Refuse Derived Fuel – Interwaste Holdings Ltd

How the Waste Derived Fuel Facility is Converting Waste into Sustainable Energy

wont.socialise@gmail.com — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:15:55 +0000

The world is shifting toward sustainable energy solutions, and waste management plays a vital role in this transition. At Interwaste’s Waste Derived Fuel (WDF) Facility, located at Germiston Hub, we are at the forefront of this movement. By converting high-calorific waste into alternative fuel, we’re not only reducing carbon emissions but also providing industries with a cleaner energy source by reducing their fossil fuels consumption. This blog explores how the WDF Facility transforms waste into fuel and the environmental benefits it brings.

What is Waste Derived Fuel?

Waste Derived Fuel (WDF) refers to fuel produced from waste materials that are high in energy content. These materials can include certain types of industrial sludge, liquids, and hydrocarbon-rich waste. Instead of being disposed of in landfills, these waste streams are processed and converted into a specified fuel that can replace traditional fossil fuels such as coal. At our Germiston Hub, we specialize in producing this substitute fuel, which can be used by energy-intensive industries like cement manufacturing.

How the Waste Derived Fuel Process WorksThe process of converting waste into fuel at our Germiston facility involves several key steps:

Waste Selection: Only certain types of waste with a high calorific value are suitable for WDF production. We accept a variety of hydrocarbon sludges and liquids, particularly from sectors such as petrochemicals, which have high energy potential.
Pre-Treatment: The waste is tested and pre-treated to ensure it meets the required specifications for fuel production. Parameters such as calorific value, moisture content, elemental composition and flammability are carefully evaluated to determine the waste’s suitability for conversion.
Fuel Production: The selected waste is processed using advanced techniques to prepare a fuel that meets end-user specifications. This fuel is then used as a substitute for traditional fossil fuels in energy-intensive industries, significantly reducing carbon emissions.
Quality Control: The produced WDF is subject to rigorous quality control to ensure it meets the specific requirements of the industries that will use it. Factors such as combustion efficiency, energy output and potential impact on air emissions are tested to ensure the fuel performs effectively.

Waste Types Handled by the WDF Facility

At the Germiston Hub, we handle various types of waste, including:

Hydrocarbon sludges and liquids
Certain types of industrial waste with high calorific value
Qualifying waste from a variery of industry sectors, including the petrochemical industry.

These waste types, which would otherwise end up in landfills or incinerators, are transformed into a valuable energy resource that supports industries looking to reduce their environmental impact.

The Environmental Benefits of Waste Derived Fuel

One of the most significant advantages of WDF is its ability to reduce carbon emissions. By converting waste into fuel, we provide an alternative to coal and other fossil fuels, which are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to carbon reduction, WDF helps:

Reduce landfill usage: By diverting waste from landfills, we help minimize the potential environmental impact of waste disposal, including the generation of harmful gases like methane.
Promote resource recovery: Instead of managing these wastes to landfill, WDF turns it into a resource, supporting the principles of the circular economy.
Reduce reliance on traditional fossil fuels: As industries transition to more sustainable practices, WDF offers a viable solution for reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Supporting the Circular Economy

The Waste Derived Fuel Facility at Germiston Hub plays a vital role in promoting the circular economy. By converting waste into a usable fuel, we close the loop on resource recovery. Instead of waste being discarded and new non-renewable raw materials being extracted, we use waste to create energy. This reduces the demand for non-renewable resources and helps industries adopt more sustainable practices.

Interwaste’s WDF Facility operates in compliance with applicable Acts and Regulations. Our processes are designed to minimize any related environmental impact, ensuring that all waste is handled safely and responsibly. We also work closely with industries that use WDF to ensure that they meet their sustainability goals and enviro-legal compliance, while adhering to strict safety standards.

Industries Benefiting from Waste Derived Fuel

WDF is an ideal energy solution for energy-intensive industries that are looking to reduce their carbon footprint through coal substitution. Industries that benefit from WDF include:

Cement manufacturing: Cement production is energy-intensive, the WDF offers an alternative to coal, helping this industry meet its sustainability targets.
Power generation: Some power plants use WDF as a substitute for fossil fuels, reducing their reliance on traditional fossil fuels.
Petrochemical industries: Petrochemical plants generate hydrocarbon-rich waste, which can be converted into fuel, providing an efficient, circular solution, by processing their waste into WDF thereby reducing their environmental impact through landfill avoidance.

