Question NW3859 to the Minister of Environmental Affairs

Reply:

(a) One of the work streams within Operation Phakisa was the Hazardous Waste. One initiative from this work stream related to ash waste. The officials have developed draft regulations for the exclusion of waste or portions of waste from the definition of waste. These proposed regulations will provide for the beneficiation of certain waste streams whilst not having to adhere to the relevant waste legislation (licence requirements). This is after a rigorous process has been followed to obtain the exclusion which includes various risk assessments and waste classification. The waste streams initially include boiler ash, metalurgical slag, biomass and gypsum. These regulations will be published for public comments in due course.

The following twenty (20) initiatives developed within the 4 work streams, aim to maximise diversion of waste from landfill sites and also increase South Africa’s competitiveness in the chemicals industry and create a positive enabling business environment for Small Medium Micro Enterprises to foster inclusive growth. These include amongst others:

Industrial work stream

Initiative 1 - Increase ash uptake for alternate building materials

Initiative 2 - Accelerate innovation and commercialize existing Research & Development (R&D)

Initiative 2a - Use ash as soil ameliorant; and

Initiative 2b - Use ash to treat acid mine drainage and backfill mines.

Initiative 3 - Export ash and ash products.

Initiative 4 - Zero sewage sludge to landfill.

Initiative 4a - Anaerobic Digester Biogas to Energy; and

Initiative 4b - Fluidised Bed Reactor Thermal Treatment.

Initiative 5 - Towards zero meat production waste to landfill by 2023.

Municipal Solid Waste work stream

Initiative 6 - Introduction of an e-waste levy to increase collection rate

Initiative 7 - Unlocking government Information Communication Technology legacy volumes

Initiative 8 - Achieving a minimum of 50% of households separating at source by 2023

Initiative 9 - Introduction of materials recovery facilities and pelletisation plants to increase plastic recycling rates

Initiative 10 - Produce building aggregates and construction inputs from rubble and glass.

Waste Minimisation and Product Design

Initiative 11 - Developing capacity through a specialised programme which upskills agri-stakeholders to minimize food loss

Initiative 12 - Consumer awareness campaign to use and consume ugly food

Initiative 13 - Compilation/update of packaging design guidelines

Initiative 14 - Formalising the packaging industry producer responsibility plans

Initiative 15 - Establish refuse-derived fuel plants across South Africa.

Chemicals work stream

Initiative 16 - Establish a refrigerant reclamation and reusable cylinder industry;

Initiative 17 - Ban import of harmful chemicals (e.g. leaded paint/paint pigments);

Initiative 18 - Collect and dispose of stockpiles of harmful substances

Initiative 18a Mercury; and

Initiative 18b Asbestos

Cross-cutting initiatives

Initiative 19 - Coordinate SMME development opportunities across initiatives

Initiative 20 - Roll out national awareness campaigns

Technical support, in the form of technical skills development, is integrated into initiatives’ 3 feet plans as relevant.

(b) Post Operation Phakisa Chemicals and Waste Economy, on 6 December 2017 I have published a final section 28 Notice calling on the Electrical and Electronic industry to develop an Industry Waste Management Plan and submit to me for approval. It is anticipated that this Notice will increase the collection and recycling rates of ewaste and result in the diversion of waste away from landfilling to reuse, recycling and recovery, e-waste is part of initiatives 6 and 7.

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