recycling
Submitted by loppy1512 on Mon, 2009-05-11 12:39
The framework is too weak. As the effects of our consumerism become apparent, with the amount of waste generated, so too it should be obvious that we need more and more resources to manufacture the goods that ultimately become waste. However, the earth is running out of resources so we should be urgently looking for ways to get around that problem.
One small way to address this is to make recycling the law. ALL businesses should be compelled to recycle. All homes should be compelled to recycle. This needs to be enforced and offenders prosecuted and fined. The issue is way more important than most people realize. It is the quickest way to raise awareness and it would drastically reduce the amount of waste being generated. The Framework does not address this issue with sufficient importance and yet it is something that should be at the core of the Framework.
It's not a matter of whether the "people" like it or not. The issue is way more important than the "people." If we the "people" and Governement do not address this now, the children and grandchildren of the "people" will have nothing left.
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Capacity
I agree that recycling is a critical issue - however, it can't be accomplished by overnight decree. The capacity to process recyclables first needs to be created.
This means finding suitable incentives to expand the recycling sector, as well as identifying interim priorities for the sector.
recycling
Mat is correct. The recycling infrastructure in South Africa must be there or no mandate can possible work. The country currently lacks viable options for many waste streams, but it is a difficult problem to solve. It is really a chicken vs egg issue. No business will open to recycle a new material if there is not sufficient volume to generate a profit and there is not sufficient volume because the waste is not segregated because there is no vendor.
To say the fix is to mandate recycling is utopian...nice in theory but not feasible in the real world. The key to recycling is having a viable market for the recycled material. If there is demand, entreprenuers will fill the need.
The best thing government can do is not "mandate" but rather give incentives to make recycling attractive. For example, bottle deposit schemes where consumers pay a deposit for each beer, soda, & water bottle are only mariginally successful in the rich countries, I would argue it would have a greater impact on recycling volumes in South Africa because there is a much, much larger population of people willing to collect these items for the deposit refund. So even if the original consumer is too lazy to recycle the container, it charges that consumer (the polluter) and rewards the recycler for picking up the container.
I think if you go to any South African general waste landfill, you will see all the evidence you need to think the deposit scheme would work here.