City looks to convert waste into energy

ETHEKWINi Municipality’s Executive Committee listened to a presentation last week by Ladybird Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP) to conduct a R20 million feasibility study into the possibility of turning excess waste into energy in the City.

LEAP is a privately owned company established to help towns, cities and communities in South Africa by transforming excess waste into renewable energy solutions. The company would conduct the study at no cost to the municipality as the funds have already been secured. However there were some requirements for the study to go ahead.

The presentation revealed there would be many positive spinoffs for the community if the project was implemented. These included communities forming small businesses to collect waste to be converted which would address unemployment as well as health benefits, as waste left uncollected and uncontrolled in communities impacted on health and sanitation.

Discussions with the City started in January and a municipal delegation visited Newcastle, in the United Kingdom to see first-hand how the treatment plant worked, converting excess waste into renewable energy.

The presentation outlined possible benefits for the City which included further potential investment and the delivery of a long term road map which includes developing entrepreneurialism, empowering women, sustainable waste management and energy self-sufficiency.

City Manager Sibusiso Sithole said eThekwini like most cities, faced challenges of waste sitting in landfill sites.

“Cities need to manage landfill sites and this new technology can turn waste into energy with by-products that can also be used by the Municipality. This will ensure no waste just lies around. The project also accommodates generated sludge as well. We should agree with this in principle,” he said.

Sithole suggested a technical team be established with relevant units such as Durban Solid Waste, Water and Sanitation and the Legal Unit, to investigate the feasibility of the project and whether it would work for the City. The team would then report back to the Executive Committee to make a decision. “There is an issue of what will happen to the generated electricity. But there is no doubt, this project would be beneficial,” Sithole added.

Chairperson of the Finance and Procurement Committee Fawzia Peer described it as a brilliant idea as waste was a big problem in the City.

“The feasibility study is not going to cost us anything. I like that it will encourage entrepreneurship and empower women. If we have that plant, people will take waste there themselves for it to be converted. We would welcome innovations like this,” she said.