Attorney Robyn Hugo of the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) told Parliament’s... →

EnviroServ returning to its roots following Shongweni malodour issue

By: Simone Liedtke 16th October 2018 After acknowledging that its KwaZulu-Natal-based Shongweni landfill was a contributor to malodour, waste management company EnviroServ has returned to its “old way of disposing of waste”, which comprises using lime to raise the alkalinity (pH) levels at its landfill sites. This decision,... →

Shongweni landfill, in KwaZulu-Natal.

Used oil industry offering significant job creation potential, says foundation

By: Simone Liedtke 16th October 2018 Although still relatively young in South Africa, the economic contribution to the country through job creation in the used oil sector is looking very promising, according to a study commissioned by the Recycling Oil Saves the Environment (Rose) Foundation. A survey commissioned by the foundation... →

CER attorneys to address MPs on new coal in the IRP

By: Creamer Media Reporter 15th October 2018 Attorneys from the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) plan to, on Tuesday, tell Members of Parliament (MPs) that an Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity (IRP) that provides for expensive new coal-fired power, at a time when South Africa needs to be urgently transitioning away from... →

Opportunities abound for Italian entrepreneurs expanding into Africa

By: Shannon de Ryhove 12th October 2018 The Italian-South African Chamber of Trade and Industries says Italian companies are becoming increasingly positive about the opportunities offered by South Africa, which is being acknowledged as a hub from which to expand and invest into surrounding African countries, says Italian-South African... →

Vinci lays first kilometre of fully-recycled motorway

By: Reuters 10th October 2018 Road building company Eurovia and its parent Vinci have laid a kilometre of motorway using only recycled asphalt from a mobile plant, a world first that they said could help reduce the cost of motorway maintenance and cut pollution. The mobile recycling plant can be disassembled and moved along... →

Woolworths to trial plastic bag free store

By: Reuters 9th October 2018 South African department store chain Woolworths Holdings will remove single-use plastic bags from one of its stores during a six-month trial period in a bid to end plastic pollution, it said on Monday. From November, Woolworths, which also has operations in Australia and New Zealand, will not... →

Bladon’s new microturbine genset to power up telecoms towers

By: Natasha Odendaal 9th October 2018 UK-based engineering pioneer Bladon Micro Turbine has launched its first commercial product, the Bladon MTG12 – a 12 kW (15 kVA) microturbine generator set (genset) dedicated to powering global telecoms towers. The microturbine genset manufacturer aims to dominate the telecoms tower market where... →

Climate crisis spurs UN call for $2.4tn fossil fuel shift

By: Bloomberg 8th October 2018 The world must invest $2.4-trillion in clean energy every year through 2035 and cut the use of coal-fired power to almost nothing by 2050 to avoid catastrophic damage from climate change, according to scientists convened by the United Nations. Their report published Monday adds pressure on... →

Unesco ready to help protect Kogelberg biosphere amid drilling programme

By: News24Wire 8th October 2018 Unesco has offered South Africa "technical support" to protect the Kogelberg biosphere and preserve the Unesco status of the reserve, which has one of the highest levels of biodiversity and endemism on the planet. Unesco chief of media services George Papagiannis said this week that "Unesco was... →

Marine waste a pressing issue, but few solutions in sight

By: Dylan Slater 5th October 2018 Plastics have become the “ubiquitous workhorse material” of the modern economy, combining unrivalled functional properties with low cost, and its use has increased twenty-fold in the past half-century, according to circular economy advocacy charity The Ellen MacArthur Foundation. →

Water an asset for sustainable growth

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 3rd October 2018 Over and above appreciating the intrinsic value of water as a vital human resource, the South African approach should be to recognise the business value of the commodity and, therefore, the country should pursue investments in the sector to generate sustained economic growth, employment and... →

For African bush elephants, wrinkles are cool

By: Reuters 2nd October 2018 A study of the African bush elephants' vast network of deep wrinkles has found they are intricately designed to help the animals keep their cool, fight off parasites and defend against sun damage, scientists said on Tuesday. The fine pattern of millions of channels mean the elephants' skin can... →

Mars’ sustainable generation plan achieves key milestones globally, locally

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 1st October 2018 Mars Multisales Africa, a division of global family-owned food company Mars, has recorded progress with its global Sustainable in a Generation plan, which was launched globally last year. The plan is designed to make tangible, scientifically-based changes to the way Mars does business globally. →

IPCC opens meeting to consider 1.5 °C report

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 1st October 2018 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) opened a meeting on Monday to consider its special report on global warming of 1.5 °C. Representatives of the IPCC’s 195 member governments will work with scientists from the IPCC from October 1 to 5 to finalise the Summary for Policymakers of... →

Drilling for water 'makes no economic sense'

By: News24Wire 1st October 2018 The City of Cape Town's (CoCT) borehole drilling programme has scientists scratching their heads at the apparent determination of the City to drill into the hard rock of the Table Mountain Group Aquifer (TMGA) at great cost, while other cheaper and more environment-friendly options are not first... →

Behavioural change a hurdle across industries

By: Jessica Oosthuizen 28th September 2018 A change of attitude towards waste management and recycling is needed to effect a real and positive cultural shift in the sector, but cooperation and willingness to change behaviours is a significant obstacle, says waste management company Interwaste business development and marketing director... →

