Waste not, want profit? City-funded WISP a win for businesses
More than 60 local businesses participated in the 15th Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP) Business Opportunity Workshop, hosted by the City’s Special Purpose Vehicle, GreenCape. Read more below:
WISP is an interactive workshop that aims to help businesses develop mutually profitable links wherein under-utilised or waste resources from one company can be recovered, reprocessed and reused by others.
Alderman James Vos, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, opened the event and saluted the businesses for participating.
‘The City currently manages about 2,1 million tonnes of waste annually and every day, with a significant portion successfully diverted from landfill through various waste minimisation initiatives. WISP is a solution that allows participating businesses to cut costs, improve processes, create new revenue streams and job opportunities, all while positively impacting the environment through the re-purposing of waste,’ said Alderman Vos.
The programme is a free facilitation service that connects manufacturers in Cape Town. GreenCape’s team of WISP facilitators provides members with dedicated time and technical expertise to identify and realise mutually beneficial business exchanges. Since its 2013 inception, the programme has facilitated 237 synergies, collectively resulting in 146 000 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill and saved 435 000 in fossil fuel greenhouse gas emissions (equivalent to the electrical usage of 117 840 households in South Africa).
‘These synergies have also generated over R155 million in financial benefits and created 411 jobs across the economy. Cutting waste creates work, designing for reuse builds revenue, and clean innovation will future-proof Cape Town’s economy. A more sustainable Cape Town is dependent on programmes such as WISP and I look forward to seeing it expand to the benefit of all in Cape Town,’ said Alderman Vos.
To find out more about WISP, visit WISP here. on GreenCape’s website.
