South Africa: Composting waste material for community gardens

Turning food waste into compost

Food-grade waste that was once sent to landfill is now helping fertilise vegetables that provide an income for poor communities in South Africa.

Under project Triple R, Unilever Foods factories in Pietermaritzburg and Durban (Avenue East and Fountain Park) send all their waste food material to municipal composting facilities. Triple R (reduce, reuse, recycle) was launched in 2005 as a collaborative project between Unilever's Safety Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC) and Unilever companies in the Africa, Middle East & Turkey (AMET) region. The project uses best practice to reduce the amount of waste factories send to landfill.

Unilever's factory in Pietermaritzburg first started composting waste tea dust and tea bag paper after sharing good practice with the UK's Trafford Park factory. Initial trials proved successful and Avenue East and Fountain Park soon became involved. Waste from Pietermaritzburg is combined with dry savoury powers - used in Knorr seasoning and boullion products – from Avenue East, spices from Fountain Park, and other composting materials such as grass, plant cuttings and manure.

Between 2004 and 2006, Pietermaritzburg and Avenue East halved the amount of food waste sent to landfill, cutting waste disposal costs by a third.

Helping local communities

The compost is used by community initiatives, such as the Buhlebemvelo Community Garden Forum. This is a non-profit organisation that fights poverty in disadvantaged communities. Local people can grow vegetables in the community garden and sell the produce. This provides a means of support for many who would not otherwise be in a position to provide for themselves.

The composting process at Buhlebemvelo Community Garden

Step 1 Mixed waste tea dust, tea bag paper, spices and dry savoury powders are transported to municipal composting facilities.
Step 2 The mixed tea dust, tea bag paper, spices and dry savoury powders are combined with other composting materials.
Step 3 Regular watering keeps the mixture moist.
Step 4 The matured compost is nutrient rich.
Step 5 The compost is supplied to 56 community gardens.
Step 6 The vegetables feed local communities and provide a source of income for people like Thabi (above).