Industry Brief: Unlocking value from waste foundry sand

GreenCape, in partnership with the City of Cape Town, has published a new industry brief which looks at unlocking value from waste foundry sand.

Key insights from the brief can be summarised as follows:

1. For foundries:
   1. Foundries can benefit from the diversion of waste foundry sand (WFS) from landfill through cost savings whilst simultaneously reducing environmental impact.
   2. Opportunities exist for the recycling of WFS at the foundry site and through synergies with off-takers able to utilise WFS as a secondary material input.
   3. To realise these opportunities foundries (and WFS off-takers) need to ensure the relevant legal processes are adhered to and may also need to invest into reclamation and separation equipment.
2. For waste management companies:
   1. Waste management companies can support customers with achieving their sustainability and landfill diversion targets by facilitating the secondary use of WFS into beneficial and safe applications.
   2. By offering best practice services, waste management companies can retain their position in the market or even gain a competitive edge.
3. For potential off-takers: users of silica and other sands:
   1. Potential off-takers can benefit from cost savings on raw materials through the use of a secondary material as an alternative to costly virgin material.
   2. It is important to develop an understanding of relevant legislation, technical applications and any potential risks of handling or using the material.

To access the full industry brief, click on the PDF above.