A localized organic waste initiative in Langa is demonstrating how urban food environments can be improved by treating waste as a resource. Funded by AfriFoodLinks and implemented by Waste-ED in partnership with SA Urban Food & Farming Trust (SAUFFT), Ranyaka, and BiobiN South Africa, the project addresses waste at the source. Over the past few months, the project partnered with the City’s Urban Waste Management to divert a portion of residential waste, approximately 4 tonnes monthly, from the City’s Bellville organics composting site into Langa’s local system. This trial partnership has provided vital data on how to keep organic resources within the community to benefit residents directly.
The project was primarily designed to service the informal traders and meat markets, a sector previously difficult to manage due to the complexity of meat and ash waste. To process these high-volume organic offcuts and stove ash effectively, the project integrated residential food scraps to balance the composting mix. By establishing a dedicated depot using a closed BiobiN system, the project diverts these streams while significantly improving hygiene and preventing pest issues at the trading site.
“By processing waste on-site with the BiobiN in-vessel composting system, the project solves the logistical and financial burden of long-haul transport and external processing fees,” Brian Küsel, Director of BiobiN South Africa “Retaining organic waste locally transforms a potential downstream burden into high-quality compost that supports community gardens, schools, and household food security.” This creates a local organic waste value chain that offers local job creation for community-based collectors and improved soil health for urban farming.
“This project prioritizes resource security by treating food scraps as a valuable community asset rather than a disposal problem,” says Küsel. “The composting unit within the community allows for efficient, clean processing right where the waste is generated, which eliminates the carbon footprint of heavy trucking and provides an immediate supply of compost for local growers.”
The initiative aligns with the urgent priorities outlined in the recently published draft National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) 2026. National data indicates that organic matter still comprises over 40% of the waste sent to South African landfills, contributing significantly to methane emissions. The NWMS 2026 mandates a radical shift toward total organic waste diversion by 2030. Community projects like the Langa hybrid model demonstrate a highly feasible blueprint that can be replicated in other urban areas facing similar waste challenges.
“Community engagement remains a driving force for the project’s success. Recent waste audits demonstrate a strong appetite for localized composting, with residents showing a willingness to separate waste at the source,” says Candice Mostert, Founder and Director of Waste-ED. “The residents of Langa have proven that localized waste management is both viable and desired.”
To ensure long-term oversight and replicability, the project has established the Langa Waste Forum, a governance body designed to map waste flows and link the informal sector directly with City departments and circular economy actors. “The success of this model depends on collaborative investment. We are inviting new companies to come on board as funding partners to support the scaling of this hybrid system. Your partnership will directly contribute to critical waste diversion, local job creation, and the transformation of Langa’s organic waste into a permanent community resource that supports local farming and food security,” adds Mostert.
