National Waste Management Strategies and Action Plans South Africa
PMG 130
PSC 69
NATIONAL WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND ACTION PLANS SOUTH AFRICA
STRATEGY FORMULATION PHASE
NATIONAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
version Dc
7 June15 October 1999
Danced Reference No:
M123 - 0136
NATIONAL WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND ACTION PLANS SOUTH AFRICA
STRATEGY FORMULATION PHASE
NATIONAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
version Dc
7 june15 October 1999
Job.970296
Ref No.Reports\ 4.1.19\ NWMS Ver C Prep.Strategy Team
Ed.Version DcContr. HW
Date.7/6/9915/10/99Appd. PMG
Executive summary
This National Waste Management Strategy presents Government’s strategy for integrated waste management for South Africa.
The Strategy presented in this document was compiled by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, including: government at all levels, non-governmental organisations, community based organisations, labour, business, industry, and the mining sector. Financial support for the project was given by the Danish Co-operation for Environment and Development.
This National Waste Management Strategy presents a long-term plan (up to the year 2010) for addressing key issues, needs and problems experienced with waste management in South Africa (1997/8). The strategy gives effect to the Bill of Rights, Constitution of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996, on the basis of which the people of South Africa have the right to an environment that is not detrimental to their health. Furthermore, the strategy translates into action Government’s policy on waste as set out in the Draft White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste Management for South Africa (published in 1998).
The objective of integrated pollution and waste management is to move away from fragmented and uncoordinated waste management to integrated waste management. Such a holistic and integrated management approach extends over the entire waste cycle from cradle to grave, and covers the prevention, generation, collection, transportation, treatment and final disposal of waste. Integrated waste management thus represents a paradigm shift in South Africa’s approach to waste management, by moving away from waste management through impact management and remediation and establishing instead a waste management system which focuses on waste prevention and waste minimisation.
The strategy aims to reduce both the generation and the environmental impact of waste. It presents a plan for ensuring that the socio-economic development of South Africa, the health of its people and the quality of its environmental resources are no longer adversely affected by uncontrolled and uncoordinated waste management. It establishes a waste management system that concentrates on avoiding, preventing and minimising waste and makes provision for waste management services for all by extending an acceptable standard of waste collection, as well as transportation, treatment and disposal services to all communities.
While the long-term objective of the strategy is waste prevention and minimisation, a number of remediative actions such as improved waste collection and waste treatment are required in the shorter term due to prevailing inadequate waste management practices.
To achieve the long-term objectives of the strategy, about 50 major integrated waste management initiatives (and many more sub-initiatives) with their associated financial and human resource requirements will need to be implemented. In addition, institutional changes and new legislation will have to be introduced and enforced and capacity building requirements will need to be addressed and realised. Attention must also be given to raising public awareness on waste management issues and promoting and delivering environmental education. The final phase of the National Waste Management Strategy process will entail the development of detailed action plans for implementation.
The National Waste Management Strategy is a first generation strategy, which will initiate action both by government and civil society and will culminate in the implementation of an integrated waste management system for South Africa. Critical factors affecting the successful implementation of the strategy will be securing the necessary financial and human resources, and receiving the commitment, support and input of all stakeholders. Government accepts that this strategy will have to be reviewed periodically as and when appropriate (e.g. on a five year basis) and may need to be adapted to address practical realities, changing needs and new priorities.
acknowledgments
The Ministries and Departments of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and of Water Affairs and Forestry acknowledge the contribution that South Africans have made in developing a National Waste Management Strategy for South Africa. The role played by the Project Steering Committee, which steered the process and the contributions of the drafters of the Strategy, is also acknowledged. A complete list of persons who contributed to the process is given in Annexure 5. Below is set out a short list of officials, government departments and organisations, which have played a key role in developing this National Waste Management Strategy.
Ministries
Minister Z Pallo Jordan
Minister Kader Asmal
Deputy Minister Peter R Mokaba, who chaired the Project Steering Committee
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Provincial Environmental Departments
Eastern Cape Department of Economic Affairs and Environment
Free StateDepartment of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
GautengDepartment of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment
KwaZulu NatalDepartment of Traditional and Environmental Affairs
MpumalangaDepartment of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
North WestDepartment of Environmental Affairs
Northern CapeDepartment of Health, Welfare and Environmental Affairs
Northern ProvinceDepartment of Agriculture, Land and Environment
Western CapeDepartment of Environmental and Cultural Affairs
MINMEC: Environment and Nature Conservation
The Danish Cooperation for Environment and Development (DANCED)
table of contents
Executive summary......
acknowledgments......
table of contents......
