4.1 Domestic and commercial general waste

4.1(1)
General waste is waste that does not pose an immediate hazard or threat to health or to the environment, and includes domestic waste, building and demolition waste, business waste, and inert waste.  The Waste Act defines ‘domestic waste’ as non-hazardous waste which emanates from premises that are used wholly or mainly for residential, educational, health care, sport or recreation purposes. Typically such waste contains foodstuffs, garden waste, old clothing, packaging materials such as glass, paper and cardboard, plastics, and, in certain cases, ash.  Business and commercial waste from offices, stores, and schools consists mainly of packaging materials such as glass, paper, plastics, and cans, with a limited quantity of foodstuffs emanating from hotels and restaurants.

4.1(2)
The mixed nature of general waste, the high proportion of recyclable materials going to landfill, and the presence of small quantities of hazardous waste are key challenges that need to be addressed. Where smaller industries are dispersed among normal commercial operations, regular monitoring is necessary to identify the need for special collection and disposal procedures.

4.1(3)
The reliability of domestic and business waste generation data will be systematically improved through the establishment of SAWIS. Data on different waste types in SAWIS will assist in understanding the sources and generation of different waste types, and characteristics and total volume of each waste stream.

4.1(4)
The Minimum Requirements for Waste Disposal at Landfills developed by the former Department of Water Affairs and Forestry regulate the measurement of general waste, including weighbridges at landfill sites depending on the classification of the landfill site. Where weighbridges are not currently available such as on communal waste disposal sites, alternative methods must be used to give a general estimate of waste volumes. 

4.1(5)
Various measures to aid the recycling of metal cans, paper, bottle glass and plastics have been described in earlier chapters, including waste separation and collection systems for recyclables. Specific measures to address scrap metal, window glass, appliance and eWaste are required. Based on the WCMS DEA will develop norms and standards regulating the storage, treatment and disposal of different waste categories.

4.1(6)
Earlier chapters have also dealt with various measures to improve the collection, transportation and disposal of general waste. These include:

• Properly designing waste collection and transportation systems and choosing the correct type of vehicle
• Measures to improve capital investment in waste collection vehicles and asset maintenance of waste machinery.
• Measures to ensure properly planned, constructed, operated and maintained landfills.
• Building capacity for compliance monitoring and enforcement in relation to disposal and landfill management.

4.1(7)
Wastewater sludge is a general waste stream that is regulated by the Waste Act in terms of the sludge disposal storage areas and in terms of the disposal of sludge ash.  Typical sludge management practices include dedicated land disposal, waste piling, landfill disposal and to a lesser degree use in agricultural practices. Even though sludge may only be present in the sludge handling and storage area for short periods at a time, it is, however, on a continuous basis. Hence the sludge disposal sites require a permit according to the Environmental Conservation Act and the Waste Act.  Landfill site owners and operators must manage the ash resulting from sludge thermal treatment accepted on the site as some ash can potentially be considered a hazardous waste as the ash may contain elevated concentrations of metals.  For ash disposal the producer and user must comply with the DWA Minimum Requirements Waste Management Series (Latest edition). Sludge management is a growing challenge for municipalities as a survey undertaken in 2001 of 72 wastewater treatment works from all provinces in South Africa (including cities through to small towns) indicated that approximately 670 tons of sludge per day may be generated.¹⁹  Just for these 72 facilities this equates to nearly 245 000 tons per year. Guidelines for the Utilisation and Disposal of Wastewater Sludge have been developed by DWA, and the implementation of these guidelines by municipalities, landfill site owners and operators is the main priority. The Guidelines provide information on how wastewater sludge can be used as a resource. Appropriate use of sludge as specified in the guidelines can generate a range of economic and social spin-offs to the benefit of local communities.

Footnotes:

¹⁹Purnell G (2009) National Waste Quantification and the Waste Information System. Research Paper commissioned for the National Waste Management Strategy.