Sustainability, circular economy and waste

Transformation of the South African tourism value chain: towards sustainable, resource efficient and inclusive growth post Covid-19

The CSIR conducted a study to understand the systemic relationships among all service providers in the rural tourism value chain to identify interventions that could transform the value chain so that its growth path post-Covid-19 is sustainable, resource-efficient and inclusive.

Towards understanding the impact of marine plastic Debris on ecosystem services and the economy in South Africa

This study provides a preliminary estimate of the costs associated with the effects of plastic pollution on ecosystem services, direct damage to affected industries and clean-up costs, as well as an overall estimate of the economic impact of marine plastic debris in South Africa.

Reducing plastic pollution: A comprehensive, evidence-based strategy for South Africa based on the application of the pathways tool

The Pathways tool, which evolved from The Pew Charitable Trusts’ 2020 report “Breaking the Plastic Wave”, is a modelling framework and software tool developed by Prof. Richard M. Bailey (University of Oxford) in partnership with The Pew Charitable Trusts. With funding from the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, the tool has been used by the CSIR in South Africa, marking the first time it has been applied at a national level in any country.

Informing decisions on single-use plastic carrier bags in South Africa: Evidence from a life cycle sustainability assessment

A Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of alternative options for grocery carrier bags in South Africa was conducted, comparing standard single-use plastic carrier bags with several alternatives, including reusable bags and bags made from different materials, regarding their environmental and socioeconomic performance across the product life cycle.

Supporting the transition from conventional plastics to more environmentally sustainable alternatives

This project, funded by the Government of Japan and implemented through the United National Industrial Development Organisation, was undertaken through a partnership between the CSIR and the University of the Witwatersrand to support South Africa’s transition from conventional plastics to more environmentally sustainable alternatives.

Advancing Circular Economy in South Africa: Barriers, opportunities and recommendations for advancing circularity in plastic packaging and single-use plastic products

The World Bank Group appointed the CSIR to conduct a study to map and assess existing activities around the circular economy of plastics in South Africa and to support the South African Government in developing a roadmap to advance the circularity of plastics.

Incentives for municipalities to divert waste from landfills in South Africa

This study aimed to understand the root causes for the dominance of landfilling as a waste management option in South Africa and to identify relevant solutions for increasing the diversion of waste from landfills towards alternative waste management options.

Municipal waste separation at source: implementation guideline

This project pilot evaluated the roll-out of waste separation at source in two communities (middle- to high-income and low-income) in the Newcastle Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. It provided expert advice and documented the lessons learned. The project culminated in the development of a guideline derived from the pilot study, which other municipalities can use to learn from Newcastle’s experiences and replicate similar systems elsewhere.

The SASCOST Model: A decision support tool for implementing municipal waste separation at source

The CSIR has developed a Decision Support Tool to assess the costs and benefits of alternative approaches to implementing municipal waste separation at source, including financial costs and benefits and socioeconomic and environmental impacts. The tool can be used by municipal waste management departments (and their service providers or private waste management companies) to inform decisions regarding how best to implement source separation from an integrated economic, social and environmental perspective, depending on their unique context.

Municipal waste management: good practice toolkit

The CSIR-developed Municipal Waste Management – Good Practices Toolkit showcases initiatives by South African municipalities that have resulted in improvements in community waste management. The toolkit highlights initiatives that have successfully overcome common challenges, which could be replicated in other municipalities facing similar challenges. The focus is specifically on good practices for domestic and commercial waste.

South African municipal waste management systems: challenges and solutions

South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, the CSIR and the United Nations Environment Programme International Environmental Technology Centre partnered to enhance municipal solid waste management in South Africa. During this collaboration, challenges and system failures within local municipalities were identified and potential solutions were investigated to inform the implementation of interventions. The South African Municipal Waste Management Systems: Challenges and Solutions report summarises the findings.

Increasing reliable, scientific data on food loses and waste in South Africa

Food loss and waste are issues of global concern, with one-third of all food produced for human consumption estimated to be lost or wasted. This study supports South Africa’s domestication of Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 by generating local, reliable scientific data and evidence on food losses and waste across the food supply chain and different food types. A Food Waste Prevention & Management Guideline for South Africa has also been developed.

Municipality capability and partnership programme: Collaborating for service delivery and development impact

The CSIR is the implementing partner for the Municipal Capability and Partnership Programme. With a focus on strengthening municipal governance capability, the CSIR enables the collaboration between industry and government stakeholders to support service delivery and sustainable development.

CSIR offering: Evidence-based solutions to plastic pollution in Africa

#SolvePlasticsAfrica is the CSIR’s Science, Technology and Innovation Hub aimed at providing evidence-based solutions to address plastic pollution in Africa through various modelling capabilities.

Quantifying the cost of food waste in South Africa

While food waste consists of edible and inedible components, the economic, social and environmental costs of food waste are being increasingly recognised. The CSIR-developed equation will help municipalities, government officials and private businesses conducta complete assessment of the total cost of food waste in South Africa.

Green economy solutions for the City of Joburg

A CSIR research team is determining innovative solutions for the City of Johannesburg’s marginalised land, with a focus on low-carbon development zones. These include waste-to-energy initiatives and renewable-energy-powered mass transport systems to establish sustainable, low-carbon development pathways.

Steering towards a green economy: A reference guide

The CSIR-developed guide, Steering towards a Green Economy, provides an introduction to green economy concepts, ideas and actions that will help reorient the economy towards a more inclusive, resource-efficient and low-carbon development pathway. The guide was created to provide a concise understanding of the green economy and to relate this to South Africa’s unique development context.

A green economy project design and implementation framework for agriculture

The CSIR has developed a green economy project design and implementation framework for the agricultural sector. The framework aims to assist the South African agricultural sector in implementing projects that adhere to the principles and requirements of a green economy.