RECYCLE, REUSE, REPURPOSE Waste management companies play an important role in providing alternative channels of waste disposal to assist in encouraging citizens to adopt a recycling culture

Closure, rehabilitation of landfills a major issue

28th September 2018 As landfill space in South Africa reaches capacity, the controlled, planned and systematic filling of landfill cells requires progressive closure and rehabilitation, says infrastructure delivery company Aecom, adding that it can provide this specialised service. Landfills may need to be closed... →

JAM-PACKED JUNK Once filled to capacity, landfills must be closed and decommissioned

Managing waste generation crucial

By: Jessica Oosthuizen 28th September 2018 Effective waste management entails industries’ not overlooking the management of waste generation, says the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR’s) Waste Research, Development and Innovation Roadmap Implementation Unit manager Professor Linda Godfrey. “There is still a great... →

EXPLOSIVE OPPORTUNITIES There are many waste streams where significant opportunities exist for diversion such as organic waste or construction and demolition waste

Petco submits industry waste management plan

By: Jessica Oosthuizen 28th September 2018 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling company Petco submitted its Industry Waste Management Plan (IndWMP) for the PET packaging sector as part of industry body Packaging SA’s Federation of Plans for the packaging industry, says Petco stakeholder relations manager Janine Basson. Packaging SA... →

JANINE BASSON Petco is well placed to continue delivering results in this next stage of South Africa’s environmental legislation

Plastics industry should strive for zero pellet loss

28th September 2018 Plastics industry body Plastics|SA is calling on role-players to work towards achieving the goal of zero pellet, flake and powder loss. The local plastics industry has reiterated its commitment to keep the country’s water sources free of plastic pollution. Plastics|SA executive director Anton... →

Photo by Bloomberg
PROBLEMATIC PELLETS Pellet, flake and powder loss has several negative impacts on individual companies, the plastics industry as a whole and the environment

Vinyl association appoints Spangenberg as new CEO

By: Schalk Burger 28th September 2018 Local product responsibility organisation the Southern African Vinyls Association (Sava), which represents the local polyvinyl chloride (PVC) industry, has appointed Polystyrene Association of South Africa CEO Adri Spangenberg as its new CEO. Spangenberg was appointed by the Sava board in June,... →

ADRI SPANGENBERG The input of current and new members is welcomed to support work on Extended Producer Responsibility

Enviroserv fined R10m for collusion

By: Marleny Arnoldi 27th September 2018 The Competition Tribunal has imposed a R10.2-milllion penalty on Enviroserv, after investigations found that Enviroserv had colluded with Wasteman to set the downstream price in the market for waste transportation services. The tribunal found that the two firms used their upstream joint... →

Three UCT lecturers participate in international Solar Decathlon competition

By: Simone Liedtke 26th September 2018 Thee lecturers from the University of Cape Town (UCT) are part of Team Mahali, the only team representing sub-Saharan Africa in the international Solar Decathlon competition, which will be held in Morocco next year. The Solar Decathlon is an international competition to design and build a fully... →

Climate-related financial disclosure becoming more mainstream – G20 task force

By: Reuters 26th September 2018 Climate-related disclosure is becoming mainstream as more firms support and align their financial reporting to recommendations by a global task force though few disclose the financial impact on the company, a survey shows. The Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) was set up... →

Damage to West Coast beaches from mining can be kept to 'acceptable' levels, say consultants

By: News24Wire 26th September 2018 Consultants employed by Australian company Mineral Sands Resources (MSR) have acknowledged that the massive expansion of mining for mineral sands on 10 West Coast beaches north of the Olifants River estuary will cause unavoidable environmental damage, but claim that the damage can be reduced to... →

South African phosphate miner plans London IPO by year-end – CEO

By: Reuters 25th September 2018 South African phosphate miner, Kropz, is on track to list on London's Aim Stock Exchange by the end of the year as it prepares for first production from its main asset in 2019, its chief executive said on Tuesday. Kropz wants to raise cash to pay down debt and further develop its Elandsfontein... →

Government announces memorial and funeral service dates for late Edna Molewa

By: News24Wire 25th September 2018 Government has announced the dates for the official memorial and funeral services of late Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa. Molewa passed away on Saturday, at the age of 61. Her official memorial service will take place in Pretoria on Wednesday, government announced on Monday night.... →

Photo by Creamer Media
The late Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa

Parliament's Environmental Affairs committee pays tribute to late Minister Edna Molewa

By: African News Agency 24th September 2018 Parliament's environmental affairs portfolio committee has joined others in paying tribute to environmental affairs minister Edna Molewa, who died at the age of 61 in a Pretoria hospital on Saturday after a short illness. "The committee is saddened by the passing of the minister, as she has... →

Recycled PET use held back by collection rates

By: Schalk Burger 21st September 2018 Beverage multinational subsidiary Coca-Cola Bottling South Africa (CCBSA) uses 10% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) and has completed technical and production validation of 25% rPET content, but are constrained by the availability of rPET, Coca-Cola Bottling Gauteng and Inland regional... →

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Agriculture Power Sanitation Sustainable System Water Building Financial PROJECT Resources NCPC Environmental ... more

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