As the demand for sustainable energy solutions grows, the Waste Derived Fuel Facility at Germiston Hub is leading the way in converting waste into alternative fuel. By transforming high-calorific waste into a substitute fuel, we’re helping industries reduce their carbon emissions and support the circular economy. If you’re looking for a cleaner, more sustainable energy solution, Interwaste’s WDF Facility is the answer.

Nurturing Nature Together: Celebrate World Nature Conservation Day

wont.socialise@gmail.com — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 20:00:14 +0000

World Nature Conservation Day, observed on the 28 of July each year, is more than a date on the calendar – it’s a reminder of the deep connection each of us shares with South Africa’s breathtaking landscapes, from fynbos and forests to wetlands and coastlines. As a globally recognised as 1 of 17 megadiverse country, our ecosystem is rich, fragile, and worth preserving.

Every river we swim in, every bird we watch, every tree we climb is a part of this legacy. That’s why it’s vital to honour and protect it – not just today, but every day.

Conservation Leaders We Stand With

SANBI – Guardians of Indigenous Flora

Through its national botanic gardens like Kirstenbosch and Harold Porter, SANBI showcases the beauty of our indigenous plants and educates citizens on ecological restoration. Their tree planting drives, community educational programs, and citizen-science projects are keeping traditional knowledge and habitats alive.

WWF South Africa – Protectors of Wild Places

From leading the WWF‑Mondi Wetlands Programme to safeguarding endangered species like the blue crane and African penguin, WWF’s work spans landscapes – wetlands, grasslands, oceans. It’s hands-on science, community engagement, and policy advocacy rolled into one.

These organisations don’t do their work for recognition, they do it because they care deeply about this country’s natural wealth. They plant, they research, they teach. And we all benefit.

Interwaste’s Community Commitment

We’re proud to be part of a movement larger than ourselves. Through our Act4Nature commitments (2023–2027), Interwaste supports conservation in meaningful ways – actions rooted in partnership, evidence, and local impact:

1. Restoring Nature at Klinkerstene

In collaboration with independent and SANBI ecologists, our Klinkerstene site received biodiversity assessments. The assessments will assist us in identifying various areas of improvement where we can restore and preserve the already existing fauna and flora on site. This includes the removal of invasive alien plant species, fostering pollinator pathways, and enhancing habitat zones – all contributing to the site’s long-term ecological resilience.

2. Biodiversity Spotlight: Germiston Hub

In 2023, we launched a biodiversity Hotspot at our Germiston Hub – an area that has been dedicated to the conservation and preservation of biodiversity within a heavy industrial area. Species monitoring, guided by biodiversity champions on-site, help identify numerous indigenous plants and animal species, reinforcing the idea that even high-traffic operational areas can support biodiversity when managed responsibly. The Germiston work forms part of our broader commitment to integrate conservation thinking across all Interwaste sites, not just in protected zones.

3. Depollution & Regeneration in Action

At our Leachate & Effluent Treatment Plant in Delmas, we cleanse and recycle millions of litres of industrial wastewater each month. That water is repurposed, not lost – supporting local ecosystems and preventing contaminants from reaching rivers and wetlands.

4. Circular Resource Practices

Every day, we convert non-recyclable waste into Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) and alternative liquid fuels – showing how “waste” becomes opportunity. These energy solutions help reduce reliance on fossil fuels and support regional industries, proving that a circular economy isn’t just a concept – it’s real action.

How You Can Join the Journey

Whether you’re a student, teacher, business owner, or retiree, each of us can contribute:

Connect Locally: Visit a SANBI garden, walk nature trails, attend guided events – spend time where nature thrives.
Volunteer with Purpose: Join WWF or SANBI programmes – from coastal clean-ups to citizen-science plant monitoring.
Model Circular Living: Swap disposable items, start composting, and support products made through eco-conscious practices.
Stay Curious: Learn about the rare fynbos of Western Cape, the Knysna Forest elephants, or the wetlands at iSimangaliso. Share stories and spark change.
Champion Biodiversity: Ask local councils and employers to follow habitat-friendly practices and circular resource use – vote with your voice, your wallet, your time.

