SU makes strides in minimising waste
| Published date | 24 April 2024 |
| Author | Staff Reporter |
| Publication title | Bolander |
During this week, SU will once again celebrate Earth Week and Earth Day celebrated on Monday April 22.
Supporting the world theme of Planet vs Plastics, Facilities Management’s Environmental Sustainability team and partners hope to raise awareness for waste reduction on campus through two waste installations on the Rooiplein and at the Engineering Faculty during Earth Week.
The waste towers on the Rooiplein will represent two days of waste produced on the Stellenbosch campus.
The 3 000kg of waste equals around 30 bales, which their centralised Material Recycling Facility (MRF) produces after they sort the waste they collect daily.
Of this 3 000kg of waste, SU recycles 28 percent, sends 46 percent for composting, and 26 percent to landfill.
The MRF on the Stellenbosch campus sorts waste and diverts it away from landfill and in 2023, more than 1 million kg of waste, mostly plastic and paper, were collected and diverted from landfill.
Since this facility was built, SU has succeeded in reducing its waste-to-landfill.
They currently send only 26 percent to landfill. SU’s goal is to get to zero waste-to-landfill by 2028, says John de Wet, SU’s Environmental Sustainability Manager.
As part of its efforts towards a greener future, aligned with these goals, the university has invested heavily in various energy, water, waste, and biodiversity programmes on all its campuses, says Mr De Wet.
Initiatives include a three-bin sorting system on all campuses, the MRF, the installation of water-saving taps, shower heads and cisterns in residences, grey water systems to recycle shower water and provide water for flushing of toilets, waterwise landscaping and the installation of photovoltaic panels on the roof of five buildings to reduce carbon emissions and utility costs.
For SU to reach its net zero target, it needs to decrease its carbon emissions from 85 241 tCO2e to as close to zero as possible, explains Mr De Wet. “Waste is one of the elements in this journey, and SU’s diversion-away-from-landfill rate is currently at an impressive annual average of 74 percent – well above the 50 percent average reported by other universities.”
Most recently, in support of SU’s contribution to reaching Goal 12: responsible consumption and production, and to raise awareness about Global...
To continue reading
Request your trial