Page 25 - EngineerIT December 2021

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

The circular economy is recognised as a

new source of growth for South Africa

he circular economy is recognised as a new source of growth for South Africa, create more sustainable, liveable cities;
together with other game-changing developments such as the fourth industrial improve economic development through
Trevolution. This is outlined in the White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation. efficient mobility systems; and decouple
Dr Henry Roman, Director for Environmental Services and Technologies at the Department of economic development from the demands
Science and Innovation said “The circular economy is recognised as a new source of growth placed on our energy and water systems,
for South Africa, together with other game-changing developments such as the fourth which are already under considerable
industrial revolution”. strain in South Africa.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has launched early findings of The South African government
its ‘Science, Technology and Innovation for a Circular Economy’ (STI4CE) Project. The report recognises the benefits that a transition
highlights findings on what a more circular economy could mean for South Africa in terms of to a more circular economy could provide
much-needed social, economic and environmental opportunities. the country. Speaking after the launch
Releasing an introductory note and seven short thought pieces, the CSIR aims to inform of the STI4CE Circular Economy Project
public and private sector responses on where immediate circular economy opportunities are on 23 November 2021, Dr Henry Roman
achievable within the mining, agriculture and manufacturing sectors for human settlements said a circular economy would create
and mobility, and cross-cutting issues – energy and water. economic opportunities as new services
South Africa has a very linear, resource-extractive-based economy, with large and business models emerge, transforming
throughputs of resources, predominantly inland extraction and manufacturing of goods; the relationship between producer and
export of resources for further international beneficiation; little resource ‘investment’ in consumer and products and their users.
local stocks; and even smaller resource returns into the economy. This places the country at The circular economy has largely been
risk in terms of resource depletion or overexploitation, with the potential to directly disrupt misinterpreted as a waste issue, often
the South African economy. At the same time, there is growing demand by industrialised used interchangeably with waste recycling.
countries to have access to finite resources. “The circular economy is about so much
The CSIR study shows that transitioning to a more circular economy has the potential to more than waste management,” noted
create value across all sectors of the economy – opportunities to decouple development from Prof. Linda Godfrey, principal scientist
resource consumption and, in so doing, improve the local and global competitiveness of the at the CSIR, and manager of the STI4CE
South African manufacturing sector; improve food security through regenerative agriculture; Project. “The circular economy is about

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