Introduction:
Until recently, waste management was not regarded as a priority in South Africa. The typical nature of waste management was generally reactive, addressing urgent needs on an ad hoc basis. Holistic, integrated waste management planning was rarely, if ever, undertaken.
For example, prior to the formulation of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry's (DWAF's) "Minimum Requirements for Waste Disposal by Landfill", the sighting of landfills was generally haphazard, without adequate planning and design; the management and operation was, and still is in some cases, poor; and the control of waste types disposed at the landfills was inadequate. A number of waste disposal sites were located on previously undeveloped land, without any consideration for the possible expansion of nearby communities. This resulted from a lack of integrated planning and inadequate enforcement of proper buffer zones.
The low priority accorded to waste management has resulted in waste impacting detrimentally on the South African environment, human health and development.
Section 24 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) states that the people of South Africa have a 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.
To date, a number of steps have been taken, to uphold this environmental right, including the publication of the Environmental Management Policy for South Africa, the publication of the Draft White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste Management (IP&WM), the promulgation of the National Water Act and National Environmental Management Act, and the development of a National Waste Management Strategy.
In accordance with this National Legislation, Cacadu District Municipality (CDM) has just completed Integrated Waste Management Plans (IWMP's) for Local Municipalities which did not possess Waste Management Plans and reviewed the existing Waste Management Plans for two Local Municipalities.
These Waste Management Plans may now viewed via the following links:
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