PART 1
1.Introduction......
1.1General Introduction......
1.2Structure and Content of the NWMS......
1.2.1Part 1: Draft National Waste Management Strategy......
1.2.2Part 2: Background Information to the National Waste Management Strategy......
1.3Crosscutting Issues......
1.3.1Institutional Arrangements......
1.3.2Resource Requirements......
1.3.3Time Schedules......
1.3.4Economic Instruments......
1.3.5The Law Reform Process......
1.3.6Treatment Technologies......
1.3.7Government and Private Sector Responsibilities......
1.3.8Sewage Sludge......
1.3.9Radioactive Waste......
1.3.10Waste Minimisation......
2.Background to the NWMS......
2.1Environmental Policy and Legislative Developments......
2.2Integrated Pollution and Waste Management Policy......
3.DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY......
3.1Scope of Strategy......
3.2Definitions......
3.3Waste Categorisation......
3.4Principles......
3.5Strategic Goals and Objectives......
3.6Approach and Methodology......
4.PRIORITY INITIATIVES......
4.1Criteria and Rationale for Developing Priority Initiatives......
4.2Priority Initiatives......
4.2.1Integrated Waste Management Priority Initiatives......
4.2.2Implementing Instruments......
4.2.3 Time Schedules and Responsibilities......
4.3Prioritisation of Priority Initiatives......
4.4Short-Term Priority Initiatives......
4.4.1Integrated Waste Management Planning......
4.4.2Waste Information System......
4.4.3Waste Minimisation......
4.4.4Recycling......
4.4.5Waste Collection and Transportation......
4.4.6Waste Treatment......
4.4.7Waste Disposal......
4.4.8Implementing Instruments......
4.4.9Cost Estimates for Implementation of Short Term Priority Initiatives......
4.5Medium to Long-Term Priority Initiatives......
5.THE WAY FORWARD......
part 2
6.introduction......
7.Integrated Waste Management Planning......
7.1Priority Initiatives......
7.1.1 General Waste......
7.1.2 Hazardous Domestic Waste......
7.1.3 Hazardous Waste from Manufacturing and Industry......
7.1.4 Waste from Agriculture and Forestry (pesticides)......
7.1.5 Medical Waste......
7.1.6 Mining and Power Station Waste......
7.1.7Reconditioning of Drums used for Hazardous Materials......
7.2Time Schedule......
7.3Requirements and Implications......
7.3.1Institutional......
7.3.2Capacity Building......
7.3.3Legal Issues......
7.3.4Estimated Cost of Initiatives......
7.3.5Public Participation and Partnership......
7.4Dependency on other NWMS Initiatives......
7.5Short-term Strategic Initiative......
8.WASTE INFORMATION SYSTEM......
8.1Priority Initiatives......
8.1.1Preparation of the WIS......
8.1.2WIS Guidelines......
8.1.3Data functions......
8.1.4Implementation and Operation of WIS database......
8.2Time Schedule......
8.3Requirements and Implications......
8.3.1Institutional......
8.3.2Capacity Building......
8.3.3Legal Issues......
8.3.4Estimated Cost of Initiatives......
8.3.5Public Participation and Partnership......
8.4Dependency on other NWMS Initiatives......
8.5Short-term initiative......
9.WASTE MINIMISATION......
9.1Waste Minimisation Initiatives......
9.1.1Organisational and Planning Initiatives......
9.1.2Appropriate Legal and Policy Framework......
9.1.3Information, Education and Demonstration Projects......
9.1.4Public-Private and Private Sector Initiatives......
9.2Time Schedule......
9.3Requirements and Implications......
9.3.1Institutional......
9.3.2Capacity building......
9.3.3Legal Issues......
9.3.4Estimated Cost of Initiatives......
9.3.5Public Participation and Partnerships......
9.4Dependency on other NWMS Initiatives......
9.5Short-term Initiative
10. recycling......
10.1Priority Initiatives......
10.1.1General Waste......
10.1.2Domestic Waste......
10.1.3Hazardous Waste from Manufacturing and Industry......
10.1.4Waste from Agriculture and Forestry (pesticides)......
10.1.5Medical Waste......
10.1.6Mining and Power Station Waste......
10.2Time Schedule......
10.3Requirements and Implications......
10.3.1Institutional......
10.3.2Capacity Building......
10.3.3Legal Issues......
10.3.4Estimated Cost of Initiatives......
10.3.5Public Participation and Partnerships......
10.4Dependency on other NWMS Initiatives......
10.5Short-term Initiative......
11.Waste Collection and Transportation......
11.1 Initiatives......
11.1.1General Waste......
