Revolutionising PET Recycling in South Africa: A Path Toward
Circular Economy Innovation
The worldwide environmental challenge of plastic pollution affects South Africa in
the same way it affects other countries. Statistics from Plastics SA (2021) show
that South Africa created 2.4 million tonnes of plastic waste during 2021 yet only
recycled under 10% of this total waste. The plastic waste stream contains large
amounts of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) because it appears mostly in
beverage bottles and packaging items. PET recycling facilities currently exist but a
huge amount of PET waste including multilayer PET and colored PET and
contaminated waste cannot be effectively recycled. The Spanish company brings a
revolutionary approach that brings optimism to the recycling field. The advanced
biological and chemical depolymerisation processes at ITENE show tremendous
promise to boost PET recycling efficiency. New processing methods separate PET
components into TPA (terephthalic acid) and BHET (bis-2-hydroxyethyl
terephthalate) that reintroduces into new product manufacturing.
This discovery holds special importance for South Africa because its current
plastic recycling infrastructure operates with major operating restrictions. South
Africa's PET recycling rate currently stands at 62% because it struggles with
processing coloured and multilayered PET packaging (PETCO, 2021). PET plastic
that mechanical recycling cannot process ends up in landfills or gets burned
resulting in further damage to our environment. ITENE's state-of-the-art
depolymerisation systems hold significant promise as an alternative solution.
These technologies transform PET into monomeric substances that manufacturers
can use to develop high-quality PET material needed for bottles and cosmetics and
paints and varnishes.
The innovative technology delivers multiple critical advantages to the
environment. First and foremost the recycling method minimizes the amount of
PET waste that gets placed in landfills making South African waste management
systems more efficient. The landfills in Cape Town are nearly full right now
because residents continue to improperly dispose of waste which harms the local
environments. Advanced PET recycling technologies would alleviate
environmental pressure in the region by creating sustainable outcomes for its
future. The transition to chemical and enzymatic recycling techniques instead of
mechanical methods would minimize PET recycling's energy requirements and
create a lower carbon impact for the manufacturing process. The combination of
these diverting methods will reduce virgin plastic production requirements which
enables both reduced fossil fuel usage and lower greenhouse gas emissions
production.
However various benefits exist there are unresolved issues to address. Despite
needing less energy than virgin PET production chemical depolymerisation
processes remain inefficient from an energy consumption standpoint. The
implementation of solvolysis requires close control of chemical agents such as
ethylene glycol to protect the environment. The expansion of such processes
especially biological depolymerisation systems demands additional optimization
for higher efficiency with decreased costs. The cultivation of microorganisms for
enzymatic processes maintains higher environmental friendliness but their scaling
for industrial use remains difficult to achieve at present. The issues can be resolved
by advancing technologies alongside renewable energy investment and sustained
research activities.
The nation benefits from a robust recycling culture combined with existing
infrastructure that positions South Africa well to adopt state-of-the-art recycling
techniques. The existing waste management network of PETCO includes waste
pickers together with recyclers and manufacturers which can facilitate the
implementation of new recycling methods. PETCO's 2021 annual report highlights
South Africa as the African leader in PET recycling with 62% accomplishment
rates (PETCO, 2021). The recycling process for colored PET materials and PET
multilayers as well as contaminated PET continues to present challenges. The
systems developed by ITENE present a potential solution for processing plastics
that are currently difficult to recycle thus driving up South Africa's total recycling
rates while reducing plastic waste's environmental impact.
The implementation of this innovative recycling technology stands to succeed in
South Africa by means of a comprehensive systematic method. Major metropolitan
areas including Johannesburg and Cape Town and Durban need to become the
initial sites for launching pilot experiments. Predictable environments provided by
three large South African cities facilitate both testing and technological
development of waste management solutions. Government must work hand in hand
with industrial sectors and research institutions to move forward with this
initiative. The implementation of these technologies depends heavily on
collaboration between public and private sectors to merge them with current
recycling structures. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
alongside ITENE should unite to modify and tailor their processes to match South
African environmental standards. Moreover, regulatory support is essential.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations implemented by South Africa
in 2021 now force packaging waste producers to handle their waste responsibility.
This regulatory framework creates an excellent chance to motivate companies
toward implementing advanced recycling systems. Tax exemptions together with
additional benefits should be given to manufacturers who select recycled PET to
drive circular economy transformation.
South Africa needs to focus public education efforts to teach people about
recycling value and their own essential role in it. Schools and communities should
receive educational programs which combine with media outreach to educate
people about plastic recycling benefits and their long-term value to the
environment. No matter how advanced the technology gets it needs people to work
with it to achieve success. Awareness programs work to transform public thinking
which subsequently leads to higher participation in correct waste management
behaviors.
Advanced PET depolymerisation technologies developed by ITENE provide South
Africa's recycling sector a game-changing solution. The newly developed
innovative practices aim to cut down landfill waste while lowering carbon
emissions and developing high-quality recycled products. With its current
recycling framework and recognition of sustainability South Africa shows strong
potential to implement advanced recycling techniques despite existing scaling
difficulties. The moment requires investments into advanced technologies and
public education followed by an economic transition toward circular resourcing
systems.
References
ITENE. (2023, June 26). New biological and chemical processes allow recovery of
PET plastic waste that presents difficulties in the recycling process.
https://www.itene.com/en/news/recycling-plastic-pet-processes/
PETCO. (2021). PET recycling in South Africa: Annual report 2021.
https://petco.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PETCO-Annual-Report-2021.pdf
Plastics SA. (2021). National Plastics Recycling Survey.
https://www.plasticsinfo.co.za
