South Africa Waste Flagship Programme
The Waste Management Flagship Programme (the Programme) is one of the eight ‘Near-term priority flagship programmes’ outlined in South Africa’s National Climate Change Response Policy.
The Waste Management Flagship Programme (the Programme) is one of the eight ‘Near-term priority flagship programmes’ outlined in South Africa’s National Climate Change Response Policy. As a first step to implement this policy priority, in 2015 the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) undertook, together with the German Development Cooperation, to start implementation in six pilot municipalities selected by DFFE on the basis of readiness. This programme defines waste treatment technologies for the organic treatment of waste per municipality, to transition from an end-of-pipeline disposal-based system to a circular economy.
This programme’s purpose is to implement the organic waste treatment solutions identified in the pilot municipalities and thereafter upscale implementation. Six municipalities (Rustenburg LM, Emfuleni LM, uMhlathuze LM, Msunduzi LM, Mbombela LM and Mangaung Metro Municipality) were chosen for the pilot project and an additional 24 municipalities will benefit through a programmatic approach with support from the GCF and the DBSA. The programmatic approach will enable subsequent projects to learn from the forerunners and replicate their solutions in a streamlined, cost-efficient manner. A proposal for funding will be sent to the GCF during financial year 2022/23.
The DBSA received project preparation funding from the GCF to advance the preparation of a GCF funding proposal. The preparation phase included a feasibility study, environmental and social impact assessments (ESIAs) and detailed designs for the six municipalities, as well as the development of standardised documents, processes and tools needed for adding sub-projects. These include technology blueprints, standardised contracting and procurement documentation, environmental, technical and financial due diligence procedures for sub-project preparation.
The project preparation phase encompassed the design of the programme and full proposal for consideration by the GCF. Baseline estimations for the funding proposal estimated the collection of 947 000 tonnes per year of organic waste (about 25% of the generated organic waste) in the involved municipalities, of which 810 000 tonnes per year are reaching landfills. Emissions from these are 2.29 million tonnes CO2-eq per year. The total quantity of organic waste that can be diverted is 167 000 tonnes per year, resulting in:
- 412 000 tonnes CO2-eq per year avoided emissions at disposal sites.
- Process emissions of 48 000 tonnes CO2-eq per year.
- Embedded carbon and other emissions avoided of 57 000 tonnes CO2-eq per year.
Thus, the total annual net emissions avoided through organic waste diversion could add up to 517 000 tonnes CO2-eq per year. The estimated total emission reduction during the operational period of the 16 sub-projects from Phase 1 (15 years) is estimated at 6.32 million tonnes CO2-eq.
avoided emissions at disposal sites
of 48 000 tonnes CO2-eq per year
of 57 000 tonnes CO2-eq per year
during the operational period of the 16 sub-projects from Phase 1 (15 years) is estimated at 6.32 million tonnes CO2-eq