11.1.2Hazardous Domestic Waste......
11.1.3 Hazardous Waste from Manufacturing and Industry......
11.1.4 Waste from Agriculture and Forestry (Pesticides)......
11.1.5 Medical Waste......
11.1.6 Mining and Power Station Waste......
11.2 Time Schedule......
11.3Requirements and Implications......
11.3.1 Institutional......
11.3.2 Capacity Building......
11.3.3 Legal Issues......
11.3.4Estimated Cost of Initiatives......
11.3.5 Public Participation and Partnerships......
11.4 Dependency on other NWMS Initiatives......
11.5Short-term Initiative......
12.waste treatment......
12.1 Priority Initiatives......
12.1.1. General Waste......
12.1.2 Hazardous Domestic Waste......
12.1.3 Hazardous Waste from Manufacturing and Industry......
12.1.4 Waste from Agriculture and Forestry (Pesticides)......
12.1.5 Medical Waste......
12.1.6Sewage Sludge......
12.1.7 Mining and Power Station Waste......
12.2 Time Schedule......
12.3 Requirements and Implications......
12.3.1 Institutional......
12.3.2 Capacity Building......
12.3.3 Legal Issues......
12.3.4 Estimated Cost of Initiatives......
12.3.5Public Participation and Partnerships......
12.4 Dependency on other NWMS Initiatives......
12.5Short-term Initiative......
13.WASTE DISPOSAL......
13.1Priority Initiatives......
13.1.1General waste......
13.1.2Domestic Hazardous Waste......
13.1.3Hazardous Waste from Manufacturing and Industry......
13.1.4Agricultural and Forestry Wastes (Pesticides)......
13.1.5Medical waste......
13.1.6Sewage Sludge......
13.1.7Mining and Power Station Wastes......
13.2Time Schedule......
13.3Requirements and Implications......
13.3.1Institutional......
13.3.2Capacity Building Implications......
13.3.3Legal issues......
13.3.4Estimated Cost of Initiatives......
13.3.5Public Participation and Partnerships......
13.4Dependency on other NWMS activities......
13.5Short-term Priority Initiative......
14.Implementing Instruments......
14.1Institutional Development......
14.2Capacity Building Requirements......
14.2.1Formal Capacity Building Programme......
14.2.2Communication Strategy......
14.2.3Staff estimates......
14.3Legislative Requirements......
14.4Financial Requirements......
14.4.1Estimated Costs of the NWMS Priority Initiatives......
14.5Public Participation and Partnerships......
14.6Awareness and Education......
references......
Annexure 1
Definitions and Terms
annexure 2
Abbreviations
annexure 3
Summary of Existing Key Legislation on Waste Management Issues
annexure 4
Existing Institutional Arrangement are set out in the attached table
annexure 5
Acknowledgements
970296\ Reports\ 4.1.19\ NWMS Version Dc Part 1- 1 -
7/6/9915/10/99
National Waste Management Strategy for South Africa
PART 1
970296\ Reports\ 4.1.19\ NWMS Version Dc Part 1
7/6/9915/10/99
1.Introduction
1.1General Introduction
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) states that the people of South Africa have the right to an environment that is not detrimental to human health, and imposes a duty on the state to promulgate legislation and to implement policies to ensure that this right is upheld. Steps taken to date to ensure the environmental right include: the publication of the Environmental Management Policy for South Africa (1998); the preparation of the Draft White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste Management (1998); the National Water Act (1998); as well as the promulgation of the National Environmental Management Act (1998). A further step is the development of this National Waste Management Strategy for South Africa.
During 1997, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), with financial support from the Danish Co-operation for Environment and Development (Danced), initiated a project for the development of a National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) for South Africa. The overall objective of this strategy is to reduce the generation of waste and the environmental impact of all forms of waste and thereby ensure that the socio-economic development of South Africa, the health of the people and the quality of its environmental resources are no longer adversely affected by uncontrolled and uncoordinated waste management. In order to achieve this objective the following goals were agreed for the NWMS project:
- The development of strategies for integrated waste management.
- The development of action plans to implement the identified strategies.
- Capacity building within DWAF and DEAT to implement the action plans.
Consultation with a wide range of stakeholders on the waste management situation in South Africa (1997/8) identified the following as key issues and needs that had to be addressed by this National Waste Management Strategy:
- To bring about a paradigm shift from end-of-pipe control to waste prevention and minimisation.
- To provide basic waste management services for those sections of the population who do not have access to waste collection services or who do not receive adequate services.
- To ensure that public health and occupational health issues receive due consideration in all waste management practices.
