muna lakhani - is a world without waste possible?clean world conference 2013
DESCRIPTION
The presentation of the Muna Lakhani during Clean World Conference 2013 in Estonia, 2nd February 2013TRANSCRIPT
Is a World without Waste Possible?
Muna LakhaniInstitute for Zero Waste in Africa
www.izwa.org.za
WELCOME
Population?
Pollution ?
Capitalism?
Morality & Ethics ?
Lack of food ?
Poverty ?
Other ?
The world as we are told…
Actual Physical World
World Population
Consumption World
Who makes waste?
• Over consumption by the rich
My home town – rich generate 13 times more waste than the poor
51% of GHG from meat production (Worldwatch Institute)
40% of US GHG – products and packaging (EPA & PPI)
Business and Industry
• Poor design of products and processes• Profit at all costs mentality• Eternal growth• Volume (scale, not scope) industrial
development• Export or degrade our environment
and health
Government
• Gives permits to pollute• Charges wasters LESS• Battling to drag themselves out of
dinosauric thinking• Believe in an export led and
unsustainable development paths• Subsidise and invest in the wrong
(unsustainable) technologies, such as “waste to energy”
Why Re-design Products?
You see this list:
Antioxidants TBHQ and BHA;
Niacinamide, Electrolytic Iron, Zinc Oxide,
Pyrodioxide, Thiamin mononitrate,
Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin A
palmitate, calcium carbonate, Calcium
propionate, sodium diacetate, calcium
acetate.
What do you think this product is?
Answer:
Brown Bread !
Which product contains the following:
•Propylene glycol, •Sodium laureth / Lauryl Sulfate•Cocamide mea •DMDM hydantoin •Benzoic acid •Methyl / propyl paraben
Why Re-design Products?
Neurotoxin; cause dermatitis, liver abnormalities
and kidney damage with effects such as cancer,
hormone disruption, eye damage, hair loss, skin
sensitivity, and dry skin; lung cancer and DNA
damage in rats, irritant, carcinogenic, cancer,
hormone disruptor, cause birth defects, irritates
the respiratory tract, and eyes and skin; toxic
reaction to 20% of people ; endocrine disruptors –
mimic oestrogens, and interfere with sexual
development and reproduction, and common
allergic reactions
Why Re-design Products?
What do you think this product is?
The Answer?
Clairol Herbal Essences Shampoo !
(and they say it is made from
“Organic Herbs and Mountain Water”!)
“Nobody Asked Us”
• Ciba-Geigy reviewed 8,000 constituent chemicals• Only 38 remained that met the non-genic criteria –
could formulate every colour needed, except jet black
• They asked the extraordinarily capable Swiss chemical engineers at Ciba-Geigy, "Why haven't you ever produced non- genic dyes before?"
• The answer, as stunning as it was telling: • "No one ever asked us to"
Design Flaws
• “90% of materials extracted for durable goods become waste almost immediately” (American Business Week)
• Toothbrush ~1.5 kg waste
• Cell phone ~ 75 kg waste
• 1 ton car ~ 62 tons of waste
• 2.3 kg laptop ~ 9 tons waste
We are here under false pretences
The waste hierarchy says: Minimise; recycle, dispose
• Avoid (don’t make it)• Minimise (make less of it)• Re-use (use it again for it’s original purpose)• Recycle (collect post-consumer)• Dispose (dump)
We have the “wrong”
waste industry
Non Solutions - Incineration
• Dioxins and furans
• Removes materials from the economy
• Energy loss system
• One third of the total is now converted to hazardous waste
Non Solutions – “waste to energy”
Non Solutions – “waste to energy”
Non Solutions – “waste to energy”
Some toxic chemicals in LFG
1,1,1-Trichloroethane (methyl chloroform)
1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane 1,1-Dichloroethane (ethylidene
dichloride) 1,1-Dichloroethene (vinylidene
chloride) 1,2-Dichloroethane (ethylene
dichloride)1,2-Dichloropropane (propylene
dichloride) Acrylonitrile Carbon disulfide Carbon tetrachloride Carbonyl sulfide Chlorobenzene
Chloroethane (ethyl chloride) Chloroform Dichloromethane (methylene
chloride) Ethylbenzene Hexane Mercury (total) Methyl ethyl ketone Methyl isobutyl ketone Perchloroethylene
(tetrachloroethylene) Trichloroethylene (trichloroethene)
Vinyl chloride Xylenes
A Sustainable Economy - Benefits
Reap income benefits
Quantum leap in job creation
Avoid waste and pollution
Improve productivity greatly
Improve efficiency greatly
Reduce health impacts
Grow local economy
What must Business do?
• Stop making waste• Take full financial and physical
responsibility for their products and packaging
• Move to sustainable materials and sustainable energy and reduced water use
• Close the loop, or face bans
What must government do?
• Stop permitting pollution• Change the cost models for materials
(waste) energy and water• Move subsidies from wasters and
polluters to sustainable options• Penalise non-performance• Insist on Green purchasing
What must WE do?
• Move away from cleanups to stopping the flow of waste
• Reduce consumerism• Divert organics as a priority (composting)• Call for bans of toxic materials; incinerators
and “waste to energy” in all its forms• Support each other globally
Thank You! Ngiyabonga!
Muna [email protected]