11 July 2007
Kitakyushu, Japan: The province of KwaZulu-Natal could soon see some of the
best practices in waste management, pollution control and recycling of used
materials being implemented, if provincial MEC for Agriculture and
Environmental Affairs Mtholephi Mthimkhulu has his way.
This follows MEC Mthimkhulu's visits to three world renowned facilities in
waste management and recycling in the world's second largest economy this week,
during a week-long study tour in Japan.
Mthimkhulu (MPL) was part of an official Provincial Government delegation to
Japan led by Premier JS Ndebele.
MEC Mthimkhulu's week-long study visit has been on the recycling of waste
plastic and waste management with a particular emphasis on collection,
manufacturing and marketing of goods from waste plastic.
Accompanied by departmental waste management and pollution control officials
together with Acting Head of Department Mr Siddiq Adam, General Manager for
Operations in charge of Environmental Management Services Mr Haroon Karodia,
the MEC and the South African Ambassador to Japan Dr Ben Ngubane on Tuesday
visited the Hiagari Recycling Centre in the City of Kitakyushu.
During the visit, plant officials did a presentation to both MEC Mthimkhulu
and Ambassador Ngubane on how waste, both domestic and industrial, was being
recycled in an environmentally-friend manner thus ensuring best waste
management practices through a win-win situation for both the residents and
industry.
In addition, the MEC and the Ambassador were taken on a tour of the plant
where they saw different types of waste being recycled. These range from
plastic, pet bottles, aluminium and tin cans, bulky garbage, cartons,
fluorescent bulbs, used batteries to other waste domestic and industrial
materials.
"What we have seen here at the Hiagari Recycling Centre is worth emulating
back at home where there remains a challenge of how do we ensure that we begin
implementing world renowned waste management and recycling policies," said MEC
Mthimkhulu.
He said unless the province of KwaZulu-Natal began to seriously look at its
waste management and pollution control pollution, all the efforts of the
Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs to carry out its
constitutional mandate of ensuring that there be clean unpolluted air will be
in vain.
"I am saying this quite mindful of the fact that Japan is a highly
industrialised rich nation and ours is still a developmental state. However, we
have to explore some of the best practices in waste management and recycling as
we are also a rapid industrialising nation and we cannot wait until we have
fully developed so that we only then begin looking at these best practices,"
said MEC Mthimkhulu.
The MEC's delegation also visited an electrical appliance and consumer goods
recycling plant in the City of Kitakyushu called Nishinihon Kaden Recycle
Corporation where presentations were also made to the delegation on how large
electrical appliances such as television sets, dishwashing machines,
refrigerators and other electronic consumer appliances are recycled.
The company also plays a very important role in the conservation of the
Global Environment with more efficient utilisation of resources and reduction
of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and carbon dioxide emissions. It also plays a
critical role in constructing a sustainable society based on a recycling
economy.
The MEC's delegation also visited an Eco-wood plant where recycled plastic
products are used in chip-wood board making for the kitchen cupboard industry.
They also visited Japan's first Eco-town which was founded in 1997 and has
since grown to 27 Eco-towns across Japan. The City of Kitakyushu has been
promoting the "Kitakyushu Eco-Town Project since 10 years ago as a unique
regional policy which integrates an 'Environmental Conservation Policy' and an
'Industry Promotion Policy' whose sole objective is to construct a
resource-recycling-based society."
"One thing that has to be applauded with Japan is that, unlike the developed
European nations, it does not dump its waste in developed countries or
continents such as Africa and for that they must be applauded," remarked
Mthimkhulu.
The KwaZulu-Natal delegation will also visit a seafood processing factory
and a composting centre as well as the World Heritage Site of Hoklkaido
Shiretoko in the Shari town.
For enquiries please contact:
Mbulelo Baloyi
Media Liaison Officer
Office of the MEC for Agriculture and Environmental Affairs
Cell: 082 415 7277
Issued by: Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs, KwaZulu-Natal
Provincial Government
11 July 2007
