Question NW3565 to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
28 October 2022 - NW3565
Zondo, Mr S S to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
Whether, considering that construction waste has been identified as one of the core problems in the construction industry across the world and in the Republic between five and eight million tons of construction waste are generated annually, as up to 30% of the material delivered to a construction site ends up as waste, and noting that neither national nor municipal legislation and/or regulations require contractors to have a waste management plan, as only a small fraction of the waste is reused or recycled, with the result that a large amount of waste is disposed of in landfills, which are rapidly reaching capacity in many places, her department intends to develop and enforce legislation and/or regulations around the issue of waste management; if not, why not; if so, what are the full, relevant details?
Reply:
The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
REPLY:
- I have been informed by the Department that the Public Works Green Building Policy as approved and signed on the 31st of May 2018, in section 10.4, paragraph 3 states that DPWI will develop guidelines and minimum standards for the management and recycling of construction waste. These guidelines and minimum standards are incorporated into the relevant specifications for the construction works of DPWI throughout the procurement process.
- Recoverable waste shall be dealt with before disposal to sites. The Department, through the Indigenous Knowledge Systems is planning to roll-out rammed earth techniques in utilising crushed and compacted construction waste including earthworks waste. The excess material shall be disposed of, spread, and roughly levelled where permitted on-site.
- Within the DPWI’s procurement processes, credits shall be awarded to contractors who adhere to alternative and innovative greening ideas during construction including disposal of construction waste.
- The Public Works Green Building policy, in terms of green procurement, stipulates that the DPWI will adopt the Green Building Public Procurement Policy where all contractors and/or sub-contractors are mandated to provide detailed Waste Management Plans in accordance to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as regulated by the National Environment Management Act 107 of 1998 and the Public Works Green Building Policy.
- Furthermore, the Green Building National Framework, states that the Certification of green contractors and products will be adapted in the construction sector to ensure recognition as credited green building practitioners, contractors, or suppliers, hence this initiative will benefit the sector through materials that will not be disposed of, to the landfill sites and repurposed for other uses. It will also ensure confidence in the contractor’s ability and knowledge of disposing of construction waste.
- In addition, the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb) is planning to develop a best practice or standard related to optimising the reuse of waste from construction. This will include the requirement for waste management plans.
- In line with interdepartmental cooperation, DPWI provided an input to the Operation Phakisa work stream championed by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) regarding plans around the management of construction waste. The management of construction waste is expected to provide job creation and entrepreneurial opportunities.