3.5 Treatment, Processing and Disposal

 

The key logic underlying the waste hierarchy and waste minimisation is that smaller quantities of waste will be involved in the treatment, processing and disposal phases. Naturally, this will be achieved progressively over time.   In the interim, the three key considerations in relation to the treatment, processing and disposal of waste involves the:
  • Challenges associated with the effective management and regulation of landfills
  • Challenges associated with the appropriate handling of hazardous waste
  • Opening up new disposal technologies to facilitate waste to energy conversion.
Landfills are currently thought to be the primary disposal mechanism for waste for the foreseeable future. The vast majority of general waste disposal from all waste streams takes place in over 540 landfills. These landfills are owned and operated by local authorities and only 350 are properly permitted. Landfills are in the main not operated in accordance with their permit conditions and generally do not meet the standards of the DWAF Minimum requirements for the management of landfill sites.
 
A programme of measures is required to address the issues relating to treatment, processing and disposal of waste. This should include, but not be limited to, the following:
  • Establishing norms and standards for the storage, treatment and disposal of waste, including the planning and operation of waste treatment and waste disposal facilities. Such norms and standards are obligatory in terms of the Waste Act, and are vital to lay a common platform for the operation of both public and private disposal facilities.
  • The lack of reliable data on the quantities and types of hazardous waste that are generated pose a challenge for effective treatment, processing and disposal of hazardous waste. The implementation of SAWIS will go a long way to address the challenge of data. 
  • The large number of unlicensed and non-compliant landfills across the country needs to be regularised. Key challenges associated with landfills are ensuring that all landfills in use are licensed and ensuring that landfills are being operated in accordance with sound waste management principles. A programme of supportive measures, including access to MIG funding, should be combined with penalties and enforcement actions against operators of illegal sites.
  • In addition, the NWMS will devise measures to reduce the disposal burden on landfills such as clean production and appropriate product design.
  • Guidelines are required to determine how waste is classified as well as measures to be taken to treat, process or dispose waste. Such guidelines are currently being developed by DEA. 
  • A shortage of hazardous waste disposal facilities is a serious problem for disposal of hazardous waste. The underlying causes resulting in the shortage of hazardous waste disposal facilities needs to be explored to inform the formulation of measures in this regard.
  • Industry Waste Management Plans have an important role to play in facilitating sound waste management practices in relation to waste disposal, including hazardous waste. This should address hazardous waste generated during production and manufacture and should be extended to proper disposal of products containing hazardous waste components.
  • The Waste Act makes provision for the use of special measures to regulate hazardous waste as a priority waste, which can be invoked in instances where industry fails to develop or adequately implement appropriate plans.
  • Proven “Energy from Waste” technologies exist for both methane captured from landfills and waste incineration. However the capital costs, particularly of clean incineration technologies, as well as the transaction costs and capacity requirements for CDM are constraints that need to be further considered and addressed in the NWMS. The NWMS should set out a conducive regulatory environment for waste to energy initiatives.

The measures set out above will be further elaborated upon in the following chapter.