Waste sector ‘worth R50bn a year’

THE waste sector could inject around R50 billion a year into the South African economy if it put all its efforts into a properly managed waste recycling regime, according to Environment Minister Edna Molewa.

The minister, who convened a national waste summit in Mpumalanga this week, said at its close yesterday the “throw-away” society we had become needed to change.

A departmental study had established that of the 108 million tons of waste South Africa generated in 2011, a massive 97 million tons had gone straight to rubbish dumps.

“Only 10 percent of the generated waste was recycled in 2011. This tells us we have a problem. South Africa needs to change. We are a ‘ throwaway’ society, and there is a need for a paradigm shift,” Molewa said.

The focus of the waste summit was on the creation of a “radical” approach to waste management which would accelerate recycling and create economic growth within the sector.

“As waste management practitioners, academics, industry and the general public, we have to come to the realisation that business-asusual in waste management is inadequate. We need to rise to the challenge and develop innovative ideas on how we can improve waste management systems in the country to drive the recycling economy,” Molewa told delegates.

The legal tools for waste management were in place with the National Environmental Management Waste Act and the National Waste Management Strategy. The legislation controlled the management of waste to protect health and the natural environment, but also acknowledged that in some circumstances, waste was a resource offering jobs.