"The local recycling of juice and milk cartons, produced by packaging company Tetra Pak South Africa, has created 18 jobs and removed the need to ship the recovered cartons to India for recycling, says Tetra Pak South Africa environmental manager Rodney Reynders.
The company signed an agreement with Germiston-based Gayatri Paper Mills, which is a part of the packaging and labelling supplier Golden Era Group, to use hydropulping technology to recycle the cartons and use the fibre to produce board for secondary packaging.
"What we have done with the paper mill has created 18 sustainable, local jobs at a single mill. Before the agreement, we were exporting our recovered cartons to India for recycling. We were exporting valuable fibre instead of reusing it locally,” he says." Engineering News
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Kenya approves law to allow GM crops
"Kenya has become the fourth country in Africa to open up to genetically modified (GM) crops after approving laws to allow their production and importation.
East Africa's leading economy follows South Africa, a leader in the continent on biotechnology and a major exporter of GM maize, as well as Egypt and Burkina Faso, but it faces growing resistance from lobbyists against the move.
In a Legal Notice dated June 22, acting Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Hellen Sambili said the laws would come into effect on July 1, ending restrictions on GM maize and other various products in the country." Engineering News
East Africa's leading economy follows South Africa, a leader in the continent on biotechnology and a major exporter of GM maize, as well as Egypt and Burkina Faso, but it faces growing resistance from lobbyists against the move.
In a Legal Notice dated June 22, acting Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Hellen Sambili said the laws would come into effect on July 1, ending restrictions on GM maize and other various products in the country." Engineering News
Delayed Joule project seeks R9bn to produce market-ready vehicle
"Optimal Energy is seeking around R9-billion to commercialise its home-grown Joule electric vehicle (EV). This includes developing the final product, and securing a local production facility, says CEO Kobus Meiring.
“We are getting there – slowly, but surely,” he notes.
Meiring says it was vital for the Joule project to remain on government’s books, so to speak, when its industrial policy action plan was fine-tuned recently." Engineering News
“We are getting there – slowly, but surely,” he notes.
Meiring says it was vital for the Joule project to remain on government’s books, so to speak, when its industrial policy action plan was fine-tuned recently." Engineering News
NEWS SNIPPETS - CLIMATE CHANGE
Negotiators should resolve political issues ahead of Durban climate talks - Engineering News
Africa to launch own fund to manage climate cash - Engineering News
Africa to launch own fund to manage climate cash - Engineering News
NEWS SNIPPETS - RENEWABLE ENERGY
R100bn investment needed to meet SA’s renewable energy aspirations - Engineering News
Renewables tender should be issued next week - DoE - Engineering News
R2bn E Cape wind project passes key enviro, community milestones - Engineering News
Photovoltaic projects being rolled out despite Refit uncertainty - Engineering News
90 renewables firms call for 'frank' dialogue to end procurement uncertainties - Engineering News
Nersa set to concur with DoE on renewables bid process, but raises questions - Engineering News
Govt confirms inclusion of price competition in first renewables round - Engineering News
Renewables tender should be issued next week - DoE - Engineering News
R2bn E Cape wind project passes key enviro, community milestones - Engineering News
Photovoltaic projects being rolled out despite Refit uncertainty - Engineering News
90 renewables firms call for 'frank' dialogue to end procurement uncertainties - Engineering News
Nersa set to concur with DoE on renewables bid process, but raises questions - Engineering News
Govt confirms inclusion of price competition in first renewables round - Engineering News
NEWS SNIPPETS - SOLAR WATER HEATERS / GREEN BUILDING
Western Cape mulling policy changes to promote use of solar water heaters - Engineering News
New Aurecon office achieves SA’s first 5-star green building rating - Engineering News
Solar water heaters to help improve healthcare in Qunu - Engineering News
New Aurecon office achieves SA’s first 5-star green building rating - Engineering News
Solar water heaters to help improve healthcare in Qunu - Engineering News
NEWS SNIPPETS - WASTE MANAGEMENT / NUCLEAR CLEAN-UP / EMISSIONS
UN atomic watchdog head lauds Fukushima cleanup - Engineering News
Waste offenders face stiff penalties, but enforcement capacity questioned - Engineering News
SA wants Fukushima lessons integrated into nuclear plan, as IEA warns on emissions - Engineering News
Underground coal gasification has key role to play in Southern Africa - Engineering News
Waste offenders face stiff penalties, but enforcement capacity questioned - Engineering News
SA wants Fukushima lessons integrated into nuclear plan, as IEA warns on emissions - Engineering News
Underground coal gasification has key role to play in Southern Africa - Engineering News
NEWS SNIPPETS - ELECTRICITY CONSERVATION / ENERGY EFFICIENCY
SAB has cut power use by 17% since 2008 crisis - Engineering News
SA could see its first hybrid power station after Kusile - Engineering News
New energy efficient data centre could save Vodacom R1m a year - Engineering News
MTN ‘greening’ initiatives cut head office power usage by 37% - Engineering News
Public Works reviewing draft green building framework - Engineering News
SA could see its first hybrid power station after Kusile - Engineering News
New energy efficient data centre could save Vodacom R1m a year - Engineering News
MTN ‘greening’ initiatives cut head office power usage by 37% - Engineering News
Public Works reviewing draft green building framework - Engineering News
Friday, July 29, 2011
UN sees small-scale farming as future
" Governments must strive to make a major shift towards small-scale farming if endemic food crises are to be overcome and the production boosted to support the global population, according to the UN.
