Finding gold in solid waste requires consolidation, sorting and bulk
Consolidating the solid waste of five towns to turn this into a sustainable enterprise, is an ambitious project initiated by the Otjozondjupa Governer but the project was hampered by the lack of a functional office.
Called the Otjozondjupa Sustainable Waste Management Forum, it was founded on the potential of reclaiming recyclable material from the waste collected by the municipalities in Grootfontein, Otavi, Otjiwarongo, Okakarara and Okahandja. When this waste is sorted and consolidated, it can be sold for recycling, generating a profit for the Regional Council from a source which otherwise would only have been discarded.
However, margins in recycling are very thin hence bulk is the norm to make it profitable. For this reason, the Waste Management Forum realised it was necessary to consolidate the solid waste from five town to make the project successful.
The project is run from the governor’s office in Otjiwarongo. To date it was run on an ad hoc basis, but the volumes of waste that can potentially be processed, required a dedicated office.
The Forum’s ultimate targets came a step closer last week when B2 Gold, the Canadian gold mining company that owns and operatates the Otjikoto Gold Mine in the Otjiwarongo district, provided the Waste Management Forum’s office with an extensive selection of office equipment and consumables.
The stationery included boxes of A4 office paper, note pads, a printer and a projector, key items to set-up a fully functional office. It was received by the Head of the Waste Management Forum Lydia Kazapua on behalf of the Otjozondjupa Governor.
The donation was presented by B2Gold Public Relations Coordinator, Kaanduka Nghipandulwa and the mine’s Office Administrator, Phillipa Engelbrecht.
Kazapua said “we appreciate this donation as it will see to the actualisation of an initiative that will make Otjozondjupa not only a great region but also a clean one” adding that this is the first year of operations for the forum. “B2Gold Namibia has already done much to ensure its sustainability and functionality” she said.
