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Environmental News

Eskom completes first phase of host community housing renovations

By: Marleny Arnoldi 16th September 2024 State-owned power utility Eskom has completed the Masibambisane Air Quality Offset (AQO) project at low-income households in the Ezamokuhle community, in Amersfoort, Mpumalanga. The project has managed to reduce indoor air emissions and improve quality of life for households. →

Waste materials are actually valuable raw materials

By: Rebecca Campbell 16th September 2024 Waste materials are actually raw materials with economic and other value. So highlighted Mota-Engil Environment (part of the Portugal-based multinational Mota-Engil group) chairperson and CEO Emilio Pinheiro in his address to the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) conference, at the... →

Systemic change in ESG in Africa offers holistic approach for sustainable development

By: Shannon de Ryhove 16th September 2024 In a recent webinar hosted by ESG Africa Conference and Expo and sponsored by tax consultancy EY, leading experts came together to discuss the importance of systemic change in environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts across Africa. The conversation emphasised the need for a holistic... →

Clockwise from top left: Nicola White, Sharon van Schalkwyk and Marie Parramon-Gurney

Skultcha CEO & chief transformation impact officer Marie Parramon-Gurney; Ubuntu Lab Institute executive director Sharon van Schalkwyk; and EY-Parthenon strategy and transactions sustainability leader Nicola White in discussion with ESG Africa Conference & Expo co-founder Wendy Poulton about systemic change in ESG in Africa.

Sasol appoints Dube as new chair as sustainability pressures rise

By: Terence Creamer 16th September 2024 JSE-listed chemicals and energy group Sasol has appointed Muriel Dube, a former government climate negotiator, as its new chairperson following the resignation of Sipho Nkosi from the position in November last year. Dube, who was appointed as an independent nonexecutive director in 2018, holds an... →

New Sasol chairperson Muriel Dube

BRICS Business Council working groups offer updates on work in the year-to-date

By: Darren Parker 13th September 2024 The BRICS Business Council has provided an update on its work thus far this year, reflecting on progress made and the challenges posed by the inclusion of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates into the BRICS Plus alliance in January. The council’s working groups have been... →

CSIR researcher played important role in global climate report

By: Rebecca Campbell 13th September 2024 The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on Thursday highlighted the role one of its chief researchers played in the compiling of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) 2023 State of the Climate Report, which was published last month as a special... →

CSIR Chief Researcher Dr Sandy Thomalla

NDB approves $1bn loan for SA, inks deal for more billions with Transnet

By: Irma Venter 13th September 2024 The board of directors of the New Development Bank (NDB) has approved a loan of up to $1-billion for the development of water and sanitation infrastructure in South Africa under government’s Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG). The MIG is a conditional grant allocated to municipalities to reduce... →

AI, IoT waste management solution developer wins GreenPitch challenge

By: Schalk Burger 10th September 2024 Waste management AI, machine vision and Internet of Things solutions developer Dragonfly has won the 2024 FNF GreenPitch Challenge. The early-stage company leverages these technologies to enable waste management companies to measure and manage their operations and drive efficiencies within the... →

R628m in EU grants to support South Africa’s goal of building green-hydrogen ecosystem

By: Terence Creamer 9th September 2024 The EU has announced R628-million (€32-million) in grant funding to support the development of South Africa’s nascent green-hydrogen industry, as well as to facilitate net-zero-related investments across Transnet’s rail, port and pipeline operations, including to prepare them for the production... →

European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson at a briefing in Pretoria

Business calls for soul searching on Nedlac’s future amid big socio-economic shifts

By: Terence Creamer 6th September 2024 While reaffirming its commitment to the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), organised business has again questioned whether the structure’s current composition and functioning are “fit for purpose”. Delivering the business constituency’s report at this year’s summit, which... →

Business Unity South Africa CEO Cas Coovadia

Pilot possibly a template for textiles recycling

By: Halima Frost 6th September 2024 The successful completion of a clothing, textile, footwear and leather (CTFL) waste disposal pilot project, managed by national support programme National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA), creates opportunity for similar projects, says NCPC-SA project manager Andre Page. The... →

NCPC-SA project manager Andre Page discusses the CTFL waste management project recently undertaken by the NCPC-SA

Great reception for waste event

By: Halima Frost 6th September 2024 One of the greatest challenges facing this year’s International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) World Congress hosts, the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA), is catering to the overwhelming amount of interest expressed in this year’s event. The event, being organised by event... →

A picture of dignitaries holding up a banner at last year's ISWA 2023 Congress

GAINING TRACTION The ISWA 2024 Congress taking place at the CTICC this year has garnered a large amount of attention already

Company prioritises local sustainability pillars

By: Halima Frost 6th September 2024 As testament to its renewed commitment to sustainability and generating shared value for customers, global waste and wastewater management company EnviroServ has earmarked three key pillars to improve on its sustainability targets. EnviroServ, a SUEZ company, is in alignment with the global... →

A man and woman, in EnviroServ attire and PPE sorting through waste at one of its sites

GETTING SORTED EnviroServ has renewed its commitment to sustainability and waste management with three pillars and refined global targets

