Sasol Sustainability Report 2023 - Book - Page 50
INTRODUCTION
SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE AGAINST OUR FOCUS AREAS
MANAGING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT
DATA AND ASSURANCE
ANNEXURES
MANAGING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT // Waste
OUR COMMITMENT //
OUR GROUP
APPROACH
Sasol is committed to improving our waste management by moving up the waste
hierarchy by reducing, reusing and recycling the wastes we generate.
We continue to explore ways to improve on waste
management practices, notably in implementing waste
minimisation initiatives and alternative usage solutions.
Most waste disposal practices have been discontinued
and the legacy sites closed. Rehabilitation of closed sites
is either planned, underway or completed.
48% of hazardous waste recycled at Sasolburg Ekandustria
operations (SEO).
FY23 OUTCOMES
Alternative methodologies to reduce and reuse waste at Secunda
operations (SO) and SEO.
Optimisation of operational cost of waste during plant shutdown resulted in cost avoidance
of R25 million.
SO continues to bioremediate API sludge.
PERFORMANCE AND INITIATIVES
SOUTH AFRICAN OPERATIONS
REDUCING THE OPERATIONAL COST OF WASTE STREAMS
MINIMISE WASTE TO LANDFILL AND DRIVE WASTE BENEFICIATION OPPORTUNITIES.
During FY23, SO optimised the
operational cost of waste
generated during shutdown
from two business units by
managing the waste at its own
authorised onsite waste facilities.
This resulted in a sustainable
cost avoidance of R25 million.
SO continues to investigate
opportunities to divert waste
from landfill with three large
volume waste streams targeted
for FY24, with one stream
requiring Department of Forestry,
Fisheries and Environment
(DFFE) approval through the
exclusion process.
SEO continued with its landfill avoidance
drive, with 48% of its hazardous waste
generated in 2023 (July 2022 3 May 2023),
compared to 29% in 2022. Two projects
are underway at SEO to divert the high
sulphur pitch waste stream from landfill.
The one involves producing a product
suitable as alternative fuel resource and
the other incineration.
SO continues to divert waste from landfill.
To date a total of 40% of waste was
diverted in FY23 which is in line with FY22
performance (57% disposed; 3% avoided).
In FY23, SO focused on the management
of sludges by prioritising diversion from
landfill with an additional benefit of cost
avoidance. API sludge continues to be
bioremediated.
Waste kilotons (kt)
2023
2022
Hazardous waste generation
277
255
Non-hazardous waste generation
Total recycled waste
207
139
223
131
Increase
Decrease
No change
The increase in hazardous waste generated is largely attributed to the shutdown at SO.
Non-hazardous waste decreased due to operational challenges at SO. The increase in
recycled waste is largely due to SEO's implementation of the recycling Vinyl Chloride
Monomer waste water that commenced in FY23 as opposed to being landfilled in the
previous years.
A potential cost saving project
at SEO was completed where
the brine sludge/filter cake from
Chlorine plant was identified as
suitable to be blended into the
legacy ash sold. This will save not
only on disposal costs, but also
transport costs. A similar project
with coal clinkers was also run.
SASOL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2023
49
The projects will be implemented
once the commercial aspects
have been finalised.
Operational costs at the SEO Wax
catalyst manufacturing plant
were reduced by changing service
providers.
An application for the exclusion
from the definition of waste for
the riddlings from the Steam
Stations has been submitted to
the DFFE. If successful, one of
SEO9s largest waste streams will
be diverted from landfill.
We continued to engage with
third-party waste vendors to
reduce the risks associated with
our waste streams.
ASH BENEFICIATION SUPPORTING
Making ash available in line with
government expectations to support an
ash beneficiation sector. Sasol continued
to sell ash into the market, the volume
however reduced when compared to FY22
due to the availability of legacy coarse ash.
The coarse ash volumes available have
largely been reduced. The fine ash sales
however increased in FY23. Projects are
ongoing to find ways to utilise the ash
generated at SEO.
CONSERVATION OF VALUABLE NATURAL
RESOURCES
SEO continued bioremediating its
biosludge in FY23. A total of 13,5kt was
bioremediated by a third party.