Therefore, this study aimed to determine the extent to which waste prevention has been incorporated into South African waste management regulations, policies and plans. Third, the study aimed to explore how integrating these waste prevention practices could impact waste management in South Africa.
INTRODUCTION
- Background
- Problem statement and rationale for the study
- Research aim and objectives
- Scope of the study
- Assumptions and limitations
- Structure and outline of the study
- Chapter summary
Research question 2: To what extent can waste prevention be incorporated into South African waste management regulations, policies and plans. Only the most recent versions of the waste prevention related regulations, policies and plans were analyzed (Chapter 4).
METHODOLOGY
- Introduction
- Research design
- Country case selection for best practice principles
- Data collection
- Literature review
- Document analysis
- Comparative analysis
- Data analysis
- Methodological assumptions and limitations
- Ethical considerations
- Chapter summary
As Hage (2014:44) mentioned, it is important when the comparative legal method is used that it is complemented by using one or more other methods for the evaluation to take place, as it is difficult to determine the effectiveness of a specific to 'see' regulation. , policy and plan. Three main categories (i.e. 'the focus area', 'the waste prevention effect' and 'the type of waste') were the focus.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
South African regulations, policies and plans addressing waste
- Acts with a focus on waste prevention
- Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996
- National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998
- National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008
- National Environmental Management: Waste Amendment Act 26 of 2014
- Model By-law on Waste Management
- Regulations with a focus on waste prevention
- Exclusion of a waste stream or a portion of a waste stream
- Extended producer liability
- Strategies with a focus on waste prevention
- National Pricing Strategy for Waste Management
- National Waste Management Strategy
- Policies with a focus on waste prevention
- White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste Management
- Polokwane Declaration
- Plans with a focus on waste prevention
- Integrated waste management plans
- National norms and standards with a focus on waste prevention
- National Domestic Waste Collection Standards
- National Norms and Standards for the Disposal of Waste to Landfill
- National Norms and Standards for the Storage of Waste
- Minimum requirements with a focus on waste prevention
Furthermore, according to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996), the responsibility for garbage disposal, garbage dumps and solid waste disposal is assigned to the local government (municipalities) in Article 156(1). Some of the main amendments to the NEM: WA included, among others, the change of the definition of waste and the establishment of a waste management bureau. The EPR regulations will form part of the data analysis in Chapter 4 to assess the incorporation of waste prevention in South African regulations, policies and plans.
As already mentioned, the first expected result of NWMS is waste prevention (ie avoiding waste generation and its toxic effects) (DEFF, 2020a:23-24). This marked the beginning of the development of policies in South Africa that focused on the importance of waste prevention and avoiding environmental degradation (DEAT, 2000:5). Thus, municipalities play an important role in the implementation of the waste management hierarchy and thus also in the implementation of waste prevention strategies.
One of the objectives of this document is to “ensure best practice in the management of waste storage facilities…” (DEA, 2013d:8).
International regulations, policies and plans addressing waste
- Waste management in European countries
- Sweden
- The Netherlands
- Germany
- Waste management in the United States
- Waste management in Australia
According to the WFD requirements, the Netherlands had to establish a WPP, which is part of the National Waste Management Plan (NWMP). This document will be part of the comparative analysis in Chapter 4, as it contains waste prevention efforts. The WPP of the Netherlands has proposed actions to achieve its goal, which are (1) improving system designs where fewer materials are used, fewer hazardous substances are produced, more recycled materials come out of the system, and where the system has a longer lifespan, (2) less waste is generated during the production phase, where there is less material input and loss of material during production, less hazardous material is wasted and closed material cycles are used, and (3) to raise national awareness about consuming, raising awareness of prevention by informing consumers, encouraging careful choices to be made and more products to be reused and less waste to be generated (EEA, 2016:3).
Section A.3.1 (General Objectives) of the 3rd National WPP states that the overall objective is to "promote the transition to a circular economy". Part 2, Section 1 of the KrWG (BMU) describes the basic principles to be taken into account in waste management (i.e. the waste management hierarchy) (Figure 1-2). It is thus obvious that the KrWG regulates the basis of the content of the WPP, while the WPP sets out specific targets for waste prevention.
In the RCRA orientation manual (US EPA, 2014: IV-2), the US EPA developed three goals for the future of the waste management system.
Chapter summary
The NWP focuses more on waste prevention and encourages us to think of waste as a resource moving towards a circular economy, not simply as waste that can be thrown away. Circular economy principles are also discussed in the NWP, where principle 1 focuses on avoiding waste. Knowledge sharing, education and behavior change – Implementation of initiatives to improve knowledge and education regarding the waste management hierarchy and circular economy to encourage the public to redesign, reuse, repair, resource, recycle, recycle and reprocess products.
The NWPAP (Australian Government, 2019) supports the NWP (Australian Government, 2018) and focuses on the barriers that need to be overcome to move Australia towards a circular economy. This chapter also provided an overview of international best practice country regulations, policies and plans for waste prevention (ie Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, USA and Australia). Waste prevention, as the highest level in the waste management hierarchy, is the main objective of waste management in all six studied countries.
The South African waste prevention related regulations, policies and plans reviewed will be used in Chapter 4 to assess how waste prevention can be incorporated into South African waste management regulations, policies and plans.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Introduction
Results relating to research objective 1: Actual incorporation of waste
- Objectives for waste prevention
- Measures for waste prevention
- Summary of results relating to research objective 1
This discussion shows that only four of the examined waste management regulations, policies and plans in South Africa have met the requirements for waste prevention as defined by Corvellec (2016:8). Analyzing the quantitative prevention targets in the South African waste management regulations, policies and plans revealed targets with precise percentage reductions only mentioned in the EPR regulations (for waste electrical and electronic equipment). Food and textile waste is the least focused on in the South African rules, policies and plans for waste management (Table 4-3).
The objectives of South African waste management regulations, policies and plans are analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively (specified and unspecified objectives/measures). There are very few annual waste reduction targets in South African waste management regulations, policies and plans (Table 4-5). Most South African waste management regulations, policies and plans utilize measures of research, promotion, information sharing, collaboration and regulation related to waste prevention.
Thus, since South Africa's waste management regulations, policies and plans are focused on implementing the waste management hierarchy through the inclusion of waste minimization strategies (Section 0), waste prevention will not be easily achieved as the waste prevention is not formed. part of the waste management system, but instead is considered as a step to be taken to avoid the generation of waste (van Ewijk & Stegemann, 2016:125).
Results relating to research objective 2: Possible incorporation of
- Objectives for waste prevention
- Measures for waste prevention
- Summary of results relating to research objective 2
Sweden's waste management regulations, policies and plans have not mentioned any specific targets to be achieved within a specific time period (red line) (Table 4-14). Thus, it is evident that in cases where countries set specific targets to be achieved within a certain time frame, waste prevention systems are more effective. In most of the countries studied, almost all actors are part of waste prevention strategies (Table 4-15), with only provincial government, consumers and the voluntary sector not playing a role in waste prevention measures in Germany and Australia. respectively (yellow lines).
In South Africa's 3rd NWMS, the circular economy has been placed under a magnifying glass to move waste management in the country up the waste management hierarchy towards prevention of waste generation. Companies in the case countries must (re)design their production processes for the benefit of a circular economy. The South African waste management regulations, policies and plans do not focus on using civil-based instruments to achieve waste prevention; the focus is distributed among all the instruments (table 4-7).
In contrast, the respective countries' waste management regulations, policies and plans focus on the use of civil instruments (eg making information available to the public and all interested parties) to achieve waste prevention (Table 4-16).
Results relating to research objective 3: Future incorporation of waste
According to these comparisons, it is clear that the waste prevention targets set for South Africa are in line with those of international best practice countries. However, the waste prevention targets set for South Africa must be more specific to achieve waste prevention in the country. To distinguish between waste prevention and recycling (especially between the separation at the source and between prevention).
Empowering people through skill building, such as cooking with leftovers, storing food properly, etc.
Chapter summary
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
Conclusions
- Conclusions relating to research objective 1: Actual incorporation of waste
- Conclusions relating to research objective 2: Possible incorporation of
- Conclusions relating to research objective 3: Future incorporation of waste
Stronger waste management regulations, policies and plans are needed to realize South Africa's ambitions to move up the waste management hierarchy towards waste prevention. Command and control instruments play an important role in the implementation and enforcement of waste management legislation in South Africa (Table 4-6). There is limited reference in South African waste management regulations, policies and plans to upgrades/new infrastructure installations to move towards waste prevention (Table 4-7).
This study shows that South Africa is far from incorporating waste prevention strategies into waste management regulations, policies and plans. However, whatever the reason, incorporating waste prevention into waste management regulations, policies and plans must be done effectively to achieve the goal. According to Godfrey & Oelofse (2017:1), European countries have strongly influenced South African waste management regulations, policies and plans.
If the African Union could more strictly implement and enforce waste management regulations, policies and plans; waste management can be improved in South Africa and all member states of the African Union.
Recommendations and suggestions for future research
Final report: Analysis of the development of waste reduction and the extent of waste prevention. Waste reduction - According to IWMP objective 6.1 (Waste reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery. Waste prevention - Swedish EPA is conducting investigations for the transition to a circular economy (Naturvård sverket.
Reducing the amount of waste generated - "To reduce the production and disposal of waste by 50%." Reducing the environmental impact – creating awareness of the environmental impact of waste on the environment and human health. It is also mentioned as Goal 2 of NWPAP to reduce the total amount of waste that is generated by a person in.
Quantified non-specific targets – The statutes focus on reducing the amount of waste generated, without setting specific targets. Quantified, non-specific targets – because this reduces the amount of waste classified as waste. Quantitatively specified target – The top priority is to reduce the amount of waste generated by 10%.