When we plant native shrubs at Klinkerstene, when we treat leachate water at Delmas, when we visit SANBI gardens or join WWF cleanups, we are doing more than checking a box. We are building community. We are connecting with something greater than ourselves. Today, on World Nature Conservation Day, let’s commit to that connection – not because it’s convenient, but because it’s essential.

From the water that sustains us, to the air we breathe, to the ecosystems that balance our world: it all begins with action. Interwaste is proud to walk this path – with you, with SANBI, with WWF, with South Africa.

Let’s protect what we love, together.

Waste to Energy: Sustainable Solution for SA’s Energy & Waste Crisis!

wont.socialise@gmail.com — Sun, 05 May 2024 11:56:29 +0000

The significance of alternative waste treatment technologies

South Africans have enjoyed some relief from power cuts in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the last quarter of 2023, but the harsh reality is that we still have an energy challenge that need to be solved.

Further to this, South Africa also has a waste problem – with the country generating roughly 122 million tonnes of waste a year. However, these two challenges can actually work in tandem to each other to provide sustainable solutions to both problems, in the form of waste-to-energy plants.

Waste to energy plants, in simple terms are facilities that convert waste into electricity, heat or gas. These plants use various technologies, such as incineration, gasification, landfill gas recovery and generation or anaerobic digestion, to break down waste materials and generate energy. The benefit though, is that the process does not only reduce the volume of waste, but it also decreases the need for landfill space, while providing a renewable source of energy.

Infrastructure

While there are a variety of small scale plants already operating around the country, we still have a long way to go, if we want to address the power deficit we currently face, which is about 4000 – 6000 MW daily. This means of course, that currently, our demand exceeds supply.

However, the good news is that waste can provide us with a number of different solutions to help minimise our energy usage gap. Today, there are solutions like anaerobic digestion, which biogas producers use to convert organic wastes, as well as agricultural residues and wastewater into biogas, which can be used for transportation and heating or even electricity generation. The reason for this is that anaerobic digestion creates methane gas from the naturally occurring bacterial processes and this combustible gas can then be used to generate electricity. Landfill gas recovery is another process wherein methane produced from the anaerobic decomposition of organic waste in landfill is captured by a gas pipe network built into waste body of the landfill, collected and processed to generate electricity or heat.

Interwaste itself owns South Africa’s first Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) plant – which converts various types of waste into alternative fuels, reducing dependence on coal and other carbon-intensive fossil fuels in general, industrial, and municipal sectors. So again, you can see the potential, not merely for investors and stakeholders, but of the benefit of the whole community as we examine ways in which to combat waste, but importantly, find solutions to our energy challenges – solutions that are sustainable.

Policies

As the market for waste-to-energy solutions grows, we believe that further relevant legislation and standards will be implemented, which will encourage the private sector, as well as municipalities, to make the necessary adjustments in order to ensure compliance – through their waste usage and drive more responsible energy sources for our country.

We can see the start of the evolution already. In fact, in 2022, the Western Cape imposed 50% organic waste to landfill bans, with a plan to impose a 100% ban by 2027. In the same vein , the City of Joburg has also invested more than R200-million in developing the Landfill Gas to Energy Clean Development Mechanism Project which uses gas turbines to drill out methane gas – caused by the degradation of bio-organic compounds at its landfill sites – all to generate renewable energy for the municipal grid.

The future

So, how do we continue to build on this great work?

A complete shift is now required towards creating a circular economy which designs waste out of the value chain and prioritises the re-use and recycling of waste generated as a secondary resource. It may be a tough ask, but with collaboration, planning, and accountability from both the public and private sectors, it can be done. There is an urgent need for increased collaboration between industry and government. If we want to maximise the potential of waste to energy at a local level, we must prioritise education, awareness, investment in waste innovation, and the development of supportive policies and infrastructure.

Further to this, we also need behavioural changes in our own, households. For example, instead of throwing food away, use it to make compost. However, if this does not appeal to you, then look to food waste solution providers who can collect your food waste – at households, schools, and even shipping centres – and they will compost this food waste in a safe and reliable manner. We all have to start being responsible and adopting a ‘nothing wasted’ mindset, if we truly want to impact the health of our planet.