In its annual World Economic and Social Survey, released yesterday, the UN said a transformation from large-scale and intensive systems of agriculture was vital if growing environmental and land degradation was to be avoided.
The food crisis of 2007/8 and a price spike this year “have revealed deep structural problems in the global food system and the need to increase resources and innovation in agriculture as to accelerate food production”, it said.
Food production would have to increase by between 70 percent and 100 percent by 2050 to sustain a world population that would have grown by 35 percent from the present 6.9 billion to around 9 billion by that time.
“With current agricultural technology, practices and land use patterns, this cannot be achieved without further contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution and land degradation,” the UN said.
In its turn, the resulting environmental degradation would undermine any growth in food productivity.
Of the 925 million people – nearly a seventh of the population – who are undernourished, 98 percent live in developing countries.
The survey said that achieving food security would provide a long-term solution to hunger and malnutrition, easing price volatility and protecting the environment.
“The main challenge is to improve incentives so that they promote and lead to the development of sustainable agriculture by small farm holders,” the survey said.
“Evidence has shown that for most crops the optimal farm is small in scale and that it is at this level that most gain in terms of both sustainable productivity increases and rural poverty reduction can be achieved.” –Reuters "
Cape Times July 2011
Robert Evans
Geneva
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Local guide being developed for ‘green leasing’
"Research by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) and the South African Property Owners Association (Sapoa) has shown that South African tenants and landlords are starting to request “green leases”.
To this end, a working group of members from the GBCSA and Sapoa has been established to jointly develop a guide to green leasing.
A green lease, explains GBCSA executive chairperson Bruce Kerswill, lays out certain contractual lease obligations between a landlord and a tenant of a building, that require or encourage the adoption of environmentally friendly practices." Engineering News
To this end, a working group of members from the GBCSA and Sapoa has been established to jointly develop a guide to green leasing.
A green lease, explains GBCSA executive chairperson Bruce Kerswill, lays out certain contractual lease obligations between a landlord and a tenant of a building, that require or encourage the adoption of environmentally friendly practices." Engineering News
Greenpeace protestors dump 5 t of coal outside Eskom head office
"Nongovernmental organisation (NGO) Greenpeace has staged a demonstration dumping five tons of coal on the doorstep of power utility Eskom’s head office, Megawatt Park, in Johannesburg.
The NGO demanded that Eskom “clean up its act” and stop the construction of the Kusile coal-fired power station near Delmas in Mpumalanga.
“Eskom should end its addiction to coal and shift massive investments to large-scale renewable energy projects,” said the organisation." Engineering News
The NGO demanded that Eskom “clean up its act” and stop the construction of the Kusile coal-fired power station near Delmas in Mpumalanga.
“Eskom should end its addiction to coal and shift massive investments to large-scale renewable energy projects,” said the organisation." Engineering News
News snippets
€50m IFC investment to support SMEs, energy efficiency projects - Engineering News
Joburg CBD safe from acid mine water – study - Engineering News
Developers call for sustainable form of renewable energy procurement - Engineering News "South African Wind Energy Association CEO Johan van den Berg said at a briefing in Johannesburg that price-competitive tender process could breach the trust on which potential wind developers have invested some R400-million, and could tarnish the country’s credibility.
He said that shifting away from the Refit programme could be illegal and that it would stall the renewable energy drive and stifle economic growth."
Drinking water quality improving, but wastewater still a concern - Engineering News
Logistical arrangements for COP17 meeting in Durban on track − Zuma - Engineering News
Push on to clear COP 17 hazards and set realistic Durban goals - Engineering News
Joburg CBD safe from acid mine water – study - Engineering News
Developers call for sustainable form of renewable energy procurement - Engineering News "South African Wind Energy Association CEO Johan van den Berg said at a briefing in Johannesburg that price-competitive tender process could breach the trust on which potential wind developers have invested some R400-million, and could tarnish the country’s credibility.
