The National Environmental Management; Waste Act, No 59 of 2008 came
into effect on 1 July 2009. The main objectives of the Waste Act are as
follows:
- Promote an integrated approach in dealing with waste which focuses on prevention, minimization and responsible disposal of waste.
- Ensure that waste is properly managed in order to minimise its potential to cause damage to the socio-economic and bio-physical environments.
- To build capacity and assist the South African industrial sector to properly manage waste by requiring provinces and municipalities to develop integrated waste management plans that are co-ordinated and aligned with the relevant integrated development plans and other plans and programmes of provincial and national government.
- To provide guidance to regulatory authorities.
- To assist the industrial sector in moving to improved waste management practices.
- To provide for industry waste management plans at a national level for industries that cross provincial boundaries as well as at a provincial level for industry specific to a particular province.
- To ensure that a National Waste Management Strategy is established within two years of the Act coming into effect, in order to realize the Republic’s obligations in terms of relevant international agreements.
- To ensure alignment of provincial and national waste management standards.
- To promote the principles of reduce, re-use, recover, recycle.
- To ensure responsible waste disposal.
- To prevent pollution and ecological degradation.
