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Mechanical Technology — March 2016
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Sustainable energy and energy management
⎪
I
nterwaste – a leading local waste
management business – has an-
nounced the launch of South Africa’s
first refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plant.
The plant aims at reducing waste to
landfill and pioneering general, industrial
and municipal waste to alternative fuels,
ensuring less reliance on South Africa’s
vital resources – resources that are car-
bon intensive. The company expects to
see 36 t/a of waste converted to alter-
native fuel for use in the South African
manufacturing sector.
“In line with global best practice,
Interwaste continually invests in innova-
tive solutions that have the most envi-
ronmentally sound waste management
opportunity at its core – solutions that
make us market leaders and place us in
a favourable position within the competi-
tive waste management environment,”
says Allan Willcocks, CEO at Interwaste.
“It is with this in mind, and with a strong
focus on aiding our customers to reduce
operational expenses, while acting re-
sponsibly towards the environment, that
we commissioned the RDF plant, which
is another market first since the business
opened 25 years ago.”
The plant, which was imported in
2015, is located in a facility built by
Interwaste at the company’s Germiston
depot. It is currently producing a solid re-
covered fuel to European specified stan-
dards, which is equivalent to A-Grade
coal.
“Through the commissioning of such
Firstever refuse-derived
fuel plant in SA
Mike Nicholls, Interwaste’s technical
services director.
A view of the RDF processing plant for ‘fluff’. Non-recyclable plastic waste is loaded onto a feeding platform before being passed through a primary and
then a secondary shredder. The fluff is then bailed ready for transportation to a power station, kiln or industrial burner.
Waste management specialist, Interwaste, has launched South Africa’s first
refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plant at its Germiston depot.
MechTech
attends
the launch and reports.
solutions, companies are able to lessen
their reliance on fossil fuels that have a
high environmental impact, including
acid mine drainage and reject coal waste
and dust, for example. By using RDF, not
only are businesses able to drastically
improve their emissions profile but they
are able to pay back their investment
within five years, because the fuel is
substantially more economical,” contin-
ues Willcocks.
Prior to the implementation of the lo-
cal plant, Interwaste underwent stringent
environmental compliance procedures to
ensure all due process was followed and
that the facility would operate with a val-
id licence and the correct environmental
authority approvals – which are critical
in ensuring sound business practices.
The company has also pioneered the
production of alternative fuels within the
hazardous waste environment, ensuring
that hazardous waste can be diverted
from landfill, where such waste is not
only expensive to landfill but toxic to the
environment if not managed correctly.
“Locally, the playing fields have
changed. The implementation of new
and pending legislation is forcing com-
panies to move to 21
st
century solutions,
solutions that offer real opportunity for
environmental preservation. From an
Interwaste perspective, the provision of
these fuels has not only opened up in
excess of 100 jobs within the sector, but
has created a solid platform from which
to protect the environment. This is a criti-
cal constitutional imperative in line with
changing legislation,” states Willcocks.
“However, we are not in this alone. It
is up to corporate South Africa to under-
stand the benefits of such solutions to
their bottom line and to the environment,
in order for us to make the change we
want to see. We are positive about the
impact of such market innovation and
look forward to very exciting times with
regards to RDF,” says Willcocks.
Presenting the technology at a launch
event earlier this year, Mike Nicholls,
Interwaste’s technical services director,
says that prior to establishing the local
system, best practices in Europe were
visited and evaluated.
RDF, according to Nicholls, is dry in-
dustrial waste, which Interwaste sources
locally by onsite sorting of suitable
waste from targeted industries such as