- To initiate a system of integrated waste management through the implementation of instruments such as legislation, capacity building, institutional arrangements and funding mechanisms.
- To ensure integration of waste management initiatives with other governmental initiatives, programmes and administrative systems, e.g. Integrated Development Forums (IDFs) and Land Development Objectives (LDOs), the Masakhane campaign and job creation projects.
- To integrate waste management with the over arching process of environmental planning, management and protection.
1.2Structure and Content of the NWMS
The National Waste Management Strategy is presented in two parts. Part 1 documents the full strategy in which the initiatives have been categorised as short, medium or long-term priority initiatives with an emphasis on the requirements for the implementation of the short-term priority initiatives. Part 2 describes all the priority initiatives and the implications of implementation in terms of human and financial resources and the institutional arrangements.
1.2.1Part 1: National Waste Management Strategy
This part sets out the motivation for a NWMS, describes the background of its development, explains the strategy development process, identifies priority initiatives, details the short-term priority initiatives (in terms of criteria for selection, implications and requirements and implementing instruments), identifies medium to long-term initiatives and charts the proposed way forward.
1.2.2Part 2: Background Information to the National Waste Management Strategy
This part provides detailed background information on all the priority initiatives identified in Part 1. It deals in detail with the priority initiatives, proposed time schedules, requirements and implications.
This information is provided for each of the components of the waste hierarchy, and inter alia includes certain elements of the following:
- Integrated waste management and planning
- Waste information system
- Waste minimisation/prevention
- Recycling
- Waste collection and transportation
- Waste treatment
- Waste disposal
- Implementing instruments.
1.3Crosscutting Issues
Stakeholders have highlighted a number of crosscutting issues on which government’s position is clarified. To facilitate understanding of the strategy, the crosscutting issues of concern are addressed in this section and the stated position of the government that will apply throughout Parts 1 and 2 of this Strategy.
1.3.1Institutional Arrangements
The National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) represents the vision of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) and the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) for an integrated approach to waste management. This long-term strategic plan addresses the problems, needs and issues relating to waste management, which were identified during consultation with a wide range of stakeholders (i.e. other government departments, NGOs, CBOs, business, labour and industry and mining).
The government’s policy on integrated waste management, as set out in the Draft White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste Management for South Africa, was formalised into a strategy in the form of the NWMS, within the framework of existing legislation.
Stakeholders have identified the elimination of the duplication and overlap of waste management regulatory activities as a key requirement. There is no intention to override any existing legislation or duplicate the requirements of other government departments. In taking cognisance of the legal mandates of the relevant government departments, wherever any provisions in the NWMS (and Action Plans) appear to inadvertently be in conflict with existing legislation, the requirements of the legislation will prevail. In the context of co-operative governance, the same interpretation applies to cases of inadvertent duplication of legislative requirements. At present the Draft White Paper on IP&WM is a guideline document until formal Cabinet approval is received. Development of the Action Plans has highlighted legislative requirements, which are required to give effect to the government policy on waste management. The legislative requirements will be reviewed within the ongoing DEAT Law Reform Process. It is expected that this law reform process will take into consideration any amendments to the draft White Paper, suggested by Parliament. The law reform process may however also result in changed legislation and legal mandates.
The NWMS (and Action Plans) represent a first generation plan for addressing South Africa’s waste management problems that will be continually updated to meet practical realities. The duties, roles and responsibilities assigned to the various government departments outlined in the Strategy are therefore only an initial proposal, which will be discussed, clarified and agreed to during inter-governmental discussions. The allocated responsibilities will be amended where necessary and implemented within the context of co-operative governance with the support of the role players. Cognisance will be taken of the legal mandates of government departments. A phased approach to implementation of the NWMS is envisaged to integrate the waste management functions to ensure an efficient and effective system that meets the requirements of all stakeholders.
The ultimate aim of the NWMS is to implement a co-ordinated integrated waste management system to ensure “cradle to grave” management of waste. To meet this objective will require the commitment, support and co-operation of all stakeholders in the implementation of the NWMS and the associated Action Plans.
It is the intention to concentrate the regulatory functions for integrated waste management with one environmental lead agent, namely the DEAT. This approach is proposed in Chapter 5 of the White Paper on Environmental Management Policy for South Africa (1998). However, it is recognised that resources within DEAT are limited and a period of time will be required in order to build capacity within the department. Ongoing discussions are being held with other national departments and provincial government to develop a framework of future division of functions and responsibilities and to agree on the way forward. Where the term ‘provincial government’ is used in this Strategy, it refers to those departments within the provinces that are responsible for environmental activities.