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The City has initiated a major project to upgrade Athlone Refuse Transfer Station (ARTS) to increase the diversion of waste from landfill. Currently, the project is at the concept/design stage. Construction is estimated to begin in the 2024/25 financial year barring unforeseen delays, and is estimated to be completed by 2026/27. Read more below: 

The City of Cape Town’s work to reduce the volume of waste that ends up in landfill and delay the establishment of new landfills, is gathering pace with the implementation of the 2022 Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP). 

The latest IWMP for the City includes commitments to implement aggressive waste minimisation and diversion strategies that strive to meet the following targets, as mandated by the Western Cape Government: 

● 40% waste diverted from landfill by 2025; 

● 55% waste diverted from landfill by 2030; 

● >70% waste diverted from landfill by 2035. 

In conjunction with promoting recycling, composting and other household-level waste minimisation strategies, the City is planning the construction of an integrated waste management facility and organic waste diversion infrastructure at ARTS.  Refuse transfer stations such as ARTS temporarily store waste before it is transported to landfills further afield, and help to minimise the driving distance for collection vehicles. 

The planned construction of an integrated waste management facility as part of the upgrade at ARTS will allow for the ThinkTwice recycling collection service to be expanded to new areas over time. The recycling collection service currently covers only a small portion of the City due to lack of sorting facilities. 

In addition to the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), the engineering design team is also considering whether the Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) is a viable option for the site to treat organic waste and diverting from landfill. The Western Cape Government and the City are also working towards 50% of organic waste diverted from landfill by 2022, and 100% by 2027. MBT is a technique that has been developed to turn organic waste into fuel with compost as a by-product, however it is not yet clear if this is feasible to implement as part of the ARTS upgrade. Feasibility studies are planned to explore this option further before the design for the upgraded site is finalised. 

‘Planned work towards ambitious waste minimisation targets shows that the City is serious about rethinking our relationship with waste and transitioning towards a greener and more sustainable future. Residents can assist by making good use of the recycling services on offer (be it door-to-door collection or drop-off sites), as well as shopping more consciously to avoid potential waste,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Alderman Grant Twigg. 

Issued by Media Office, City of Cape Town