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The guidelines establish standards for container-based sanitation (CBS), a system where toilets collect excreta in sealable containers for transport to treatment facilities. It defines a service chain comprising customer relations, design and operations (containment, collection, and transfer), and the commercialisation of reuse products. The document outlines 'Safe Minimum Standards' and 'Aspirational Standards' across the sanitation chain, including toilet design (in-home vs. standalone), servicing frequency (typically 2-3 times per week), container cleaning, and waste beneficiation into products like animal protein, biochar, and liquid fertiliser. It emphasizes the importance of user engagement, occupational health and safety (OHS) for workers, and the integration of CBS into broader waste management and urban planning, particularly for informal settlements where sewer infrastructure is not feasible.

The document explores the application of AI in material recovery facilities (MRFs) in South Africa, specifically focusing on the solutions provided by Dragonfly. It argues that AI can augment human labour rather than replace it, particularly in developing economies where labour is cheap but efficiency is often low due to human error. Dragonfly's system uses high-resolution cameras and deep learning to classify waste, providing real-time data to optimise picker performance and conveyor speeds. In Cape Town and Stellenbosch, this technology increased material recovery by approximately 640 tonnes, reduced tailings by 22% to 30%, and led to a 10-15% wage increase for staff.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) partnered with the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) to manage tear-down waste from a 2015 event at the Cape Town International Conference Centre. By identifying resource types and volumes two months in advance, WISP connected the WEF with solution providers to repurpose pine wood, carpeting, promotional materials, and PVC banners. This initiative diverted 11.8 tonnes of waste from landfills, saved 10 tonnes of fossil greenhouse gas emissions, and generated approximately R242,000 in total economic benefits.

The document outlines how municipal wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) in South Africa can reduce energy consumption and carbon footprints through optimized sludge management. It details specific technical interventions in primary sedimentation, dewatering, thickening, and stabilisation, while providing a business case for biogas production and a framework of financing mechanisms for implementing these energy efficiency projects.

The document defines non-sewered sanitation systems (NSSS) as reticulation-free systems where human excreta are stored on-site for treatment or disposal. It highlights the economic return of water and sanitation investments, noting a USD 2.5 - 5 return in reduced healthcare costs for every dollar spent. In South Africa, NSSS are presented as solutions to water scarcity, aging infrastructure, and rapid urbanization, with a potential R4.7bn investment opportunity in metropolitan projects and a R3.4bn government allocation for school sanitation over two years. Globally, the document projects that water infrastructure costs will rise from USD 6.7 trillion by 2030 to USD 22.6 trillion by 2050, with Sub-Saharan Africa leading in annual costs to achieve basic and safe sanitation.

The document advocates for decentralized wastewater treatment in South Africa to address infrastructure deterioration and high costs associated with centralized systems. It identifies key benefits such as non-potable water reuse and sludge beneficiation for energy and fertilizer, while noting a R33bn annual funding shortfall in the water and sanitation sector. Regulatory drivers include a national target to divert 75% of organic waste from landfills by 2030 and a liquid waste to landfill ban by 2027.

The document outlines the potential for industrial symbiosis by using waste foundry sand (WFS) as a secondary material in sectors like brickmaking and road construction. It highlights the economic benefits for foundries and off-takers, the regulatory hurdles involving waste classification and management licenses, and the technical requirements for processing WFS to ensure product quality.

The GreenUp initiative in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, is a collaborative recycling project launched in June 2019 by Distell with support from the City of Cape Town and Western Cape Provincial Government. The project integrates waste pickers into the formal waste management system by providing infrastructure, training, and equipment, enabling them to collect and sell recyclables to buyback centres. Between 2019 and 2022, membership grew from 62 to 120 people. In 2020, the project diverted 60-100 tonnes of recyclables from landfills and generated income for members between R80,000 and R120,000. The model is presented as a potentially replicable approach for implementing extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations by incorporating the informal sector.

The document presents a data-driven overview of Cape Town's green sectors, highlighting a total of 600 assessed companies. It breaks down the energy, water, and waste industries by company size and function, while detailing municipal budget figures and investments in green infrastructure, including the Atlantis Special Economic Zone for Green Technologies.

The report details a showcase event hosted by GreenCape to connect South African brand owners and retailers with packaging manufacturers offering recyclable alternatives to problematic flexible plastics, specifically targeting polypropylene (PP) and multilayer multi-polymer packaging. While mono-material polyethylene alternatives are identified as viable, the report highlights significant barriers to adoption, including a lack of local demand to justify dedicated production lines, high costs of upgrading filling lines, and a need for operator training. These challenges hinder the progress toward the South African Plastics Pact's 2025 targets, including the goal for 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable.

