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Current Campaigns | Members' Campaigns | Tips Zero Waste at the WSSD 2002 (Earth Summit) Letter to Secretary General of the WSSD 2002December 30, 2001 Mr. Nitin Desai Dear Mr. Nitin Desai, The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) respectfully requests that the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in South Africa be organized as a "Zero Waste" event. "Zero Waste" refers to a range of policies and practices designed to achieve a sustainable use of materials and the minimum of waste discarded. Zero Waste is a design principle that goes beyond recycling by taking a 'whole system' approach to the vast flow of resources and wastes discarded at events such as the WSSD. Zero Waste seeks to eliminate waste, reduce the quantities and toxicities of materials used, and reuse, recycle or compost discarded materials. Zero Waste applies sustainable development principles to resource and waste management. The goal of a Zero Waste program is to dramatically reduce the amount of discarded materials going to incinerators or landfills. GAIA would like the WSSD to be a model Zero Waste event, reducing wastes sent to landfills by 90% and assuring that no waste from the WSSD go to incinerators. GAIA is an international alliance of individuals, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, academics and others working to end the incineration of all forms of waste and to promote sustainable waste prevention and discard management practices. GAIA currently has over 180 members in more than 50 countries, including in South Africa where the WSSD will be held. GAIA is concerned that the WSSD not follow the example from the Rio Earth Summit, where organizers were critized for not practicing what it preached (see Attachment A). Instead, we urge the WSSD to follow the example of the Salt Lake Olympics Committee (SLOC) that adopted Zero Waste as their goal for the Olympic Games in Utah, 2002, and other examples of successful Zero Waste special events (see Attachment B and C). A number of other major festivals and gatherings have achieved over 80-90% diversion when they organized their efforts to achieve Zero Waste, including the:
Of particular significance, a goal of Zero Waste by 2022 was adopted in September 2001 at South Africa's first National Waste Summit. The Summit brought together respresentatives of government at national, provincial, and local level, civil society and the business community. The following goal was agreed upon and adopted: "GOAL: Stabilize waste generation and reduce the waste disposal by 50% by 2012 and develop a plan for ZERO WASTE by 2022" (see Attachment D for a copy of the full statement that was adopted at this Summit). To ensure a Zero Waste event, key policies need to be adopted as soon as possible to govern all logistics of the WSSD. In addition to the good work that has already been done in coordinating with the hospitality industry in Johannesburg to "Green" their operations, each facility participating in the WSSD needs to have a waste assessment to identify the typical sources of waste discarded. Once those assesssments are completed, an analysis is required to determine what wastes could be eliminated completely, by using reusuable products or finding another alternative. Zero Waste policies should help guide the purchase of products used at the WSSD, to minimize the amount of waste produced and to purchase recycled content and/or environmentally preferrable products. Local reuse, recycling and composting programs should be arranged for wastes that cannot be eliminated. Some new programs may need to be organized to maximize the recovery of materials discarded. For example, the SLOC established a "Legacy Program" to leave behind composting facilities after the event that were not previously available in Utah. Similar "legacy programs" may be needed in Johannesburg for composting programs for discarded food wastes. GAIA's partner in Johannesburg, Earthlife Africa (ELA), is available to help you in developing and implementing a Zero Waste program for the WSSD. ELA is a volunteer driven Southern African activist organization, concerned with issues of environmental and social justice since 1988. Muna Lakhani is ELA's Toxics Group Coordinator in Johannesburg. He can be reached at (011) 477 3309 or muna@iafrica.com. Please let us know as soon as possible who we should contact directly within the WSSD organization to explore this concept furthur. Muna Lakhani has sent an initial letter to JOWSCO but we would also appreciate any suggestion from you of the most appropriate person to contact there. I can be reached by phone at 1-510-883-0933, ext. 102. Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely yours, Ann Leonard Von Hernandez, International Co-Coordinator and Steering Committee
Member, Philippines Cc: Bryan Ashe, WSSD Civil Society Secretariat, Attachments:
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