When it comes to the dilemma of South African landfills running out of space, all relevant role players must acknowledge the significant impact of the construction industry.
 
According to Mpendulo Ginindza, President of the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA), many local landfills are filled with construction waste rather than household waste.
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“In spite of the fact that recycling construction waste is more expensive ánd it takes up more space in landfills, in some cases waste service providers don't pay more to dispose of it. We really need to pay attention to our landfills and find new and different ways to dispose of this kind of rubble.”
 
Enforcement, rather than legislation, is the crux
Ginindza defines construction waste as rubble, like broken concrete, ceramics, wood, metals, and bricks, and construction debris, which includes tiles, plaster, roof material, doors, and pipes.

"Construction waste generally consists of materials used to build and then becomes waste during demolition or renovation of buildings, roads, bridges, and other similar structures. It is all considered debris."
 
She further explains that construction waste is heavier, bulkier, and takes up more space than other sorts of waste, primarily household waste, which is a significant problem.

Despite the use of modern waste management technologies, Ginindza asserts that landfilling is still South Africa's most dependable waste management option at the moment. “But when not properly managed, landfills provide a number of health problems to local communities through air pollution, leachate outbreaks, vectors carrying diseases, and odorous gas. There are already quite a few landfills that don't meet the minimum standards. The South African waste legislation is adequate; it is the application and enforcement that seem to be a challenge.“But what do countries that get it right do differently? And how can South Africa learn from them?

"They have a separate landfill for construction waste and there are reuse options for the debris to reduce what goes to the landfill," Ginindza says. "They also have screening or sorting facilities on site, and sorting can also be done at the source."
 
Focus on Now and Future
Ginindza says South Africa should start with a focus on both short and long-term solutions.
“An immediate change would be to separate general waste from construction waste. To create permanent change, role players need to explore reuse options, to then reduce the amount of waste that is landfilled.”
 
She adds that while it is true that landfill airspace appears to be decreasing throughout South Africa, major changes cannot be made to the current waste system.

That means the only real solution would be through consistent and gradual changes.

“The first step would be using smart technical knowledge and approaches to maximize airspace. Waste should be diverted for fast, practical gains. This can be done by increasing the efficiency of the current landfill systems, using dynamic compaction techniques, researching different expansion levels, finding alternate waste diversion methods, and choosing appropriate waste-to-resources programs."
 
Ginindza concludes by emphasising that the construction industry produces a lot of waste and that it needs to recognize that it has a significant role to play in resource management.
“They need to support the waste industry by fostering the principles of 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.”
 
ENDS
 
MEDIA CONTACT: Rosa-Mari Le Roux, rosa-mari@thatpoint.co.za, 060 995 6277, www.atthatpoint.co.za 
 
For more information on IWMSA please visit:
Website: http://www.iwmsa.co.za/
Twitter: @IWMSA
LinkedIn: Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa
Facebook: Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa

In a landfill, a single disposable diaper can take 200 to 500 years to disintegrate.
 
“With South Africa already facing a challenge of running out of landfill site airspace, the local production and sale of about 1.4 billion diapers per year should be of huge concern,” warns Mpendulo Ginindza, Vice President of the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA).
 
“A child using disposable diapers is believed to produce up to 900 kg of nappy waste in the first two years of life.”
 
Ginindza contends that consumers, who are increasingly moving away from single-use plastic items like straws and bags, should also acknowledge that nappies are made of single-use plastic. "These disposable diapers' production and disposal leave a large carbon footprint. Their manufacturing involves crude oil, water, and wood pulp."
 
She adds that when they are disposed of improperly, diapers that are left lying around expose children, waste collectors, and animals to them.
 
“It is often misleading to claim on the label that disposable diapers are "biodegradable" or "eco-disposable ''. These nappies typically include mixed materials which require different environments in order to degrade; they cannot do so in a landfill. They cannot be thrown away in a standard compost bin either. "
 
The resulting impact on health and the environment, Ginindza cautions, is huge.
 
The role of diaper manufacturers in EPR
The legal criteria for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) came into effect in May 2021.
 
“These requirements put back the responsibility on paper, packaging and single-use product manufacturers and importers to assume responsibility for the complete life of the products they generate,” Ginindza explains. “Yet it is tricky to say where nappy manufacturers fall within these categories. Most often, they are considered as producers of hygiene products.”
 
However, diapers are made, confined, and wrapped in plastic in bulk packaging. As a result, their contributions will be needed if EPR is to succeed.
 
“We are still in the early days of implementation of these requirements. All stakeholders are working hard to understand and implement these requirements,” Ginindza says.
 
Small consumer actions can make a world of difference
By making conscious decisions regarding disposal, consumers can make a difference.
Ginindza says she has two suggestions for those who don’t know where to start.
 
“Consumers could perhaps consider adopting reusable nappies part-time,” she suggests. “We cannot deny that there is a valid or reasonable need for disposable nappies. They are sometimes used for sick or elderly people to help keep them clean. However, we can normalise modern cloth diapers and promote reusable diapers in a positive way.”
 
She continues by saying that there is a lot of assistance available from senior family members and online tutorial videos to help families get to grips with reusable nappies.
 
“Secondly, we have to work towards separation at source to help control odors and downstream safety, health and environmental risks.”
 
 In conclusion, Ginindza notes that consumers do not need to aim to be perfect at doing all of this.
 
“Millions of people making imperfect changes can and will make a difference.”
 
ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Rosa-Mari Le Roux, rosa-mari@thatpoint.co.za, 060 995 6277, www.atthatpoint.co.za 
 
For more information on IWMSA please visit:
Website: http://www.iwmsa.co.za/
Twitter: @IWMSA
LinkedIn: Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa
Facebook: Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa