Question no 1022
Mrs A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs:
(1) Whether, with reference to the strategic plan for the environmental sector (2008 to 2013), all provinces have developed hazardous waste management plans; if not, (a) which provinces (i) have developed and (ii) have not developed hazardous waste management plans and (b) what action is being taken to ensure that all provinces have appropriate hazardous waste management plans in place;
(2) Whether the hazardous waste management plans submitted by the provinces adequately address the sustainable management of hazardous waste; if not, (a) what problems have been identified and (b) what action are being or will be taken to address the identified problems?
The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs answers:
(1) (a) Not all provinces have developed hazardous waste management plans
(i) The Gauteng, North West and Western Cape Provinces have developed hazardous waste management plans.
(ii) The other six provinces have not developed the abovementioned plans
(b) No action was required to be taken to ensure that provinces develop hazardous waste management plans as there was no legal requirement for the development and submission of the hazardous waste management plans. The National Environmental Management: Waste Act 2008, requires the provincial departments to develop integrated waste management plans which can incorporate hazardous waste should the provinces elect to do so.
(2) The hazardous waste management plans developed by the three provinces have not been submitted to the department and have not been assessed by the department as there is no requirement to do so.
(a) The plans have not been assessed by the department
(b) See answer above
Issued by: Department of Water and Environmental Affairs
28 August 2009
