1.6.4 Waste disposal

1.6.4(1)
The lack of adequate, compliant landfills and hazardous waste management facilities is a cross-cutting strategic priority that impacts on the safe disposal of all waste streams. Although more than 2000 waste handling facilities are estimated to exist¹¹, there are currently significant backlogs in permitting, and some municipalities have not even begun the process of permitting waste facilities. Furthermore, many permitted landfills fail to achieve compliance with the conditions of their permits.  Currently only four of the nine provinces have hazardous waste facilities.

1.6.4(2)
There is an undersupply of landfill airspace, and the currently available airspace is being rapidly depleted. This is compounded by the low levels of waste minimization and reuse, recovery and recycling. Separating, recycling, and reducing waste through treatment poses a cross-cutting challenge that will inform the management of all waste flows but is of particular significance for general and domestic waste.

Footnotes:

¹¹DEAT (2007), Assessment of the Status of Waste Service Delivery and capacity at Local Government level.  Directorate:  General Waste Management, August 2007, Draft 3.