The City of Tshwane will construct a multi-purpose recycling facility at the Kwaggasrand Landfill site.

The municipality recently held a sod-turning ceremony to initiate construction on the facility, which marks the transition to a green economy in line with the Tshwane Vision 2055 outcomes. The recycling facility will be developed in partnership with New GX Enviro Solutions and Logistics, a waste, environmental management and bulk logistics service provider currently providing waste management services to the City of Tshwane.

The Kwaggasrand facility is made up of three components: a material recovery facility (MRF) with recyclables processed from a free bag system distributed by the city to residents; a composting facility where green waste will be shredded and turned into organic compost; and a building rubble recycling facility where building rubble will be turned into aggregate. These three waste streams make up approximately 65% of the waste that is disposed at landfills.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Mayor Ramokgopa said that the facility highlights Tshwane’s decision to partner with the private sector on green economic interventions. It will contribute towards achieving government’s target of a 34% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020 and a 42% reduction by 2025.

Construction is expected to take approximately 24 weeks with work scheduled to be completed by September. The composting and building rubble recycling components will be completed in June 2015. According to Masopha Moshoeshoe, Executive Director at New Gx Enviro Solutions, the facility will create 261 permanent jobs, attract private sector investment of between R80-100 million per facility in previously marginalised township areas, reduce pollution and reduce the city’s carbon footprint.

Similar facilities are planned for other regions in the city to reach a 50% reduction of waste that is disposed at the landfill sites.