International Day of Zero Waste, 30 March 2025. Advancing the circular economy: South Africa’s commitment to zero waste with Prof Linda Godfrey.
On 30 March, the world observes the International Day of Zero Waste, an occasion dedicated to raising awareness and fostering global action towards waste reduction, sustainable resource management, and environmental preservation. South Africa (SA) is making progress in waste management, with experts such as Prof Linda Godfrey leading the charge in research and innovation within the waste sector.
The National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) highlights the remarkable, award-winning work of Prof Godfrey, whose research focuses on waste and circular economy science. She is the Manager: Circular Innovation SA, the Principal Scientist: Circular Economy, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and an Extraordinary Professor: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University (NWU). Prof Godfrey received the prestigious 2024 NSTF-TIA Green Economy Award of the NSTF-South32 Awards, known as the ‘Science Oscars’ of SA. (TIA = Technology Innovation Agency)
About the International Day of Zero Waste
This day, officially recognised by the United Nations (UN) in 2022, aims to highlight the critical role that governments, industries, and individuals must play in transitioning towards a zero-waste future. The 2025 theme, “Towards zero waste in fashion and textiles,” focuses on the urgent need to take action to reduce the waste impact from the fashion and textile sector and promote sustainability and circularity. According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), humanity generates between 2.1 and 2.3 billion tons of municipal solid waste annually, with projections indicating a rise to 3.8 billion tons by 2050 unless transformative action is taken. The consequences of unchecked waste production are far-reaching, contributing significantly to environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and the worsening impacts of climate change. This year’s observance of the International Day of Zero Waste serves as a call to action for policymakers, researchers, and communities to rethink their waste management practices and embrace sustainable solutions.
More about Prof Godfrey
Prof Linda Godfrey is the recipient of the NSTF-TIA Green Economy Award at the 2024 NSTF-South32 Awards held on 11 July 2024. She is leading the charge in research and innovation within the waste sector. With over two decades of experience in waste and circular economy research, she has played a pivotal role in shaping policies and strategies aimed at reducing waste and promoting sustainable resource use. Her work focuses on the intersection of science, technology, and innovation to drive effective waste management solutions and foster a circular economy in SA and beyond.
Prof Godrey states: “We need to rethink our relationship with resources, this includes with waste.” She says SA has the unique opportunity to leapfrog the resource-intensive growth paths of the Global North “to understand the opportunities and constraints provided by our limited resources, and create a more sustainable and regenerative trajectory that provides improved quality of life for all.”
Through her work, Prof Godfrey has been instrumental in advocating for evidence-based policies and fostering collaboration between government entities, private industries, and research institutions to drive systemic change in waste management.
The role of circular economy in achieving zero waste
One of the key solutions in achieving zero waste is transitioning towards a circular economy, an economic model that prioritises waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and resource efficiency. The circular economy is designed to reduce reliance on virgin materials, thereby cutting down on carbon emissions, conserving biodiversity, and creating economic opportunities. The South African government has recognised the importance of addressing waste management challenges. Policies such as the National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations have been introduced to encourage businesses to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products.
A call to action
The International Day of Zero Waste is a reminder that addressing the global waste crisis requires collective effort. Prof Godfrey encourages South Africans to see waste not as an inevitable byproduct of modern life but as a resource that can be repurposed, reused, and reintegrated into the economy.
About the NSTF (National Science and Technology Forum)
NSTF is an independent non-profit stakeholder body and network – a civil-society forum of over 140 organisations involved in science, engineering, technology (SET) and innovation in SA.
