Legislation on food waste at landfill
Liquid ban at landfill:
Waste with >40% moisture is banned from landfill since 2019. Food waste is technically included in this ban as food waste is typically 77% moisture.
Food waste at landfill needs to be trenched by arrangement at additional cost.
National waste minimisation Strategy:
The target for 50% diversion from landfill has been set for 2022.
Outright ban on all organics to landfill by 2027.
How does the system work?
SMALL COMMERCIAL KITCHENS- Up to 1 tonnes of food waste per month
Food waste is separated at source in 50 litre drums.
Bokashi is sprinkled over every 7cm of food waste.
Drums are collected and taken for composting, or composted onsite.
MEDIUM COMMERCIAL KITCHENS- 2-5 tonnes of food waste per month
Food waste is seperated at source in 50-litre drums.
Every 7cm, it is treated with bokashi.
Drums are collected and taken for composting.
LARGE VOLUME SITES- Over 5 tonnes of food waste per month
Food waste is seperated at source in 50 litre drums.
Food waste is taken to a central waste area for processing.
Food waste is macerated and dewatered.
This reduces the volume by up to 80% to reduce logistics costs.
Macerated food waste is treated with bokashi.
Drums are collected and taken for composting.
Social, Environment and Economic
Social:
- Smells
- Disease
- Job creation
- Food security
Environment:
- Methane Gas
- Leachates
Economic:
- Improved soil
- Increased crop production
- Landfill-over R3000/tonne
- Bokashi-about R350/tonne
Are current onsite waste management practices still relevant?
Its time to re-think your waste management costs and ask some tough questions. If you don’t re-negotiate your waste contracts, adding the bokashi system is simply an added expense.
Rethink traditional waste management
Site Assessment: Your site was assessed including food waste. This made up 40% of your landfill/ general waste. Is there really an incentive for your waste management company to divert from landfill when they are charging per wheelie bin lift? The recycling market is at an all time low. No incentive to divert from landfill at the moment.
Proposal: Your waste costs include fixed and variable costs. Fixed costs include a management fee – of which they are handling 40% less work when the bokashi system is implemented. Variable costs include number of wheelie bins. If food waste is 40%, your wheelie bins should reduce in number.
Onsite Staff: Existing staff on site are reluctant to sort food waste. This function is best started with a new team from the beginning to avoid disgruntled staff who never had to do the food waste in the post.
Collection: waste is dumped at landfill with no consideration as to the environmental damage it is causing. Legislation demands food waste