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This guide, developed by GreenCape and funded by the City of Cape Town, establishes minimum and aspirational standards for container-based sanitation (CBS) services. It provides a framework for the design, deployment, servicing, and waste treatment of portable and container toilets, specifically targeting informal settlements where sewer infrastructure is not feasible.

This case study examines Dragonfly, a Cape Town-based start-up that provides AI-driven camera hardware and a data management platform to optimize material recovery facilities (MRFs). By integrating machine learning to analyze real-time waste sorting, the solution aims to increase recovery rates, reduce landfill tailings, and enhance job security for workers in developing economies like South Africa.

This case study describes a waste diversion project facilitated by the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) for the World Economic Forum (WEF) event held at the Cape Town International Conference Centre (CTICC) in 2015.

This industry brief by GreenCape explores the economic and environmental opportunities of diverting waste foundry sand (WFS) from landfills in South Africa, specifically focusing on the Western Cape and the City of Cape Town. It details how WFS can be repurposed as a secondary raw material for industries such as brickmaking and road construction, provided that strict legal classifications and hazard management protocols are followed.

GreenCape has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a legal service provider to assist in developing a Waste Management Policy and Regulatory Tool. The tool is intended to help municipalities and project developers navigate the complex legal requirements for implementing alternative waste treatment technologies in South Africa, specifically within the Western Cape province.

This fact sheet by GreenCape provides a statistical snapshot of the green economy in Cape Town, focusing on the energy, water, and waste sectors. It details company counts, employment, revenue, and municipal expenditure for the 2019/20 period, while highlighting investment opportunities in the Atlantis Special Economic Zone for Green Technologies (ASEZ).

This briefing by GreenCape explores the potential of using Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae to convert organic waste into frass, a nutrient-rich excrement that can be processed into organic fertilisers and bio-stimulants for regenerative horticulture in South Africa.

This case study describes a circular economy initiative by sewing thread manufacturer ACA Threads to recover and reuse polypropylene spools and cones, resulting in financial savings, landfill diversion, and social investment.

This case study describes a partnership facilitated by the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) between waste management company Enviroserv and ComboTimber Structures to divert wood pallets from landfills and remanufacture them for reuse.

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' is a strategic document outlining the goals and activities of the South African Plastics Pact, a collaborative initiative launched in January 2020. The roadmap aims to transition South Africa from a linear 'take-make-waste' plastics economy to a circular system by 2025, focusing on eliminating problematic plastics, improving recyclability, increasing recycling rates, and boosting recycled content in packaging.

This report details a workshop held on March 5, 2019, at the Century City Conference Centre, organized by GreenCape, Inspired Evolution, and SAPVIA. The event brought together 39 delegates from industry, government, and academia to address the emerging challenge of end-of-life (EOL) solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on legislative barriers, technical recycling solutions, and logistical strategies to prevent landfilling.

This briefing by GreenCape examines the regulatory landscape and future waste projections for large-scale solar PV modules in South Africa. It highlights the legal obligations of producers under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and the necessity of landfill alternatives due to a ban on e-waste. The document forecasts a significant increase in decommissioned modules starting in 2033, presenting a long-term opportunity for the development of a circular economy through reuse, refurbishment, and material recovery.

This industry brief by GreenCape examines the potential for textile recycling and fibre recovery in Cape Town, South Africa. It argues that transitioning from a linear to a circular textile economy can futureproof the local clothing, textile, footwear, and leather (CTFL) sector against global supply chain volatility and environmental pressures. The document identifies two primary opportunities: establishing a commercial open-loop downcycling hub and developing Africa's first commercial-scale closed-loop fibre-to-fibre recycling facility.

The Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) is a free facilitation service delivered by GreenCape and initiated by the Western Cape Government to enhance business profitability and sustainability through the exchange of unused or residual resources between companies.

This case study examines how the City of Cape Town, in partnership with GreenCape’s Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP), uses industrial symbiosis to improve wood recycling and build economic resilience. The initiative focuses on diverting wood waste from landfills and reducing reliance on virgin materials and imported coal by integrating waste streams back into the manufacturing economy.

This briefing discusses the intersection of circular economy solutions and international trade policy as a means to achieve decarbonization. It argues that transitioning from primary raw materials to secondary materials, extending product lifespans, and reforming trade barriers are essential for meeting net-zero goals, as the extraction and processing of material resources account for half of global greenhouse gas emissions.

This guide by the International Institute for Sustainable Development provides an overview of the negotiations for an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution, which were initiated following a March 2022 United Nations Environment Assembly resolution.

This research paper by Colette van der Ven argues that African nations must proactively integrate circular economy principles into their clothing and textile industries to achieve sustainable industrialization (SDG 9) and sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12). The author highlights opportunities in sustainable input production, green manufacturing, and the repurposing of second-hand clothing imports to drive economic transformation and maintain competitiveness, particularly in the European Union market.

This technical report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) uses System Dynamics (SD) modelling to forecast the employment impacts of circular economy (CE) interventions in Finland across six key areas: electronics, textiles, food, mining, forestry, and buildings. The study compares a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario with two levels of CE ambition (CE1 and CE2) from 2020 to 2040, finding that while some sectors like electronics and forestry see net job gains due to the labour intensity of recycling and refurbishment, others like food and textiles face net losses due to reduced primary production and retail demand.