He said that shifting away from the Refit programme could be illegal and that it would stall the renewable energy drive and stifle economic growth."
Drinking water quality improving, but wastewater still a concern - Engineering News
Logistical arrangements for COP17 meeting in Durban on track − Zuma - Engineering News
Push on to clear COP 17 hazards and set realistic Durban goals - Engineering News
Eskom warns it will pass on full carbon tax effect to consumers
"South African power utility Eskom has warned that it will not be able to absorb the carbon tax proposed by the National Treasury in a recent discussion document, and that it will be forced to pass on the full cost to the consumer in the form of higher prices.
The utility, which burnt 124.7-million tons of coal and produced 230.3-million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the year to March 31, 2011, reports that it has submitted a “strong” response to government. The group is South Africa’s biggest emitter, producing about 1 t of CO2 for every megawatt hour of production.
The National Treasury has issued a discussion paper on a proposed tax and has indicate that it will seek to finalise its policy ahead of the 2012 Budget.
In the paper, government says it favours a direct tax on carbon emissions, which it says will “impose the lowest distortion” on the economy. In fact, the discussion document asserts that a tax of R75/t carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), increasing to around R200/t CO2e, “would be both feasible and appropriate to achieve the desired behavioural changes and emissions reduction targets”." Engineering News
The utility, which burnt 124.7-million tons of coal and produced 230.3-million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the year to March 31, 2011, reports that it has submitted a “strong” response to government. The group is South Africa’s biggest emitter, producing about 1 t of CO2 for every megawatt hour of production.
The National Treasury has issued a discussion paper on a proposed tax and has indicate that it will seek to finalise its policy ahead of the 2012 Budget.
In the paper, government says it favours a direct tax on carbon emissions, which it says will “impose the lowest distortion” on the economy. In fact, the discussion document asserts that a tax of R75/t carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), increasing to around R200/t CO2e, “would be both feasible and appropriate to achieve the desired behavioural changes and emissions reduction targets”." Engineering News
Northern Cape solar resources among the best in the world
"The 5 000 MW solar park, which government is planning to build near Upington in the sun-drenched Northern Cape, would have some of the best solar resources in the world, the Stellenbosch University said on Friday." Engineering News
News snippets
Europe seeks industrial scale aviation biofuel production by 2020 - Engineering News
Vodacom aims for top green building rating with R24m green innovation centre - Engineering News
Fresh concern that SA is poised to abandon Refit in favour of competitive bidding - Engineering News
Eskom to complete CSP design by 2013, commission plant in 2016 - Engineering News
Cloud of uncertainty still hanging over SA renewables sector - Engineering News
Transatlantic flight a historic step in the development of aviation biofuels - Engineering News - "Honeywell Green Jet Fuel can be produced from a number of crops and, to date, the company has manufactured more than 700 000 (US) gallons (some 2 653 000 l) of biofuels, from inedible feedstocks like algae, camelina and jatropha."
SA renewable sector could compete globally – European merchant bank - Engineering News
R225m for acid mine drainage not enough, Parliament hears - Engineering News - "The R225-million set aside to deal with acid mine drainage (AMD) would not be enough, and closer to R750-million would be needed to address the problem successfully, Johann Claassens from the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) said on Tuesday."
SA urges developed nations to extend Kyoto Protocol - Engineering News
Treasury sets aside R200m for hosting of climate change meeting - Engineering News
As 2011 rhino killings look set to reach 400, VW donates Amaroks to help stem tide - Engineering News
Vodacom aims for top green building rating with R24m green innovation centre - Engineering News
Fresh concern that SA is poised to abandon Refit in favour of competitive bidding - Engineering News
Eskom to complete CSP design by 2013, commission plant in 2016 - Engineering News
Cloud of uncertainty still hanging over SA renewables sector - Engineering News
Transatlantic flight a historic step in the development of aviation biofuels - Engineering News - "Honeywell Green Jet Fuel can be produced from a number of crops and, to date, the company has manufactured more than 700 000 (US) gallons (some 2 653 000 l) of biofuels, from inedible feedstocks like algae, camelina and jatropha."
SA renewable sector could compete globally – European merchant bank - Engineering News
R225m for acid mine drainage not enough, Parliament hears - Engineering News - "The R225-million set aside to deal with acid mine drainage (AMD) would not be enough, and closer to R750-million would be needed to address the problem successfully, Johann Claassens from the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) said on Tuesday."
SA urges developed nations to extend Kyoto Protocol - Engineering News
Treasury sets aside R200m for hosting of climate change meeting - Engineering News
As 2011 rhino killings look set to reach 400, VW donates Amaroks to help stem tide - Engineering News
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)