SOUTH AFRICA – Mpact Waste Management, a sustainable waste management provider, has begun offering on-site waste management services for Pick n Pay’s super distribution center near OR Tambo International Airport in Gauteng.
Spanning 164,000 square meters, the Eastport distribution center, a joint venture between Fortress Real Estate Investments and Pick n Pay, sought a waste management partner sharing its vision of sustainability and recycling.
Amid economic and practical considerations, Pick n Pay emphasized an environmentally responsible approach, prioritizing recycling in the selection process, as conveyed by Mpact Waste Management.
Following a rigorous request for proposals process, Mpact Waste Management commenced operations in January, seamlessly integrating hands-on recycling commitment with Pick n Pay’s sustainability goals.
They implemented a customized, cost-efficient waste management solution tailored to the demands of this large-scale operation, states Faizel Abdul, the Eastport key account manager for Mpact Waste Management.
Abdul emphasizes their dedicated on-site team overseeing waste collection and processing. Processed cardboard is transformed into paper at one of their mills, returning to Pick n Pay as fresh cardboard—a demonstration of the circular economy in action.
“Our solutions are significantly benefiting Pick n Pay, moving us closer to a circular economy while reducing landfill waste, thus contributing to environmental protection,” he adds.
This partnership arrives at a crucial moment for waste management in South Africa, surpassing the capabilities of municipalities. Their limitations in modernizing and acquiring waste processing facilities hinder waste diversion from landfills without public-private sector investment.
This issue surfaced during the initial public-private sector liquid board packaging (LBP) colloquium held by Fibre Circle, a not-for-profit organization implementing the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for the paper and packaging industry.
The scheme involves fees paid by paper and packaging manufacturers to divert post-consumer packaging from landfills, aligning with circular economy principles by promoting reuse.
The colloquium hosted two panel discussions focusing on South Africa’s waste management policy landscape and the EPR regulations’ aims in advancing sustainable waste management practices and the circular economy within the country.
The forum urged all role players and delegates who attended the first public-private sector LBP colloquium to continue the dialogue to ensure that the industry succeeds in embedding the principles of circularity into the way it does business.
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