Waste-to-Energy An Innovative Solution to South Africa’s Energy Crisis

wont.socialise@gmail.com — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 13:11:06 +0000

Independent energy analyst Pieter Jordaan’s latest findings reveal a dire situation that is surpassing even the darkest predictions. The nation has already experienced a staggering amount of load shedding, surpassing the entirety of 2022 in just a matter of months and currently on track to double the amount of time spent without power. The statistics are truly shocking, with load shedding occurring on almost every single day this year, accumulating to 239 days of national loadshedding so far (as of the 29^th of September 2023). In terms of actual blackout hours experienced, the situation is even worse, with South Africans enduring significantly longer periods without electricity. The data paints a grim picture, indicating that the country has been left in the dark for equivalent of 57 full days without electricity, with an expectation for South Africans to incur another 27 full days by the time we reach 2024.

While renewable energy projects have received significant attention, there is one solution that is often overlooked – waste-to-energy. By harnessing the potential of waste, South Africa can not only address its energy challenges but also tackle its waste management issues and move towards a more sustainable future.

The Circular Economy and Waste-to-Energy:

The concept of the circular economy offers a way to achieve inclusive economic growth while reducing environmental impact. Waste-to-energy solutions align perfectly with this model by repurposing waste materials and transforming them into a valuable energy source. By adopting waste-to-energy technologies, South Africa can optimize its waste streams, minimize energy and raw material consumption, and generate revenue from what was previously considered waste.

South Africa generates approximately 122 million tons of waste annually, most of which ends up in landfills. However, this waste holds significant value, estimated at around R17 billion per year, which could be utilized as secondary resources within the economy. By diverting waste from landfills and converting it into energy, South Africa can unlock the economic potential of its waste while reducing environmental harm.

Waste-to-Energy Technologies:

Several waste-to-energy processes can be implemented to convert different types of waste into energy. Thermal destruction technologies, such as gasification and pyrolysis, recover energy in the form of gas or steam, generating power from municipal waste, biomass, rubber, tires, and certain plastics. Additionally, biological waste-to-energy solutions like biogas and anaerobic digestion plants can generate energy from organic waste such as food, agricultural waste, and sewage. Physical solutions involve converting liquid, solid, or sludge waste into refuse-derived fuel (RDF), which can replace conventional fuels like coal.

The Benefits and Challenges:

Waste-to-energy solutions offer a consistent base load of energy, operating 24/7 and reducing environmental impacts and waste disposal costs. Unlike wind and solar energy, waste-to-energy plants provide a reliable and continuous source of power. However, the success of waste-to-energy projects depends on factors such as the quality and consistency of the waste feedstock, technology selection and investment, revenue potential, and regulatory frameworks. Collaboration among government, industry, and technology providers is crucial to overcoming these challenges and unlocking the full potential of waste-to-energy in South Africa.

Waste-to-energy is one of the clear-cut solutions being pursued. At Interwaste, we have successfully pioneered Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) in South Africa, creating a fuel source comparable to A-grade coal from non-recyclable industrial waste. This alternative fuel can be used in power, steam, and heat generation. Similarly, property owners are implementing green and energy-efficient building practices, while the supply chain industry focuses on reducing its carbon footprint.

As South Africans continue to grapple with an ever-worsening energy crisis, it is imperative to explore alternative solutions that can address not only the shortage of power but also the mounting waste crisis.

Waste-to-energy systems have proven successful in various parts of the world, offering a sustainable and efficient approach to tackling two critical challenges simultaneously. By diverting waste from landfills, we can reduce environmental pollution and methane emissions, while also producing a reliable source of clean energy. The integration of waste-to-energy initiatives into South Africa’s energy infrastructure could pave the way for a more sustainable future, providing a viable solution to the country’s energy and waste crises.

By embracing waste-to-energy technology, South Africa can not only overcome its energy deficit but also pave the way towards a cleaner, more sustainable future for generations to come. It’s time to seize this opportunity and turn waste into a valuable resource, benefiting both our energy needs and the environment we call home.