R290m EL recycling factory a world first
Plastic waste plant to showcase 10-year study developed by a multinational team
AR290-MILLION factory under construction in Buffalo City Metro will turn plastic waste gathered locally into industrial solvents such as oils and waxes.
Expected to be completed by the second half of this year, it will create 50 direct jobs for those “highly skilled” in mechanics and chemical engineering, as well as a number of indirect jobs through sub-contractors involved in the plastic waste supply chain.
The factory, which will recycle about 80 tons of plastic waste each month, will be the first to globally showcase methodology which has been developed over the past decade by a multinational team at a pilot plant in Poland.
Clariter South Africa managing director Vuyo Sikwebu said: “Today, millions of tons of post-consumer used plastics are constantly accumulating with less than one third being recovered or recycled.
“The recent changes in Europe and Asia, where import of plastic waste has been banned, puts an even larger pressure on South Africa to rid itself of its plastic waste,” Sikwebu said.
“This excess supply of waste is undoubtedly a serious environmental hazard.
“The challenge is to find new and creative means to minimise the abuse of our natural resources.
“At Clariter . . . we use exclusive patented upcycling technology to turn mountains of plastic waste into a financially viable business which produces clean, high-demand oils, solvents and waxes,” she said, adding that “we will create about 50 direct jobs which will mainly be highly skilled mechanical and chemical engineering skills”.
“Clariter has a talent search programme where, as an ongoing exercise, we are looking for local skills in the plastics and petrochemical industries.
“We therefore seek to encourage graduates and experienced personnel in these sectors to make contact with us,” she said.
Sikwebu explained that the factory would recycle about 80 tons of “post-consumer plastic waste” on a monthly basis, which would be obtained from the municipality, adding that this would be collected from a number of local recyclers and collection initiatives.
The new plant, located at the EL Industrial Development Zone, is a joint venture between Clariter and the Industrial Development Corporation.
“Our process comprises three major stages: thermo-cracking of plastic into liquid hydrocarbons, multistage refining to remove impurities, and distillation of refined fractions.
“Our liquids are not fuel but advanced oil, waxes and solvents.
“We will produce three types of products: high quality oils, waxes and solvents.
“These products are used in hundreds of applications in a number of industries like candles, textiles, wood, mining, cleaning, automotive and others,” she said.
“For those who rely on oil, it is crucial that substitutes and derivatives are found.
“Moreover, natural resources of crude oil are limited and oil excavation becomes more and more expensive. Disruptive technologies such as Clariter’s, which improve crude oil utilisation, are in great demand,” she added.
“It is also important to build factories like Clariter’s because they are [an environmental solution] to reduce the size of waste going to the landfills, where plastic waste pollution is the biggest and longestterm inconvenience.”
Sikwebu said Clariter hoped to have a positive impact on the local community through local job creation, monthly eradication of tons of plastic waste from the municipality, educational programmes such as teaching young people about recycling, and transferring plastic technology skills in chemicals studies at local universities.
“We also have a Small Medium Enterprise development programme to [uplift] local small industries through transferral of skills and assistance in creation of business opportunities,” she said.
We will create about 50 direct jobs which will mainly be highly skilled mechanical and chemical engineering skills . . . We encourage graduates and experienced personnel in these sectors to make contact with us