On 18 March the Organics Recycling Association of South Africa (ORASA) held its official launch event at Hotel Verde in Cape Town.
YWaste’s Emile Fourie MC’d in front of a full house. ORASA’s launch is certainly timely. With organic waste to landfill bans fast approaching in the Western Cape, the need for collaboration and momentum in the sector is urgent.
ORASA is intent on steering a new path for organics in South Africa. A path in which organics are recognized as a resource, not waste. Through effectively recycling, organic materials can enrich soils, create feed and energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste.
Emile invited Dawie Meiring, Hotel Verde’s Systems and Sustainability Manager, to the stage first. Dawie spoke about Hotel Verde’s extremely successful waste reduction journey. He was followed by Saliem Fakir, head of the WWF Policy and Futures unit. Saliem presented a holistic vision, outlining the connectivity of the natural world, and the potential for organic recycling to have positive impacts on multiple sectors, including agriculture, health and waste management.
ORASA’s chair, Melanie Ludwig ended the presentations with an outline of ORASA’s mission and vision. She highlighted its inclusive approach and the capacity for organic recycling to transform our current dead-end waste management system while creating environmental benefits.
ORASA represents the full spectrum of the organics recycling industry. This includes companies supplying bins for source separation of waste, like Postwink, compostable food packaging, like GREEN HOME, and a range of organic waste solutions, including various composting techniques, fly farming and waste-to-energy.
Text: Cassandra Gamble (GREEN HOME Environmental Research Ambassador and ORASA founder member)
Image credit: Kirsty Cook (GREEN HOME Marketing Assistant)