In response to International Biodiversity Day, which highlights the need for sustainable development in degraded or destroyed ecosystems, Veolia Services Southern Africa presents its circular economy approach to environmental management.
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As we are all dependent on healthy ecosystems and their resulting biodiversity for survival, Veolia Services Southern Africa’s (VSSA’s) primary focus is on creating and developing a circular economy, with holistically sustainable solutions. These aim to achieve ecosystem conservation and restoration across the company’s three areas of expertise, namely water, waste and energy.
VSSA offers plant process analysis, optimisation, management and recycling to conserve and reduce resource usage and to maximise plant profitability. Recycling not only increases the lifecycle of our existing resources, but in addition creates a stream of income for clients.
A practical example would be the company’s water recycling solutions. Whether for municipal or industrial wastewater, VSSA not only manages clients’ wastewater according to legal requirements but reduces resource consumption by utilising the water in other plant applications, in turn reducing operating costs.
This service and its success are evident in a project called the Durban Water Recycling Plant (DWR) for the municipality of Durban. The City of Durban faced water shortages, while industrial plants in the city required high volumes of water to meet their production needs, which was then being discharged as wastewater into the ocean.
In response, the municipality contacted VSSA for the treatment of domestic and industrial sewage and wastewater to achieve the potable standard of water for industrial use. Veolia installed a highly specialised tertiary wastewater treatment plant with a capacity of 47.5-million litres to achieve high-quality, safe and usable water for domestic and industrial use. This solution not only prevents harmful wastewater discharge into our ecosystems but also results in a cost-effective increase in resources.
Another service offering that has gained traction is Veolia’s capability to convert waste into energy sources that can power applications within a plant. This, in turn, reduces the plant’s resource consumption, lowering its footprint which contributes to a healthier ecosystem.
“The need for sustainability is urgent, now more than ever. By achieving mutual benefits, we can strive for sustainability. We strive to optimise client plant processes for a better tomorrow, resulting in processes that are less resource dependent and more cost-effective for our clients.
“Through collaboration with Veolia Services Southern Africa, we can conserve and restore ecosystems and biodiversity to give a future to generations to come in Africa. The alignment with a greater Veolia vision, a deeper commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, means that the Southern Africa region is leading a sustainable business journey aimed not only at making a profit, but also at improving the planet.
“This is cemented through a commitment to achieving a multifaceted performance that has equal consideration for all stakeholders – whether financial, commercial, social, societal or environmental,” says Miles Murray, Director of Business Development at VSSA.
Additionally, as a comprehensive solutions provider, VSSA uses its automated technology to offer remote plant monitoring and maintenance. Through this real-time offering, company experts can enable predictive maintenance on-site, resulting in reduced downtime with standby services if required.
With over 160 years of experience, VSSA is a subsidiary amongst the global footprint of the Veolia Group. The Group offers complete on-site services (OSS) for customers across industries including food and beverage, hospitality, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper, power generation, mining, oil and gas and automotive markets.