Deputy Minister Ms Barbara Thomson’s keynote address at the opening of Africa’s First Light Bulb Recycling Plant, Mkhondeni, Msunduzi
The Mayor of Msunduzi Municipality, Councilor Chris Ndlela;
Members of Exco of Msunduzi Municipality;
Honourable Members of Parliament present;
Distinguished Chairpersons and Chief Executives of Public Entities;
Distinguished Captains of Industry;
Officials from national, provincial and local government;
Our Distinguished Hosts from EWaste Africa: Mr Yogi Pravashen and Mr Thilendren Naidoo;
Ladies and Gentlemen
The ANC, as the ruling party believes that all citizens of South Africa at present and in future, have the right to a safe and healthy environment. Accordingly, the broad objectives of our policy on waste management including e-waste are aimed at fulfilling this right. The management of e-waste in particular has become an urgent area of focus given the increased accumulation of e-waste following our re-entry into the global economy after the defeat of apartheid.
It is well documented that one of the consequences of apartheid spatial planning practice was the deliberate location of black settlements near landfills. As a result of poverty and unemployment in these settlements, people often resorted to searching through landfills for food and valuables, which exposed them to the deadly toxins released by e-waste. This is a reality that still faces some impoverished communities living in the vicinity of municipal landfills.
It is important to understand that these communities also have a right to equal enjoyment of the benefits and freedoms brought by democracy. One of these benefits is the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health. A clean environment is integral to the full enjoyment of a wide range of human rights, including the rights to life, health, food, water and sanitation. Without a healthy environment, we are unable to fulfill our aspirations or even live at a level commensurate with minimum standards of human dignity.
The NEM: Waste Management Act recognizes this fundamental principle because its purpose is to reform the law regulating waste management in order to protect health and the environment by providing reasonable measures for the prevention of pollution and ecological degradation, and for securing ecologically sustainable development amongst other. It also makes it illegal for individuals or companiesto throw away anything that constitutes e-waste. Whether it is a light bulb, hairdryer, or computer - these appliances now need to be recycled in a responsible way.
While the enactment of the Waste Act heralded in a fundamental break from the narrow race-based approach to waste management in South Africa, there were always going to be some teething problems in its implementation, particularly in respect of e-waste caused mainly by the limited investment in new recycling technology for e-waste and the lack of public awareness of the hazards of e-waste.
While government has led the charge to create a policy and legislative framework for the disposal of e-waste, we are pleased to see that industry itself has taken the lead in managing e-waste. The most popular methods for managing of e-waste by the industry itself involve extending the lifecycle of electronic products through amongst other refurbishment, thus reduce e-waste and the hazards associated with recycling and disposal. We also acknowledge the role being played by non-profit organisations that are working with manufacturers, vendors and distributors of electrical products to manage e-waste. We believe that these initiatives are opening opportunities for wider economic activity.
Ladies and gentlemen, it has not escaped government’s attention that e-waste recycling is expensive nor have we ignored the complaints from industry that the costs are not necessarily recovered by the sale of the recovered materials. As a means of addressing these and other industry concerns, we introduced certain amendments to the Waste Act, which came into effect on 2 June 2014. The amendments establish an economic basis for viable recycling. It apportions sufficient value to waste to facilitate demand for recyclables, thereby producing more jobs and incentivize enterprise development in the waste sector.
Furthermore, provision is also made for a Pricing Strategy for waste management charges, the establishment of a Waste Management Bureau and for mechanisms to oversee the disbursement of revenue collected from waste management charges. This will ensure that initiatives like the recycling plant we are launching here today remain financially viable and sustainable.
Let me also indicate that consideration is given to the banning of certain waste streams from landfill. With the technology on display here today, there is no reason why light bulbs cannot be part of this strategy. Although the mercury in bulbs has reduced considerably over the years we cannot deny the fact that today's compact fluorescent lamps and bulbs (CFL or energy savers, as they are commonly called) still contain a few milligrams of mercury per bulb and there are still millions in circulation and disposed of each year. Eskom alone has rolled out 60 million of these bulbs since 2004. One fluorescent tube contains enough mercury to pollute 30,000 litres of water. Lamp materials are in general 94 percent glass, 5 percent metals/plastic and 1 percent mercury bearing phosphor powder - why should these valuable commodities still be thrown into landfill?
The opening of this plant demonstrates that the technology finally exists within our country to start recycling this waste stream going forward.
The Minister has recently declared e-waste as a priority waste stream that needs a national solution: a joint effort between the Government, the lighting industry and recyclers is being compiled and the relevant legislation has been amended to allow these plans to start immediately.
This plant is proof that given the right skill set and the correct resources, there are individuals that can start up and operate businesses within the framework provided for by the Waste Act. I can assure you again today that we stand ready to work with all our stakeholders to take South Africa forward. We are committed to the eradication of poverty, inclusive growth that creates jobs while also preserving the environment for future generations. I would like to remind you all today that while we are here to celebrate this remarkable achievement, we must still remember that tomorrow is a new day and with this will come new challenges. Let us embrace these challenges and continue to find innovative ways to solve our problems as demonstrated by the opening of this recycling plant.
I thank you
