While district and local municipalities are legally required to develop and implement Integrated Waste Management Plans (IWMPs) that reflect national environmental priorities, widespread non-compliance is exposing communities to an increased risk of disease.
A combination of budgetary constraints and skills gaps, plus inadequate oversight from government, has left many municipalities without a working waste management plan. "Where these are in place, insufficient commitment to implementation is often observed," says Andrew Caddick, senior environmental scientist at SRK Consulting.
"The Department of Environmental Affairs' National Waste Management Strategy must inform strategic priorities at provincial government level, and these priorities must cascade down to district and local municipalities' IWMPs, but it seems that this requirement is not well enforced," Caddick explains.
In the absence of professional waste management planning and implementation, landfills are poorly managed, dumping is often uncontrolled and waste-related infrastructure lacks proper maintenance, among other issues.
Acknowledged: IMESA
