The Recycling Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (REDISA) is a first for the global tyre recycling industry.
Speaking at a REDISA Roadshow event in Johannesburg at the beginning of October, Hermann Erdmann, REDISA CEO, noted that, should nothing be done about the pollution epidemic, the world's economies could be reduced by as much as 20% by 2050.
With about 60 million waste tyres lying in stockpiles countrywide, REDISA, supported by the Department of Environmental Affairs and undertaken in partnership with local industry, is looking to promote tyre recycling by providing a smart collection and depot infrastructure to collect waste tyres nationwide and deliver them to approved recyclers.
According to the non-profit organisation, in order for the initiative to be successful, REDISA has used various tools to gather information and data and aims to create a comprehensive database of waste tyres. This is managed via REDISA's registration and subscriber management system, called rFiling. The system collates information from dealers and importers, which is then analysed and recorded so that the initiative can efficiently monitor the collection and recycling process.
In order to find the most environmentally friendly recycling methods, REDISA has partnered with Stellenbosch University to establish research and development (R&D) initiatives that will be undertaken by the university for at least four years. Part of the tyre levy, or waste management fee, which forms part of the REDISA plan, is allocated towards R&D around the tyre recycling process, ensuring it is designed specifically for South African conditions.
Much of the research work at the university will focus on developing technologies for valorisation of waste tyres, with the aim to create new commercial opportunities. REDISA is also working with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) to establish the largest tyre testing facility in the southern hemisphere.
REDISA has opted to reach out to the public via social networks like Twitter, Facebook and Mxit.
Looking to encourage community engagement, the tyre recycling NGO is calling on the public to get involved via a photography competition that requires them to take pictures of tyre dump sites in their areas, with prizes up for grabs.
While the initiative seems to be a good one, the general sentiment among the tyre distributors who are actually paying the tyre levy to fund the programme is far from positive, as the promised tyre collection channels and functional recycling facilities have yet to be set up.
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