Plastics-to-oil conversion plant opened in Cape Town

The plant is a joint venture by the City of Cape Town and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), kicking off a six-month pilot project that will provide invaluable insights into the potential for creating fuel from plastic waste diverted from landfill sites.

This was made possible by the donation of $1m from the Japanese government and the pyrolysis plant technology developed and supplied by the CFP Corporation and Kanemiya Co., Ltd.

Japan is a world leader in waste minimisation and applying their technology in a South African context aligns with the city's commitment to a future that is more energy secure, resource-efficient, and resilient to the impact of climate change.

Three types of plastic

By using the existing structures in the form of its Think Twice recycling collection initiative, the city, together with technical assistance from the Japanese engineers, built on available resources to support the functioning of the plant. After harvesting the three types of plastic (polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene) from the stream processed at the KIWMF, these materials (which come in the form of all manner of plastic packaging) are brought to the processing plant where they are then washed, shredded, heated and converted to oil.

The yield of 500kg of plastic materials per day works out to approximately 500 litres of fuel. These yields will be assessed by specialised technicians on site to determine the quality and quantity of fuel being produced in different combinations and ratios of the three types of plastic. Ultimately, the aim is to test the best combinations to yield the highest quality.

Approximately 70% of fuel produced by the pilot plant will be channelled back into the running of the plant, powering the 150 kilowatt generator on site. The rest could be used to power any other machinery that runs on diesel if the oil is of a good quality.

Step towards progress

"The agreement signed between JICA, the CFP Corporation and the City of Cape Town in 2014 is an exciting step towards progress. Through partnership, we are able to explore possibilities and share ideas. We are not just united by the challenges we face, but are partners in finding the solutions," said the city's Mayoral Committee Member for Utility Services, Ernest Sonnenberg.

While the City of Cape Town is a leader in the country in terms of waste minimisation, there is still a long road ahead. The amount of waste plastic is increasing as one of the major waste materials in South Africa, at a rate of 6%. Meanwhile, the city's recycling rate is still low at 16%, and the bulk of the waste is sent to landfill sites.