Reply by Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs B Sonjica on questions posed in the National Assembly for written reply

Question No 439

Mr L S Ngonyama (COPE) to ask the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs:

Whether the government will promote the recycling of (a) water, (b) paper, (c) metal, (d) plastic, (e) biodegradable materials and (f) other consumables in order to create jobs, sustainable development and a more viable environment; if not, why not; if so, (i) when and (ii) how will this be done?

The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs answers:

The National Environmental Management: Waste Act which came into effect as from 1 July 2009, sets key objectives which include the reducing, re-using, recycling and recovering of waste and securing ecologically sustainable development while promoting justifiable economic and social development.

Government has therefore clearly demonstrated its commitment to ensure that various waste streams including paper, metal, plastics and biodegradable materials are recycled and that sustainable jobs are created through this emerging recycling sector.

Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) is now working with local municipalities and industry to implement recycling initiatives throughout the country. Local municipalities are required to submit an integrated waste management plan which will identify the manner in which they plan to meet the objectives of the act which include recycling objectives. The paper and packaging industry which represents manufacturers of paper, metal and plastics has been identified as a sector required to submit an industry waste management plan which will identify the mechanisms to be put in place to allow for separate collection of packaging and paper waste from households, the mechanisms to ensure financially sustainability of the plan and the mechanisms for including the informal sector into the activities.

(i) The paper and packaging sector intend to support recycling at source as part of their producer responsibility. Collecting recyclables from source i.e. households has the potential to create a significant number of sustainable jobs. A pilot project collecting separated recycles at source which has been running for approximately two years has created 43 jobs collecting and sorting separated recyclables for 25 000 households within the pilot area.

(ii) It is anticipated that the municipal waste management plans will set out how over time, households will be encouraged to separate recyclables from their household waste streams. The separated recyclables will be collected and then sorted at large scale sorting facilities, from where the sorted recyclables will be bailed and sold to recyclers for use in further production.

In areas where curbside collection of recyclables is not possible alternative methods of encouraging recycling will be considered which could include the setting up of buy back centres where residents could be paid for recyclables that they deliver.

Once residents are accustomed to sorting waste and the necessary facilities have been developed the requirement for separation at source could be written into local municipality by-laws. Enforcement could be encouraged through the provision of incentives i.e. paying per kilo of waste disposed of.

Issued by: Ministry of Water and Environmental Affairs
10 July 2009

 

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