Sasol confirms refinements being made to emissions reduction pathway

By: Terence Creamer 3rd September 2024 Energy and chemicals group Sasol has reiterated that its target to reduce its greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions by 30% by 2030 remains in place, but has also confirmed that it is refining its “pathways” towards meeting that goal. In a note to shareholders, the JSE-listed group indicated that these... →

Sasol CEO Simon Baloyi

South Africa’s pilot carbon capture scheme officially inaugurated

By: Rebecca Campbell 2nd September 2024 The Council for Geoscience (CGS) on Monday announced that the country’s first carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) research site had been officially inaugurated. This marked the conclusion of Phase 1 of South Africa’s pilot CCUS project. However, the inauguration of the site, at Leandra... →

Good progress on air quality frameworks, but implementation needed

By: Schalk Burger 2nd September 2024 South Africa has a robust framework to manage air quality, as well as regulations and standards that serve as a yardstick for measuring and monitoring harmful emissions. The country also follows World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) guidelines and approaches, but national circumstances mean... →

Air pollution near the Duvha power station in Mpumalanga

New plant to increase manufacturer’s recycling capacities

30th August 2024 UK-based aluminium extrusion specialist Exlabesa announced that it would expand its aluminium recycling capacities by implementing an additional continuous homogenising plant from special aluminium machinery and equipment designer Hertwich Engineering. Exlabesa is expanding production at its... →

A large forklift loading large aluminium rolls to a plant

HARMONISING HOMOGENISING A new continuous homogenising plant will increase Exlabesa's aluminium recycling capacity

Headway made on fire-combating tech, new facility

30th August 2024 Ultra-high purity alumina (HPA) and related aluminium materials manufacturer Alpha HPA is making significant headway with its breakthrough technology to combat rising lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery fires, with flame-testing confirming the safety benefits of its UltraCoat process. →

Two women in PPE and blue overalls working on a processing machine

TRUST THE PROCESS Two process engineers from Alpha HPA working on its latest UltraCoat process

Manufacturer embarks on sustainability drive

By: Lynne Davies 30th August 2024 Food safety helps to prevent illness, reduce healthcare burdens and ensure consumer protection, but long-term sustainability has also gained prominence of late, resulting in multinational food products corporation Danone SA’s introducing a new power source to reduce its greenhouse-gas (GHG)... →

The above image depicts the repurposed high-impact polystyrene that is turned into lightweight bricks that are certified by the Green Building Council South Africa and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

Photo by Danone
TUBS TO BRICKS Between 2021 and 2023, Danone sought to repurpose high-impact polystyrene, commonly used in yoghurt containers, into lightweight bricks that are certified by the Green Building Council South Africa and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

Aluminium imperatives challenging to meet

By: Halima Frost 30th August 2024 The South African aluminium industry faces many challenges, including the need for greater recyclability and the push for a greener, more reliable power supply, says semi-finished nonferrous metals supplier Metal & Tool Trade (MTT) MD and aluminium stalwart Volker Schütte. He stresses that the... →

A large factory setting with aluminium rolls and vehicles in it

ROLLING WITH RECYCLING The uptake of recycling in aluminium production has multiple benefits that should be explored

South Africa’s scrap recycling lags behind global trends

By: Halima Frost 30th August 2024 It is undeniable that aluminium is one of the most recyclable materials in circulation globally, with about 75% of the total 1.5-billion metric tonnes of aluminium generated to date still in use, says industry representative organisation Aluminium Federation South Africa CEO Muzi Manzi. He adds... →

CAN DO ATTITUDE A positive perspective to South Africa's aluminium recycling capabilities needs to be attained to compete globally

Companies continue to prioritise SDGs related to decent work, economic growth

By: Marleny Arnoldi 29th August 2024 Business-led platform the Global Compact Network South Africa (GCNSA) has found that the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relating to decent work and economic growth retained its position as the highest-ranking private-sector goal this year. This was followed by the SDGs on climate action... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Marleny Arnoldi
GCNS' launch of the latest VNR report

MTN, WWF launch PachiPanda Challenge to inspire youth-led environmental solutions

By: Creamer Media Reporter 26th August 2024 MTN South Africa, in partnership with the WWF South Africa, has launched the PachiPanda Challenge, an initiative aimed at enabling young innovators to tackle South Africa’s environmental challenges. The challenge, running from August 26 to October 21, seeks to mobilise and increase the number of... →

Africa’s energy transition must be balanced – ISS

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 23rd August 2024 Africa’s energy transition must strike a “delicate” balance, with the continent needing to find a balance between addressing its energy needs and mitigating carbon emissions, Institute for Security Studies (ISS) African Futures and Innovation senior researcher Alize le Roux said, speaking during... →

Fostering global success through diversity

23rd August 2024 In the effort to encourage women’s participation in male-dominated sectors of the economy, global engineering consultancy SRK Consulting asserts that it is vital to start with company values that prioritise personal and professional growth, while embracing the power of diversity. Although SRK... →

NATASHA MOODLEY SRK has provided its staff - especially women - incredible opportunities for growth and development that were previously limited

ESG risk should be integrated into organisational risk processes

By: Sabrina Jardim 23rd August 2024 As emphasis on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) grows globally, integrating ESG into effective risk management plays a key role in strategy development, panellists noted during a Creamer Media-hosted webinar, titled ‘The importance of integrating strategic ESG risk into... →

ESG Africa Conf – risk processes A panel of experts discuss the importance of integrating ESG into strategic and organisational risk processes in this webinar hosted on behalf of ESG Africa Conference & Expo.

