For many the climate crisis has quickly shifted from a looming hypothetical possibility to a tangible reality, translating to greater recognition of the importance of collective mitigation action.
Catalysed by initiatives such as the UN climate change conference and nationally determined contribution emissions goals, decarbonisation imperatives have become an urgent priority. While we are seeing accelerated investments into implementing sustainable production and trade strategies, it is also encouraging that circular economies are strengthening the world over.
SA is making uneven progress in realising its ambitious 2030 goals. Waste management is a striking case in point. Despite the growing emphasis on achieving a circular economy — one that is effectively geared towards sustainable re-use, recycling and repurposing — our landfills continue to pile up. In fact, we continue to discard waste to the point at which SA is running out of space to put its garbage.
That is not just an inconvenience; landfill emissions harm the environment and have serious health consequences for nearby communities. But what if we could instead harness landfill waste and put it to productive use? What if we could turn discarded materials like old tyres into fuel for critical industrial inputs?
Globally, cement producers are using waste as a fuel source, reducing its environmental impact and leveraging the associated economic benefits. Particularly in Europe, the use of waste-derived alternative fuels such as discarded tyres for cement production is far more commonplace.
This is not by chance. European governments have developed legislation that recognises the value of cement kilns as a waste processor, increasing processing fees on waste disposal to ensure consistent supply for the cement industry. The supportive legislative framework has proved effective: by some estimates waste is being used to substitute up to 80% of the fuel requirements at some cement plants.
The use of alternative fuels is arguably even more urgent in SA, where our dependence on coal continues to present a severe environmental and health hazard. Fortunately, alternative fuel strategies have been adopted by several local cement manufacturers, with realised investment towards tyre-feeding systems.
This is a positive step forward: powering up cement production with widely available tyre waste can dramatically reduce raw material inputs while helping manage rapidly expanding landfills. Previously, discarded tyres served no purpose. In fact, due to their resistance to degradation they took up valuable real estate.
However, a more focused strategy is required on untapped alternate fuels in the form of refuse-derived fuels, industrial wastes and biomass, to name a few. But for SA producers to adopt aggressive strategies aimed at replacing coal with alternate fuels an enabling legislative and fiscal environment is required. A legislative policy on zero landfill and higher cost to dispose of waste should be established, together with appropriate support mechanisms for manufacturers that can sustainably process such wastes.
In addition, if we are serious about repositioning the SA economy for sustainable and competitive growth we need to support such initiatives that help decarbonise local industries. Carbon border tariffs in the EU and other major export markets mean the SA industry needs to move away from coal if it wants to remain internationally competitive.
For the cement industry, alternative energy sources offer a way to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels for critical economic input. We are on the brink of a huge wave of infrastructure development, even as the country’s electricity crisis becomes more acute by the day and the drive for renewable energy increases rapidly. However, to achieve these ambitious goals we will need a reliable and more environmentally sound source of quality cement.
The cement industry has always been a major contributor to the local economy. By supporting cleaner, greener cement production that serves the country’s development needs it also helps drive sustainable economic growth across a complex value chain, one that creates critically needed jobs, supports SMMEs and ensures the security of cement supply when we need it most.
More broadly, investing in waste-derived alternative fuel sources greatly expands the cement value chain, creating employment and business opportunities in waste-processing and related roles. At its best, the circular economy is not just about using less, but also about expanding opportunities for productive participation in the economy.
Developing waste-to-fuel production capacity across the cement industry thus makes compelling sense environmentally, socially and economically. However, it will not spontaneously happen without support. While there are strong market incentives for investing in greener cement production, there are several factors that inhibit investment in waste-to-fuel technology.
More notably, there are insufficient incentives for sustainable waste management. The government has made good progress in managing tyre waste; even so, what is needed now is a series of collective, accelerated actions to realise the immense potential of this endeavour. To ensure waste is used responsibly, we need enhanced regulations that prevent dumping and encourage the repurposing of waste (tyres, municipal solid waste, industrial waste, and so on) as an energy source. These regulations will have a few important consequences:
- Less waste occupying space in landfills and causing environmental harm.
- A consistent supply of waste for fuel will encourage investment. Upgrading cement kilns to efficiently burn waste fuel requires substantial capital expenditure, which depends on a consistent supply of the relevant fuel source.
- Developing a green waste management value chain is an exciting employment and development opportunity. But it depends on a thriving cement industry. A robust, supportive legislative framework will enable additional investment in alternative fuel processes by cement manufacturers, ultimately supporting urgently needed jobs and new, greener economic prospects.
These are all opportunities we cannot afford to allow to go up in smoke in landfills.
• Perumal is head of operations at PPC.
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