EDITOR’S COMMENT
Editor Nombulelo Manyana Managing editor Alastair Currie Features Ziyanda Majodina Head of design Beren Bauermeister Chief sub-editor Tristan Snijders Contributors Linda Godfrey, Brendon Jewaskiewitz, Anton Nahman, Suzan Oelofse, Henry Roman, Mark Venables 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 2022. 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.
RUNNING OUT OF TIME
Although there is a lack of formal statistics on the available landfill airspace, waste management industry experts have issued a stern warning that South Africa is quickly running out of landfill airspace. Simply put, we are on the brink of a major waste crisis.
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andfill airspace is the volume of space on a landfill site permitted for disposal of municipal solid waste. Johannesburg, Tshwane and Cape Town all have less than 10 years of useful landfill life left. Presenting at the Parliamentar y Committee meeting on the state of waste management in South Africa, Rustim Keraan, director: Solid Waste Management, City of Cape Town, said figures showed that airspace availability would reach capacity between 2032 and 2033. Presentations from the other national, provincial and metropolitan governments highlighted the challenges they are facing in maintaining their landfills, providing new landfill sites, and in funding and integrating waste management plans. Most landfill sites are currently in a terrible state, arguably the worst they have been in in decades. While there are many contributing factors, it is encouraging to know that legislation is not one of them. South Africa has some of the most progressive waste management legislation in the world, star ting with the National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS). The strategy incorporates a waste management hierarchy and circular economy principles in accordance with the three major themes, namely: • waste minimisation • sustainable waste ser vices • compliance, enforcement and awareness. All these factors point to a solid framework that can help to alleviate our current crisis; however, the problem is a lack of law enforcement against illegal waste practices.
Compliance and enforcement Municipalities and government alike need to be more proactive about enforcing the law and encouraging compliance. Support structures need to be put in place to ensure that people are obeying the legislature. Experts interviewed in this issue assert that we need to implement the principles of the NWMS, measure output, and manage the waste management process more effectively.
Exciting news In more uplifting news, WasteCon is back and its 25th iteration will be taking place on 18 to 20 October 2022 at Emperors Palace in Gauteng, South Africa. WasteCon, organised by the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA), is the premier showcase of best practices and sustainable waste and resource management solutions. The Institute has some exciting announcements contained in this issue – starting with the introduction of its WasteCon sponsors. This is definitely an event you don’t want to miss!
Nombulelo