Major retailer, nonprofit and disabled empowerment group collaborate to handle e-waste

By: Rebecca Campbell 21st August 2024 South African non-profit company E-waste Recycling Authority (ERA) CEO Ashley du Plooy has highlighted major South African retail group Pick n Pay (PnP) as a pioneer in facilitating the collection, recycling or responsible disposal of electronic waste (e-waste). He was speaking at a joint ERA/PnP... →

Two of the participants in the ERA/NEED e-Waste enterprise development programme in Bridgetown, Cape Town – left to right: Sizwe Tshayana and Athi Manyisane

Photo by Rachel Briant
Two of the participants in the ERA/NEED e-Waste enterprise development programme in Bridgetown, Cape Town – left to right: Sizwe Tshayana and Athi Manyisane

CSIR researchers develop plastic pollution tools, policy considerations for South Africa

By: Schalk Burger 16th August 2024 Researchers at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have unveiled findings from research they have been conducting into ways to reduce plastic pollution, which includes an evidence-based plastic management tool and policy considerations for South Africa to achieve its targets... →

New study evaluates potential for nitrogen interventions to combat climate change

By: Darren Parker 16th August 2024 An international research team has combined multidisciplinary methods to evaluate how nitrogen interventions could improve air quality and reduce nitrogen deposition. The study, published in scientific journal Science Advances in August, found that interventions, such as improving fuel combustion... →

Oxford researchers say current business climate reporting standards are inadequate

By: Rebecca Campbell 16th August 2024 Researchers at the University of Oxford in the UK have concluded that current corporate climate reporting standards are inadequately incentivising the large-scale innovations needed to achieve net-zero corporate greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers, Kaya Axelsson, Claire Wigg and Dr Matilda... →

SATREPS projects aiding progression to green economy

By: Trent Roebeck 16th August 2024 Hydrogen and fuel cells solutions Center of Competence (CoC) HySA Infrastructure, at North-West University (NWU) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, is making a concerted effort to help South Africa and Africa transition towards a green economy by championing developments in... →

An image of one of the most recent construction projects carried out by HySA

NEW PRODUCTION FACILITY HySA Infrastructure continues to maintain energy production facilities in South Africa to improve local production expertise and consumer access to green hydrogen and ammonia

BCG roundtable panellists mull solutions to close Africa’s climate finance gap

By: Sabrina Jardim 15th August 2024 While investments in green sectors in Africa experienced significant growth from 2017 to 2022, despite volatility and macroeconomic risks, a substantial gap in climate financing remains, which must be addressed to accelerate the growth of these sectors, says Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Despite... →

Opinion: Transforming South Africa's manufacturing sector to embrace green and avoid falling behind

By: Creamer Media Reporter 8th August 2024 Transforming South Africa's manufacturing sector to embrace green practices is not just an environmental necessity but a strategic imperative to remain competitive on the global stage, writes Nedbank Commercial Banking national manager Amith Singh, adding that immediate action is needed to ensure... →

Nedbank Commercial Banking national manager Amith Singh

Powering Africa’s industrial future with Vertiv industrial solutions

7th August 2024 A recent industrial solutions focused webinar, hosted by global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions Vertiv, provided valuable insights into the challenges faced by, and the innovative solutions available to, the commercial and industrial sectors in Africa. Chaired... →

(From top left) Vertiv MD for Africa Wojtek Piorko, Collaboretix MD Nils Gerstle, Swakop Electrical CEO Jaco Duvenhage, and Vertiv Technical Director for Africa Jonathan Duncan

GoSolr concerned about rising electricity costs

By: Sabrina Jardim 7th August 2024 Although South Africa has experienced no loadshedding over the past three months, residential solar energy company GoSolr says the energy crisis is far from over, noting that rising electricity tariffs remain a challenge. During a presentation on the company’s second quarterly Light Paper,... →

GoSolr CEO and co-founder Andrew Middleton discusses the challenge of rising electricity costs (Video and editing: Shadwyn Dickinson)

Securing ringfenced revenue for NTCSA seen as key first step for tackling R390bn grid backlog

By: Terence Creamer 6th August 2024 Ringfencing revenue for the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) is regarded as a crucial short-term step for ensuring that the newly operationalised Eskom Holdings subsidiary is placed on a firmer financial footing to begin dealing with the estimated R390-billion grid... →

ERA driving e-waste collection momentum further this year

By: Marleny Arnoldi 5th August 2024 With electronic waste, or e-waste, growing five times faster than documented e-waste recycling globally, organisations such as E-Waste Recycling Authority (ERA) in South Africa have made strides to improve the local volume of e-waste recycling. The company says African countries’ e-waste... →

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