Challenge undertaken to meet zero waste to landfill goals

SUSTAINABILITY has become the watchword for South African corporates, as they grapple with both the public's demand for environmentally friendly products and the demands of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting.

- JUSTIN BOTT

However, this shift is now not only fostering collaboration between waste producers and managers to develop solutions that meet both environmental and regulatory expectations, but is also reshaping business practices for a more circular and responsible economy.

And it's not hard to understand why. Globally, 1.05 billion tons of food go to waste, and in South Africa, almost 10.3 million tons of food go to waste annually; however, the packaging that accompanies this waste has exacerbated the strain on our waste management systems.

As a result, to manage these numbers, companies are now examining business models that allow them to correctly move from the linear take-make-dispose model to a system that minimises waste, conserves energy and raw materials, and reintegrates excess back into the cycle what has been termed the 'circular economy.