Conserving natural resources and mitigating impacts
Managing our waste

Our approach to waste management across the Group seeks, as a minimum, to ensure compliance with the emerging legislative requirements relating to waste. During the year many of the pending regulations in South Africa were finalised and published by the South African Department of Environmental Affairs; these included regulations on waste classification and management, landfill disposal, landfill assessment, and an updated list of all waste licensing activities. Norms and standards on the remediation of contaminated land and the storage of waste were also published. The most significant implications for Implats are associated with the National Environmental Management Waste Amendment Act and the National Environmental Laws Amendment Act. These stipulate that mine residue deposits and stockpiles in future will also be governed by the Waste Act and be subject to all licensing requirements, as well as the stated regulations and standards. This will place additional administrative demands on mining companies, and present potentially significant costs. Clarifying and understanding the discrepancies between the newly imposed requirements under the Waste Act, and the current regulations under the MPRDA, will remain a focus for Implats in the coming year.

During the reporting period both Marula and Refineries submitted applications for waste licences for their waste management activities and the outcomes are still pending.

The hazardous waste situation remains challenging in Zimbabwe, with no facilities in line with South African or international best practices being available. The Refineries team is investigating the export of jarosite to China as an option to divert waste from landfill. All legal requirements in terms of the Basel Convention are being assessed. All operations continue to investigate reuse and recycling opportunities.

The Group's recycling rate for 2014 was 69.1% versus 67.9% in 2013. A large portion of the waste from Rustenburg and Refineries is treated; although treatment is regarded as a better waste management solution than disposal, technically it is not considered a ‘recycling' method. Implats continuously evaluates waste management by scrutinising current trends compared against best practice and legislative requirements. Adjustments are made where necessary. Our activities for the coming year centre on clarifying the expectations of emerging regulatory developments and ensuring we meet requirements.