JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – Small businesses can be set up to profit from tyre waste, was the message heard at the Green Business Platform (GBP) meeting held at the Thaba Eco Hotel on Friday, July 3.
Keynote speaker and director of the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (REDISA), Stacey Davidson, enlightened attendees on how they can assist tyre manufacturers and importers to take responsibility for their waste and how tyre waste can create gainful employment.
“We drive a circular economy within the tyre industry. We’re not recyclers, Redisa does not participate in any of the business opportunities we create, we focus on economic development,” explained Davidson.
Redisa monitors the flow of waste across value chains and checks the balance with what has been manufactured. “The conventional means of growing the economy are flawed,” said Davidson, adding that there’s value in every stage of waste management. “The success of the concept and principles allowed us to be the first integrated waste management plan to be approved by the Department of Environmental Affairs.”
The business model opens the door for business opportunities to be accessed when tyres are collected in return for money. In turn, these small businesses contribute to economic development and can create further employment and deal with the dire waste issue that currently plagues South Africa.
Product consumers also have a part to play by how they deal with waste. Davidson advices consumers to change their consumption patterns and the products that they buy. Consumers should be armed with the knowledge of manufacturers who produce responsibly and whose processes are environmentally friendly. Every product should have a fee paid that ensures that it is recycled or disposed of in a manner which is not detrimental to the environment.
Redisa believes that it is the responsibility of each citizen to ensure a healthier and safer environment for future generations to enjoy.
