The top accolade acknowledges that the city’s effective operation of five of its operational landfill sites, at Rooikraal, Weltevreden, Rietfontein, Simmer and Jack and Platkop, which are located in various towns around the city, has yielded positive results.
Ekurhuleni currently collects over one million tons of waste per annum from over one million households every week.
The collected waste consists of general domestic waste, industrial waste and garden waste, with asbestos waste accepted only at the Platkop landfill site.
The metro’s main objective of effective waste management has important economic and social impacts, in addition to environmental benefits.
Upon receiving the award, Ekurhuleni’s Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for the Environmental Development Portfolio, Clr Ndosi Shongwe, said: “Ekurhuleni’s main focus is on developing new markets for its waste, as well as diverting waste disposal from landfill sites.
“The main goal is to dispose of waste in an integrated manner, with an energy source as an end result and to create as many jobs as possible in the process.
“In addition to reducing Ekurhuleni’s carbon footprint and creating a renewable energy supply, job creation and skills development are of utmost importance in any project implemented by the city.”
Ekurhuleni established a landfill gas extraction and utilisation project at four of its landfill sites, namely, Simmer and Jack, Weltevreden, Rooikraal and Rietfontein.
The extraction and utilisation of landfill gas reduces harmful greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and prevents explosion hazards at the landfill sites due to the accumulation of methane gas at the landfill sites.
Through this project, Ekurhuleni has afforded its citizenry the provision of improved air quality in surrounding residential areas and created over 100 jobs.
Ekurhuleni currently utilises the landfill gas to generate one Megawatt (MW) of electricity at the Simmer and Jack landfill site, which is distributed directly to the municipal grid, resulting in savings of approximately R400 000 a month to the municipality.
Shongwe said the process of electricity generation is expected to expand to the other three landfill sites.
Since its inception, until last month, the project has reduced 748 781 tCO2e (tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent).
The installed capacity at all sites is expected to be approximately 7.5 MW at full capacity.
