EDITOR’S COMMENT
Editor Nombulelo Manyana Managing editor Alastair Currie Head of design Beren Bauermeister Designer Lizette Jonker Chief sub-editor Tristan Snijders
A NEW DAWN for WASTE MANAGEMENT
Contributors Sathisha Barath, Emma Bleeker, Brendon Jewaskiewitz, Stan Jewaskiewitz, Nick Mannie, Anton Nahman, PaulaAnn Novotny, Suzan Oelofse, Garyn Rapson, Michelle Roux, Chris Wiid, Eckart Zollner Production & client liaison manager Antois-Leigh Nepgen Production coordinator Jacqueline Modise Group sales manager Chilomia Van Wijk Distribution manager Nomsa Masina Distribution coordinator Asha Pursotham Printers Novus Print Montague Gardens Tel +27 (0)21 550 2300 Advertising sales Joanne Lawrie Cell +27 (0)82 346 5338 joanne@3smedia.co.za
Publisher Jacques Breytenbach 3S Media 46 Milkyway Avenue, Frankenwald, 2090 PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117 Tel +27 (0)11 233 2600 Fax +27 (0)11 234 7274/5 www.3smedia.co.za Annual subscription subs@3smedia.co.za R200.00 (incl VAT) South Africa ISSN 1680-4902 Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa Tel +27 (0)11 675 3462 Email iwmsa@iwmsa.co.za All material herein is copyright protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher. The views and opinions of authors expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, editor or the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa. © Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. Novus Holdings is a Level 2 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Contributor, with 125% recognised procurement recognition. View our BBBEE scorecard here: https://novus.holdings/sustainability/transformation The ABC logo is a valued stamp of measurement and trust, providing accurate and comparable circulation figures that protect the way advertising is traded. ReSource is ABC audited and certified.
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he growing urban population is inevitably increasing the amount of waste generated, thus also prompting an increase in waste volumes going to landfill sites. Not only is landfilling unsustainable, with most South African major cities set to run out of landfill airspace by 2030 but, if it is not managed effectively, it can be detrimental to the environment and human health. Cities need to star t seeing waste as a valuable resource and adopt sustainable waste management habits that promote the three Rs: reuse, recycle and recover. This includes promoting separation of waste at source, funding sustainable mechanisms of waste disposal, educating the public on waste management, and developing an effective Integrated Waste Management Plan.
Updating legislation The good news is that the South African government has already star ted upping the ante by updating key legislation in order to promote circularity within the waste sector. The updating of the regulations around plastic carrier bags and plastic flat bags will promote circularity in waste management and product development by ensuring that these plastic bags are made up of household, industrial and commercial waste diver ted from landfills. The bags must be made from a minimum of 50% post-consumer recyclate from 1 Januar y 2023, 75% of recycled materials from the star t of 2025, and comprise 100% post-consumer recyclate from 1 Januar y 2027. Additionally, the ongoing conversation around extended producer responsibility schemes also outlines a new approach to
waste management in South Africa, which places greater responsibility on the producers and manufacturers of waste.
Personal initiatives We have also seen a positive rise in initiatives set up by various companies to play their par t in reducing waste to landfill – from Woolwor ths scrapping plastic bags in 50 of its stores, to Coca-Cola South Africa and BanQu launching an innovative payment platform to empower informal waste reclaimers. All of these initiatives seem to be signalling a dawn for the South African waste sector and ushering in a generation of ecowarriors determined to tackle our waste crisis. In this issue, we take a look at how the waste management sector is adapting to all of these changes and what the various players in the sector are doing to manage waste more effectively.
Nombulelo
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