Construction World December 2021

a sect ion of the pi lot area for which they were respons ible for weighing and recording the bags of waste on the kerb for col lect ion. Once weighed, the bags were col lected wi th compostable and garden waste taken to a compost faci l i ty, the recyclables to an exi st ing recycler operat ing f rom the landfi l l s i te. Black bags were di sposed of at landfi l l . Replacement clear and compostable bags were provided to part icipat ing households weekly. The WAs cont inued to interact wi th the communi ty and encourage part icipat ion or ass i st wi th problems that were experienced. Envi ronmental Sustainabil i ty The Project was guided by the principles of the waste hierarchy (WH) as wel l as a Ci rcular Economy (CE) approach. The WH i s an approach included in the Nat ional Envi ronmental : Waste Act to address waste management in South Af rica. The WH places importance on managing waste by fi rst reducing the generat ion of waste and leaving the last avai lable opt ion as di sposal to landfi l l . ACE approach refers to us ing products and ser vices in closed cycles . The system i s based on three principles : Des igning waste and pol lut ion out of the system; keeping products and materials in use at thei r highest value; and regenerat ing natural systems . A CE approach i s aimed at faci l i tat ing long-term res i l ience, economic opportuni t ies , and providing

separat ing the organics and recyclables in the waste stream at source and ident i fy a method to col lect these f rom households . Recyclable materials (paper, glass , plast ic and metals) are cleaner i f organics have been removed and removing organics f rom landfi l ls reduces greenhouse gas emi ss ions . Phase 2 commenced wi th a fol low-up waste characteri sat ion and brand audi t on 2 and 3 October 2019. Al l the black bags f rom the selected pi lot area were included and the characteri sat ion was undertaken by the local WAs af ter a ref resher capaci ty bui lding sess ion. Thereaf ter, part icipat ing households were requested to separate thei r waste according to the fol lowing: • Clear Bag for recyclables • Compostable bags for food waste • In accordance wi th the exi st ing system in WM: • Green Bag for garden cl ippings • Black bag for waste to be landfi l led Al l households in the ident i fied pi lot area were encouraged to part icipate on an 'opt-out ' bas i s . Leaflets were placed in post boxes and res idents were invi ted to a communi ty meet ing. At the communi ty meet ing, households were requested to regi ster for acceptance of the starter pack of a caddy, recycl ing and compostable bags and thereby commi t to part icipat ing in the Project for the durat ion. Weekly weighing and col lect ion of the separated waste as part of the Project commenced on 16 October 2019 and concluded on 4 December 2019. The WAs were divided into four teams , each wi th

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20 th Best Project Awards 2021