The document explores the role of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae in converting organic waste into frass, a nutrient-rich excrement that serves as a bio-fertiliser. It argues that BSF frass can support regenerative horticulture by improving soil health and reducing the ecological impact of synthetic fertilisers. In South Africa, where fertiliser is heavily imported and food waste is significant, the brief identifies a potential market for frass production valued between R3.1 and R12.4 billion per year. However, growth is hindered by scaling challenges, low market awareness, and significant regulatory delays in product registration through the Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development.

The document examines the necessity of post-investment technical support for green SMMEs in South Africa, noting that one-off investments are insufficient for scaling. Through a pilot project involving three circular economy SMMEs funded by the Anglo American Foundation and the Green Outcomes Fund, the study identifies recruitment of middle management, marketing, and R&D as primary growth barriers. Results from the six-month pilot include revenue increases between 10% and 114%, the creation of 735 direct and 818 indirect jobs, and improved access to new investors and customers. The report recommends extending project durations to at least one year and expanding funding to include cash flow and asset purchases.

ACA Threads transitioned from using single-use virgin polypropylene spools to a buy-back and recycling system. By partnering with an injection moulder and social organisations, the company recovered 7 tons of material from landfills over five years, saving over R460,000 and generating income for disabled persons' organisations and local community projects.

The document details how the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) connected Enviroserv, a waste management company, with ComboTimber Structures, a pallet refurbisher. This collaboration shifted ComboTimber Structures' business model from manufacturing virgin wood pallets to using second-hand materials, resulting in 79 tonnes of wood diverted from landfills and the creation of three permanent jobs.

This case study examines the role of electronic waste (e-waste) repair and redistribution in South Africa, focusing on The Appliance Bank as a model for integrating circular economy principles with social upliftment. It highlights how diverting e-waste from landfills through refurbishment can create jobs for unemployed men and provide affordable technology to low-income communities.

The 'Roadmap to 2025' establishes a collaborative framework for national government, businesses, and waste sectors in South Africa to eliminate problematic plastics and increase recycling rates. It defines four primary targets: eliminating unnecessary plastic packaging, ensuring 100% of packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable, achieving a 70% effective recycling rate for plastic packaging, and reaching an average of 30% recycled content across all plastic packaging. The roadmap details key activities, such as developing 'design for recycling' guidance, implementing a mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system, and integrating the informal waste sector into the formal economy.

The workshop addressed the emerging waste stream of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in South Africa, noting that while most current waste stems from damage, obsolete panels will increase significantly within five years. Participants discussed the legal ban on solar panels in landfills starting August 2021, the need for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, and the trade-offs between centralized recycling facilities and local dismantling hubs. The report highlights the importance of the waste management hierarchy—preventing, reusing, and repairing—and suggests that while full local recycling may not be feasible in the short term, local pre-processing and the export of PV cells are viable options.

The document outlines the legal obligations for solar PV producers in South Africa under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and a landfill ban on e-waste. It forecasts a significant increase in decommissioned solar PV modules starting in 2033, creating a long-term opportunity for reuse, refurbishment, and material recovery industries. While current e-waste aggregators exist, the report notes a lack of local closed-loop recycling for glass and solar cells, meaning recovered materials are currently exported.

The document argues that urban agriculture (UA) provides a pathway to community resilience by improving food security, creating jobs, and reducing environmental impact. It highlights the transition of Nazeer Sonday from intensive hydroponic tomato farming to a regenerative polyculture system at Vegkop Polyculture Farm in Philippi. By implementing practices such as no-till, mulching, and crop rotation, the farm increased its soil organic content (SOC) from 0.5% to 2% and expanded its crop variety from one to approximately thirty. The case study emphasizes that regenerative practices mitigate economic risks, such as the 2008 spike in potassium nitrate fertiliser prices, and reduce dependence on costly synthetic inputs. It also notes the role of co-operatives and Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) in helping small-scale farmers access larger markets and ensure sustainable production.

The document identifies Cape Town as a strategic hub for textile recycling due to its concentration of clothing manufacturers and retailers. It argues that transitioning from a linear to a circular textile economy can mitigate supply chain volatility and reduce landfill pressure. The brief highlights two primary opportunities: creating a commercial open-loop recycling hub to process over 70,000 tonnes of annual textile waste and establishing Africa's first commercial-scale closed-loop fibre-to-fibre recycling facility. Key barriers include a lack of textile-specific waste data, high capital requirements for advanced technology, and the complexity of processing post-consumer mixed materials. The document recommends the development of mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements and the use of the Retail-CTFL Masterplan to unite the industry under circularity targets.