Waste – 2018 Market Intelligence Report

The South African waste landscape is shifting toward a resource-efficient economy driven by legislative changes and rising landfill costs. In the Western Cape, significant opportunities exist for alternative waste treatment (AWT) of organics, e-waste processing, and the reuse of builders' rubble. The report highlights the role of Operation Phakisa and Industry Waste Management Plans (IndWMPs) in unlocking feedstocks and creating jobs, while noting barriers such as inadequate source separation and a lack of reliable data.

• South Africa's waste management is dominated by landfilling; 2016 estimates indicate 111 million tonnes of waste were generated, with 83 million tonnes (75%) landfilled.
• The Western Cape generates approximately 7.7 million tonnes of waste annually, with the City of Cape Town (CoCT) accounting for 48% of this total.
• The Western Cape Government has set ambitious organic waste diversion targets: 50% diversion from landfill by 2022 and 100% by 2027.
• Operation Phakisa's chemical and waste economy programme aims to divert 20 million tonnes of waste from landfill, potentially unlocking R11.5 billion per year and creating 45,000 direct jobs.
• The Western Cape lacks a licensed e-waste processing facility, creating an opportunity for new entrants to establish one, especially as IndWMPs are implemented.
• In the plastics sector, there is a specific need for thermal treatment technologies for dirty mixed plastics and a lack of recycling solutions for thermoform PET, with over 77,000 tonnes not recycled in 2016.
• Builders' rubble is a significant waste stream in the Western Cape, with 1.7 million tonnes generated annually, 1.1 million of which are in the City of Cape Town.
• The City of Cape Town has the highest landfill gate fees in South Africa, and these fees are projected to increase well beyond inflation over the next three years.
• New regulations (GN 1093 of 2017) have reduced the need for waste management licences for facilities that sort, shred, or crush general waste if their operational area is less than 1,000 m2.
• Biogas investment potential in the Western Cape is conservatively estimated at R100 million, with medium-scale facilities (50 kWe to 1 MW) being financially viable when waste management costs are high.

APA

GreenCape (2018). Waste – 2018 Market Intelligence Report. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/20180622-GreenCape-Waste-MIR-FA-LR-3.pdf

Chicago

GreenCape. Waste – 2018 Market Intelligence Report. 2018. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/20180622-GreenCape-Waste-MIR-FA-LR-3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=GreenCape |title=Waste – 2018 Market Intelligence Report |date=2018 |url=https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/20180622-GreenCape-Waste-MIR-FA-LR-3.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greencape2018waste, author = {{GreenCape}}, title = {{Waste – 2018 Market Intelligence Report}}, institution = {GreenCape}, year = {2018}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/20180622-GreenCape-Waste-MIR-FA-LR-3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }