3.6.1 Criteria

3.6.1(1)
Declaration of a priority waste is done in terms of section 14(1) of the Waste Act. A waste may be declared a priority waste by the Minister, or the Minister on behalf of the MEC, by notice in the Gazette. There must be reasonable grounds for the Minister to believe that the waste poses a threat to health, well-being or the environment because of the quantity or composition of the waste. It must also be demonstrated that either specific waste management measures are required to address the threat, or that the imposition of specific waste management measures in respect of the waste may improve the reduction, re-use, recycling and recovery rates or reduce the health and environmental impacts of the waste.

3.6.1(2)
Due to the consequences of declaration, this measure should be reserved for either hazardous waste streams where other less interventionist measures are not appropriate or have failed to control the situation, or for a specific waste stream whereby different government departments and stakeholders are involved, and problem specific solutions are required, such as for sewerage sludge or saline waste.