Sasol Limited Sustainability Report 2021 - Book - Page 24
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SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE AGAINST OUR FOCUS AREAS: SAFE AND ENDURING OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)
Sustainable use of plastics
Plastic waste in the environment and
oceans is unacceptable. We are addressing
this challenge by embracing the principles
of the circular economy and the waste
hierarchy.
Our approach to the beneficial re-use or recycling of plastic materials
• As the biggest supplier of polymers in South Africa, we are focusing our initial efforts on this market.
• Our actions include initiatives supporting plastics education, improved waste collection, bolstering recycling, job creation and contributing to marine litter collection.
• Many of our initiatives are in partnership with others. A significant portion will take place through the global Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), of which Sasol is the only founding
member headquartered in Africa.
• We also support a South African plastics value chain response called the South Africa Initiative.
Focus area
Purpose
Progress
Supporting
waste
collection
through
Packa-Ching
Reduce plastic waste to the
environment by increasing recycling.
Polyco, a producer responsibility organisation that looks after the interests of the South African polyolefin industry, has
developed a mobile recyclables buy-back business as a solution towards the plastic waste challenge.
We believe this is an important and innovative initiative that combats recyclables waste pollution. It also serves to support
communities by paying community members for their recyclables via a cashless e-wallet system. In this way, it empowers
business owners, creates jobs and educates communities of the importance of a cleaner environment.
Thabazimbi,
Limpopo
In 2020, we concluded a contract with Polyco to roll out 25 Packa-Ching units across the country and to provide fuel support
to the entrepreneurs operating these mobile recycling collection units. To date, six Packa-Ching units have been rolled
out, diverting more than 3 150 tons of waste from landfill. At the same time, communities have earned over R2,5 million in
exchange for their recyclables.
Katlehong,
Gauteng
Newcastle,
KZN
Buffalo City,
Eastern Cape
Cape Town,
Western Cape
Nelson Mandela Bay,
Eastern Cape
AEPW Thematic
Expert
Group (TEG)
participation
Develop plastic waste management
infrastructure and deploy advanced
recovery and recycling technologies.
WORLD CLEANUP DAY
AEPW TEGs are responsible for sourcing and implementing projects that are aligned with the Alliance’s five key focus areas.
We are an active participant in two of these TEGs: Advanced Recovery and Recycling (ARR) and Engaging with Cities (EwC).
The ARR TEG focuses on the development of downstream interventions that support circular economy applications, viz. the
deployment of technical solutions that can unlock the value potential of plastic waste through advanced recovery, sorting,
processing, and chemical recycling technologies such as spectroscopy, pyrolysis, gasification, and dissolution. The EwC
TEG focuses on the development of upstream interventions, viz. the implementation of waste management and other
foundational value chain infrastructure, which are key enablers for the recycling of plastic waste at a cities level.
In 2021, Sasol supported the ARR and EwC TEGs by participating in project sourcing and selection processes, including
the creation of request-for-proposal frameworks, technoeconomic evaluations and stakeholder engagements for projects
where Sasol has regional expertise. Through our AEPW membership, we also supported project funding and provided
technical and project management advice for relevant projects in the AEPW development pipeline.
Technology
Build knowledge and develop internal
capacity in plastic waste management
technologies and value chains.
In 2021, we completed a comprehensive plastic waste management technology study. It helped us develop a thorough
understanding of the South African plastic waste value chain, as well as assess various technological solutions for the
holistic management of plastic waste. The study assessed potential technology outlets for all plastic waste-containing
streams in South Africa. These include post-industrial and post-consumer plastic waste-comprising polyolefins, lowdensity polyetheylene, high-density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
It involved technoeconomic evaluations of upcycling and downcycling pathways for mechanical recycling applications;
thermal treatment pathways such as incineration and gasification for waste-to-energy applications, and chemical
recycling pathways such as pyrolysis, dissolution, solvation, and gasification for waste-to-chemicals applications. The
study addressed the need for the development of greater competency within Sasol, positioning the Group as a thought
leader in the development of technological solutions to address the environmental impact of plastic waste in South
Africa.
World Cleanup
Day 2020
A combined effort to rid the world
of litter and lessen its impact on the
environment.
In celebration of World Cleanup Day 2020, we participated in the ALL_TOGETHER GLOBAL CLEANUP, a global initiative
to remove litter, one piece at a time from the environment. AEPW volunteers, employees of participating member and
non-member companies, partners and individuals from around the world rallied to discover, identify, collect and dispose
of any litter found. In KwaZulu-Natal, the Inkwazi Isu project - a collaboration between Sasol and various stakeholders to
address pollution in the Amanzimtoti catchment area - also supported the campaign.
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Sasol Sustainability Report 2021