Author name: Nicole Felix

The essential piece of true eco-living: Closing the loop with composting

The idea of an “eco-estate” immediately leads us to picture sleek solar panels, indigenous green spaces, sustainable architecture, and sophisticated water recycling systems. These often aesthetically pleasing gated communities are designed to be beacons of sustainable living, existing in harmony with the surrounding environment. Yet, even in these green enclaves, a significant environmental responsibility often […]

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South Africa’s landfills are nearing capacity:why organic waste diversion must become standard practice

South Africa’s landfill network is nearing a point where capacity constraints and non-compliance are converging into a national issue. Many municipal landfill sites have only a few operational years remaining, and several metropolitan areas have already confirmed critically low airspace. Landfills are not as simple as they may appear on paper. They are engineered systems

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The hidden resource costs in food waste and how composting offsets this

Across farms, storage facilities and kitchens, food moves through many systems before reaching our plates. It requires water, soil nutrients, energy and labour at each stage. The journey involves irrigation in the field, washing, milling in processing facilities, refrigeration and transport in distribution networks. These steps can be resource-intensive. When food does not get eaten,

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How can different sectors eliminate organic waste from landfill

In South Africa, organic waste still accounts for more than 40% of material sent to landfill each year. This practice is both economically inefficient and environmentally damaging. By 2027, the ban on organic waste to landfill takes full effect. National government is likely to follow suit shortly after. Every business, whether in food, manufacturing, healthcare,

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World Food Day: How composting can safeguard our food systems

Food security begins with the soil that sustains life. When the structure and fertility of soil are weakened, entire food systems become fragile. Composting provides a biological correction to this imbalance. It rebuilds organic matter, improves the soil’s ability to retain water, and restores the microbial life that supports healthy crops. Organic waste plays a

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Understanding the difference between compost and fertiliser: why compost is a regenerative resource

Agriculture has long depended on the addition of nutrients to soil to maintain efficiency. Two of the most widely used soil amendments are fertiliser and compost. While both improve crop yields, they are fundamentally different in composition, function, and impact on ecological systems. Understanding these differences is critical for farmers, policymakers, and consumers who are

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Organic waste value chain in retail: why distribution centres should have take-back systems

Think about the total scale of food and organic material passing through retail facilities. While food loss and waste should be reduced, there are volumes of food waste that are inevitable, whether due to spoilage, damaged packaging, cold chain failure, or product sell-by dates. Yet, when we see this waste purely as a disposal requirement

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National Recycling Day: Rethinking the food and organic waste stream as a crucial resource

South Africa celebrates National Recycling Day on 21 September each year. The day is an important opportunity to reflect on how the country manages its waste and how ordinary people, communities, and businesses can contribute to more sustainable waste practices. Recycling is commonly associated with materials such as paper, glass, metal, and plastics. However, it

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Repurposing the organic material stream: composting, redistribution, and animal feed

The way the industry manages organic material has significant implications for food security, environmental sustainability, and economic efficiency. Globally, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that around 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year, while in South Africa, more than 10 million tonnes of food and organic waste end up in landfill

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Preparing for the 2027 organic waste landfill ban: tips for small and medium-sized companies

The upcoming 2027 organic waste landfill ban will have far-reaching implications for businesses of all sizes. For small and medium-sized enterprises in particular, the organic waste landfill ban calls for proactive preparation by finding alternative waste treatment (AWT) technology and methods for organic waste. While compliance is a legal requirement, this transition can also create

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