The Waste Economy

The report analyzes the South African waste sector, which is worth approximately R15 billion and employs 29,000 people. It highlights the Western Cape's higher recycling rates (14%) compared to the national average (9.8%) and examines various waste streams, including plastics, paper, glass, metals, e-waste, and construction and demolition waste. The document identifies significant barriers to waste-to-energy (WtE) projects, such as complex municipal procurement processes and regulatory hurdles, while outlining potential for biogas generation from agricultural and organic waste. It also details GreenCape's initiatives, such as the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP), to promote a circular economy.

• The South African waste sector is valued at approximately R15 billion and employs about 29,000 people, representing roughly 0.51% of the national gross domestic product.
• Landfilling remains the dominant waste management method in South Africa, with an estimated 90.1% of all general and hazardous waste being landfilled.
• The Western Cape exhibits higher recycling rates than the national average, at approximately 14% compared to 9.8%.
• The informal sector is the primary collector of glass and plastic waste in South Africa, specifically recovering 90% of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and 68% of other plastics.
• Construction and demolition waste (C&DW) accounts for up to 22% by mass and 10% by volume in Western Cape landfills, though these figures may be underestimates due to illegal dumping.
• Project developers face significant barriers in the WtE sector, including complex municipal procurement laws like the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) and the Municipal Systems Act (MSA), as well as difficulties in securing long-term contracts and off-take agreements.
• There is a substantial potential for biogas generation in the Western Cape from organic wastes, with an estimated capacity of up to 500 MWe.
• The National Environmental Management: Waste Amendment Act, Act 26 of 2014, provides for the creation of a National Waste Management Bureau (WMB) to enable waste minimisation and manage revenue from economic instruments.
• The Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) has achieved environmental and economic benefits from August 2013 to February 2015, including 284 tonnes of waste diversion and R3.4 million in additional revenue.

APA

GreenCape (2015). The Waste Economy. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape-Market-Intelligence-Report-2015-Waste-3.pdf

Chicago

GreenCape. The Waste Economy. 2015. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape-Market-Intelligence-Report-2015-Waste-3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=GreenCape |title=The Waste Economy |date=2015 |url=https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape-Market-Intelligence-Report-2015-Waste-3.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greencape2015waste, author = {{GreenCape}}, title = {{The Waste Economy}}, institution = {GreenCape}, year = {2015}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape-Market-Intelligence-Report-2015-Waste-3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }