Weekly Bulletin on Circular Waste Management in Africa and OECD countries #39-2024

South Africa

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·?????? South Africa is increasing its recycling capacity for the management of plastic waste and eliminating plastic pollution, More to read: https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/sa-increases-recycling-capacity

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·?????? it is imperative that municipalities do more to promote local separation at source efforts through partnerships with the industry and other stakeholders. Plastic PRO ?partnership with Buffalo City is ?a first step in building our network of partner municipalities to increase the collection of recyclables. If we are to achieve our goal of eliminating plastic waste in South Africa, this partnership model will need to be replicated across the country. In short, more partnerships with municipalities is needed. More to read: https://www.cbn.co.za/industry-news/recycling-waste-management/more-collaboration-is-needed-to-end-plastic-waste-in-south-africa/

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·?????? SST has recently launched the Plastic-Free Seas Guidebook to support our African partners to better manage plastic waste and pollution. This guide builds on our successful 'Towards Zero Plastics to the Seas of Africa' conference and offers actionable frameworks for developing national and regional plastic management plans. In response to the UN’s global plastic treaty, this practical guide includes downloadable, editable action plan templates that authorities can use and adapt to their contexts. It is our hope that this guide will help African countries and cities craft tailored action plans, and integrate sustainable waste management practices into value chains, while work together regionally. More to read: https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/sustainableseastrust-africa_we-have-recently-launched-the-plastic-free-activity-7237029549006311424-bNWv/

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·?????? South Africa Energy Just transition program must take into account the processing of end of life solar panel and lithium ion batteries. More to read: https://www.esi-africa.com/renewable-energy/sas-just-energy-transition-must-address-end-of-life-solar-panels-lithium-ion-batteries/ and a new small scale plant for cobalt containing batteries developed based on the extraction of metals and purification and separation using a series of ion-exchange columns, employing technology akin to chromatography. This method allows it to recover valuable materials while minimizing environmental impact. The plan is to expand the process to handle all lithium-ion batteries, regardless of their chemical composition. This broader capability will be essential as the industry shifts towards new battery technologies with fewer cobalt components. More to read: https://techcentral.co.za/joburg-lithium-battery-recycling-plant/251956/

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·?????? Fibre Circle pioneers development of a localized recyclability standard for South African paper products. The current recyclability standards applied in South Africa are mostly based on European methodologies, which do not adequately account for the unique social and physical infrastructure challenges faced by the local recycling industry. The South African EPR regulations require environmental labelling to be implemented, however, this labelling must be based on a sound definition of the recyclability of paper and paper packaging locally, using the 4evergreen CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries) harmonized methodology and benchmarking the infrastructure realities against the method to ensure alignment with international sustainability goals. This Fibre Circle-led initiative, therefore, aims to establish a more relevant, contextual framework that will enhance the sustainability and efficiency of recycling efforts within the industry. More to read: ?https://www.bizcommunity.com/article/fibre-circle-pioneers-development-of-a-localised-recyclability-standard-for-south-african-paper-products-813573a#

France

·?????? Collection of regulated oils and filters used by farmers remains tricky as professional farmers must have this waste collected by approved collectors in order to ensure the traceability of its disposal. If the collection of used black oils has been free since 2022 under the anti-waste law, the collection of filters has been charged. The price, often by weight, varies according to the collector. For oils, at the time of collection, a sample will be taken and a three-year removal voucher will be provided by the collector indicating in particular the quantity and quality of the oils redistributed. For filters, the slip contains the collected weight. More to read: https://www.horizons-journal.fr/la-collecte-des-huiles-et-des-filtres-reglementee

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·?????? Incentive pricing and voluntary waste contributions: a hot topic in rural areas. The principle is to make households pay according to the quantity of waste produced, unlike the household waste collection tax (TEOM) - included in the property tax - which does not depend on the service provided. More to read: https://enviropro-salon.com/fr-fr/toulouse/actualites-tarification-incitative-et-apports-volontaires-des-dechets-un-sujet-brulant-en-zone-rurale

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·?????? The legal definition of plastic: News, Materials, Regulations. More to read: https://www.ct-ipc.com/blog-ipc/la-definition-juridique-du-plastique/?utm_plz_email_id=66f16baf54067a0ee0d0a482&cid=65cc7c65eeec37597e8bd99a&utm_campaign=plezi&utm_medium=email&utm_source=plezi-emailing

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·?????? The platform of local authority associations has sent its proposals for changes to the specifications for the household packaging and paper sector to the public authorities. This is a request that, if accepted, would constitute a small revolution in the household packaging and paper sector, and beyond in the landscape of EPR sectors applied to household waste. And the simple fact that the request has been made disrupts a state of affairs that has prevailed in the packaging sector for over 30 years. Local authority associations(1) have drawn up detailed proposals for changes to the specifications for the household packaging and paper sector and its proposed amendment. Among these proposals is the possibility, for all communities, to request that the PROs of the sector provide for the collection of packaging and paper, and no longer that they simply finance them via support. In other words, the associations are requesting that the eco-organizations become, for the communities that wish it and on their territory, fully operational, from the collection, and no longer just financial (by the payment of support). The communities concerned, in this hypothesis, would no longer be responsible for sorted packaging waste, whether for their collection or their sorting. The idea of this proposal is, for communities that are unable to achieve good selective collection performance and that could also be heavily impacted by a possible penalty, to allow them to withdraw in order to limit the negative financial consequences for them. More to read: https://dechets-infos.com/dechets-infos-n-281-18-septembre-2024-4931417.html

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·?????? The Paris Court of Appeal considers that the abrupt interruption of the collection of specific diffuse waste (DDS) was not the fault of EcoDDS but was necessary due to the (temporary) absence of approval from the PRO. More to read: https://dechets-infos.com/dechets-infos-n-281-18-septembre-2024-4931417.html

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?EU & Other countries

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·?????? While tenant access to recycling is an important equity concern, this report addresses additional concerns. Although Oregon municipalities and service providers have increased their focus on equity within the recycling system, the system does not fully meet the needs of all people In Oregon. Equity within the system remains insufficient to ensure that everyone has access to recycling, receives education and outreach materials that are responsive to diverse communities, and benefits from systems that support the collection and processing of recyclables, including good-paying jobs, benefits, favorable working conditions and expanded economic opportunities for historically excluded communities. The resulting report provides a foundation for future assessments. More to read: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/recycling/Documents/RecEquityMultifamilyReport2024.pdf

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·?????? textile EPR reporting requirements would come into effect on 1st?July 2024 in Latvia. This has now happened - this blog explains what you need to do to comply with textile EPR regulations in Latvia. More to read: https://www.loraxcompliance.com/blog/env/2024/07/04/Textile_Reporting_has_Landed_in_Latvia.html

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·?????? In a bid to curb food waste, a handful of US states have banned grocery stores, restaurants and other commercial waste operators from trashing uneaten food in landfills. Most wasted food ends up in landfills, where it releases CH4?during decomposition. Globally, food loss and waste accounts for around 8% to 10% of total greenhouse gas emission, making it a bigger source?than aviation or trucking. But a new study in?Science?this week finds that most of those bans have been ineffective, except one. In Massachusetts, a ban started in 2014 led to a 7% average annual reduction in total landfilled and incinerated waste in its first five years of implementation, according to the study. By contrast, bans in California, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont did not meaningfully reduce landfill waste. Programs in New Jersey, New York, Maryland and Washington?proved too new to evaluate. The researchers identified three likely reasons for Massachusetts’ success: (i) it has the highest density of food waste processing facilities, (ii) it had the best enforcement (Massachusetts’ number of inspections per generator per year was 216% higher than the next highest state, Vermont).??The?Science?study is the first to evaluate the efficacy of US state programs, a process that is itself made more difficult by messy data. Researchers started by calling, emailing and putting in records requests to state officials to amass all available figures. Then they had to decide how to compare them. Some states report waste at a county level, while others do at a facility level, and some states export their waste to other states. The study’s authors were ultimately only able to evaluate the first five bans put into place, and only through 2018. They?found that the bans together resulted in a roughly?1.5% decline in landfill waste over five years. The big takeaway for policymakers is that it’s “not enough to pass a food waste ban, it is a starting point.?More to read (but access limited): ?https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-09-12/state-food-waste-bans-aren-t-working-except-in-massachusetts?cmpid=BBD091424_GREENDAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=240914&utm_campaign=greendaily

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·?????? the invitation to the event “Road to Busan | Plastics Treaty Talks: Updates and the View to the Finish Line”, taking place online, on Friday 4 October 2024. More to read: https://ungeneva.webex.com/webappng/sites/ungeneva/meeting/register/a749074376ca45068ad0f25f78020cdc?ticket=4832534b000000071d3a8cbc74f2f6eda5e42b182f84ec5ee630903b58d92075557fd87d67907cf5&timestamp=1727536723686&RGID=ree323e38017369e44c10773d87bd5670

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·?????? Reducing plastic pollution in Africa: the imperative of a continental rPET standard for food-contact applications. More to read: https://www.aceaafrica.org/_files/ugd/72f3d3_6ed2c3e925d9478091d4e89f3b466fed.pdf

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·?????? This report focuses on how we can address the global plastics challenge through collaborative approaches and timely action. . More to read: https://www.aceaafrica.org/_files/ugd/72f3d3_6ed2c3e925d9478091d4e89f3b466fed.pdf

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·?????? ?Around the world, the vast majority of textiles leak out of the system when they are discarded: they are incinerated, landfilled, or leak into the environment. Earlier this year, we released our latest report on EPR policy for textiles, exploring how these policies are a necessary part of the solution. By creating a clear pathway for the collection, sorting and management of used textiles, EPR policy provides a collective framework of action in an otherwise often fragmented industry. More to read: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/articles/how-extended-producer-responsibility-policy-can-tackle-textile-waste?utm_campaign=epr-for-textiles-2024&utm_medium=email&utm_source=emf_public_topic_newsletter&utm_content=FORMAT_CaseStudy/TOPIC_Policy&utm_term=AUD_Decisionmakers/SUBAUD_Policymakers&mc_cid=5a2522805c&mc_eid=eff45a485f

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·?????? The latest edition of the Plastics Circularity Investment Tracker shows an imbalance in the flow of investment across the value chain. While 82% of global plastics investments between 2018 to 2023 went into downstream solutions like recovery and recycling, only 4% was directed towards refill and reuse models. Upstream solutions such as materials innovation and redesign, attracted just 12% of the total. Our Investment Tracker showcases the need for more funding in upstream companies pioneering reduce-and-reuse solutions. More to read: https://77554d08-b22c-410f-908d-3b6f854219cc.usrfiles.com/ugd/77554d_196cfa3f8d7c40138d7801deca5deea6.pdf

·?????? A new study from the University shines a light on the enormous scale of uncollected rubbish and open burning of plastic waste in the first ever global plastics pollution inventory. University of Leeds researchers used A.I. to model waste management in more than 50,000 municipalities around the world. This model allowed the team to predict how much waste was generated globally and what happens to it.?The researchers also identified new plastic pollution hotspots, revealing the emissions are biggest in India— rather than China as has been suggested in previous models — followed by Nigeria and Indonesia. More to read: https://www.leeds.ac.uk/global/news/article/5642/uncollected-waste-and-open-burning-are-leading-causes-of-plastic-pollution-crisis and https://www.packaginginsights.com/news/british-plastics-researchers-respond-after-coming-under-fire-for-misleading-waste-management-narratives.html

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·?????? Biden EPA Rejects Plastics Industry’s Fuzzy Math That Misleads Customers About Recycled Content. The plastics industry uses a controversial accounting method to inflate the recycled content it advertises in products. A new EPA policy won’t allow it for any products it endorses as a “Safer Choice.” More to read: https://www.propublica.org/article/epa-rejects-mass-balance-plastics-recycling-safer-choice

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·?????? Elevating Waste Pickers Livelihoods through Micro-insurance. More to read: https://www.undp.org/tanzania/blog/takabima-elevating-waste-pickers-livelihoods-through-micro-insurance

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·?????? A new report found that the Netherlands is far from achieving its goal of producing all plastic packaging from recycled or renewable materials by 2050. More to read: https://www.tno.nl/en/newsroom/2024/09/fossilfree-packaging-by-2050/

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·?????? In the Netherlands, Deposit system must be improved, inspectorate threatens with penalties of more than 300 million euros. More to read: https://nos.nl/artikel/2528562-statiegeldsysteem-moet-beter-inspectie-dreigt-met-dwangsommen-van-ruim-300-miljoen

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·?????? Policy Toolkit on Municipal Waste Management: A Guide for Decision-Makers in the Mediterranean. The?Mediterranean Dialogue for Waste Management Governance aims to facilitate new governance models for efficient urban waste management policies across the Mediterranean, with particular emphasis on organic waste and the circular economy.?The project involved partners from Spain, Greece, Tunisia, Lebanon, Jordan and Italy. This toolkit distills the lessons learned during the Med4Waste project and five other projects under the ENI CBC Med program. More to read: https://circulareconomy.europa.eu/platform/en/toolkits-guidelines/policy-toolkit-municipal-waste-management-guide-decision-makers-mediterranean#msdynttrid=xUxHLiLIOTsBNCznAG5MYSwpuF8OUQdRiVA7tQM9gkQ

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