PPC Hercules waste-sorting project A survey was conducted in early 2009 to establish the quantities of various waste types generated over a specified period. This information was used to engage with potential service providers ahead of appointing a company to sort and recycle waste.

A dedicated area was fenced off for all recycling activities with two entrance gates to facilitate easy access for trucks to remove full skips. A shelter was erected to enable the service provider to work in a covered area under adverse weather conditions.

To facilitate separation at source, colour-coded 210-litre drums and wheeled bins were selected for use throughout the site:

• Red - hazardous waste (oily rags, oil containers, grease containers, old personal protective equipment, etc)
• Blue - plastic, glass, cans and paper (soft drink cans and bottles, copier paper, etc)
• Green - domestic waste (left-over food, wrappings, etc)
• Cardboard boxes - photocopy paper in the offices
• Wheeled bins - domestic waste in the administration block.

Suitable locations for waste collection were identified throughout the plant in consultation with all staff. Concrete slabs were cast to elevate drums to highlight their location. Each location is identified by a white number painted in a green block. These numbers are plotted on a site map indicating the location of the drums.

The waste drums around the plant are swapped for empty drums daily by the service provider to prevent spillage of any waste material in the site. The drums and wheeled bins are taken to the waste-recycling area for further sorting. Recyclables are removed and non-recyclables are placed in multi-waste skips for disposal. Hazardous waste is placed in a dedicated skip for disposal at the Holfontein site. All safe disposal certificates are filed on site. All recyclable waste removed from site is weighed and recorded by the service provider to demonstrate the volumes recycled instead of going to a landfill site.

A large quantity of waste produced on site is recycled, namely scrap metal, wooden pallets, old printer cartridges and old oil.. Supported by a multi-level communications campaign, the project has already produced positive results and improved housekeeping within the plant.

Sustainable information technology for the future To promote sustainable information technology, the PPC IT department selected a project on recycling of old and redundant equipment. In the past, the practice was merely to dispose of redundant equipment via a disposal company. Following a feasibility study on waste-management options, recycling was highlighted as a viable alternative.

Based on a number of selection criteria including legal compliance, a service provider was appointed. The contract involves removing redundant equipment from PPC's Sandton premises thus providing one-stop convenience for recycling e-waste, with the assurance of technology protection and environment-conscious recycling methods. All electronic waste is manually stripped, disassembled and sorted to avoid cross contamination. Items for recycling are not shredded as whole units, thus avoiding a mix of plastics, ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Sophisticated dust extractors are used to recover precious and non-ferrous metals. Shredding and pulverisation ensures that all metallics are separated and all plastics sent to plastic recyclers.

This project has been running smoothly for the past six months, with multiple benefits. PPC saves on disposal costs and contributes to less solid waste disposal on landfill sites, while supporting small business development.