Powering Tomorrow: How Non-Recyclable Waste Could Light up South Africa’s Future

What if every piece of waste had a purpose? What if the materials we once threw away could power our factories, schools, and homes? At Mpact Waste Management, we’re inspired by a vision of the circular future – a future where even non-recyclable waste has a positive and important role to play in an environmentally clean and functioning society.

Today, we’re exploring how such non-recyclable materials could one day become a source of energy for our homes, our businesses, our transport, and our comfort. This future is very much a real possibility, and with numerous examples emerging globally, it’s a vision worth chasing and definite food for thought for any waste-producing business.

The Problem with “End-of-Life” Waste

In South Africa, businesses generate thousands of tonnes of non-recyclable waste annually – materials like contaminated plastics, mixed packaging, or industrial byproducts that traditional recycling can’t process. Landfilling this waste is costly, environmentally harmful, and misses a critical opportunity: the untapped energy within.

Under the correct conditions (such as fire), various kinds of non-recyclable waste can change at a chemical level. On the surface, not much can be done with a shattered phone case, but what if, once discarded, it became recognised not for what it is, but for what it can become? And indeed, global innovators are asking the question: “What if we could extract value from what was once considered useless?”

The Global Shift: Waste as a Resource

From Sweden to Japan to right here in South Africa, businesses, governments, and academic institutions are pioneering technologies we call Energy-from-Waste (EfW) technologies to convert non-recyclables into electricity, heat, or biofuels. These solutions aren’t science fiction – they’re already powering cities and cutting carbon emissions. For example:

1. Sweden’s waste-to-energy leadership
   Sweden recycles 99% of its waste, with 50% converted into energy through EfW plants. These facilities supply heat to 1.2 million homes and electricity to 680,000 households annually.
2. Japan’s advanced gasification
   Mitsubishi Heavy Industries uses gasification to turn mixed waste into syngas, generating electricity with 30% higher efficiency than traditional incineration.
3. USA’s renewable natural gas (RNG)
   California’s landfill gas projects capture methane to produce RNG, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 90% compared to diesel.
4. South Africa’s biofuel-from-paper project
   The Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa – in collaboration with Stellenbosch University (SU), Sappi Southern Africa and Mpact Paper – announced this biofuel-from-paper project in 2023. This innovation transforms paper sludge, a non-recyclable byproduct, into biofuel, proving that even complex waste streams can be beneficiated for the good of society.

What This Means for South African Businesses

For companies generating large volumes of non-recyclable waste, the potential is clear. Imagine a future where:

• food manufacturers convert organic waste into biogas to power operations,
• packaging companies turn non-recyclable plastics into heat for industrial processes,
• estates, office parks, and even entire municipalities channel mixed waste to facilities generating electricity for local grids,
• and countless other energy possibilities across industries.

This isn’t just about sustainability – it’s about resilience. With load-shedding and rising energy costs impacting businesses nationwide, waste-derived energy could offer a dual solution: reducing landfill reliance and supporting energy security.

Balancing innovation with responsibility: the challenges of EfW

While these EfW technologies hold promise, they are not without their potential pitfalls

Environmental concerns

• Emissions: Some EfW processes, particularly incineration, can release pollutants like dioxins and particulate matter if not properly managed.
• Resource Competition: Over-reliance on EfW could disincentivise recycling, undermining circular economy goals.

Social considerations

• Public Opposition: Communities near EfW facilities often raise health concerns, leading to delays or cancellations of projects.
• Equity: Access to EfW infrastructure may disproportionately benefit urban areas, leaving rural regions behind.

Corporate risks

• High Costs: Building EfW plants requires significant upfront investment, with long payback periods.
• Regulatory Uncertainty: Evolving policies on emissions and waste hierarchy could impact project viability.

At Mpact Waste Management, we believe these challenges underscore the need for responsible innovation. Future EfW solutions must prioritise clean technologies, community engagement, and alignment with recycling efforts.

Mpact Waste Management: Bridging today and tomorrow

Today, our focus remains on providing businesses with reliable, sustainable waste management solutions. We collect, sort, and ensure your recyclables are processed efficiently through our advanced infrastructure. But as part of the Mpact Group – alongside innovators like Mpact Recycling – we’re also looking ahead.

We’re studying global EfW advancements, engaging with experts, and exploring how these technologies could integrate with South Africa’s unique needs. While waste-to-energy isn’t a service we offer today, we’re committed to preparing for tomorrow’s possibilities.

Why partner with us?

• Trusted Expertise: Decades of experience in responsible waste management, ensuring compliance and maximising recycling rates.
• Future-Ready Mindset: We learn from global pioneers and local innovators to anticipate opportunities.
• Shared Vision: Together with the Mpact Group, we’re building a circular economy where nothing is wasted.

Conclusion

The Mpact Group strives toward building a circular economy. That’s why Mpact Recycling exists. That’s why the packaging divisions design products for circularity. As such, it’s not enough to simply harness today’s recyclable materials; we must find ways to make non-recyclable materials work for us tomorrow. Energy-from-waste provides a practical, viable and innovative solution to the problem. It’s far more elegant than throwing trash into volcanoes, firing it all toward the sun, or repeating history by dedicating even more otherwise healthy land to creating landfills.

Energy-from-Waste in SA may be the future, but Mpact Waste Management delivers South Africa’s most reliable, tailored waste solutions right now. Through recycling, responsible disposal, and unmatched experience, we help businesses meet their environmental responsibilities efficiently and cost-effectively.

We may not be able to turn waste into energy yet, but we can energise your business toward reducing its waste footprint and fulfilling its producer responsibility. Get a free quote today.