Pretoria - The Department of Environmental Affairs has taken a fresh approach to waste management through a series of planned roadshows.
From 28 October to 09 December 2010, the department will visit all nine provinces promoting its Waste Act. It intends to create awareness and understanding of its Waste Information System.
"Issues that will be emphasised include contaminated land provisions, waste licensing system, new waste classification system, integrated waste management planning as well as the waste stream regulations," the department said.
The road shows will kick off on Thursday at Mangaung in the Free State and end in the Northern Cape. They will be held in conjunction with the provincial Environment Departments responsible for waste management.
South Africa has over the past 10 years been moving towards promoting the minimisation of waste through recycling and reusing campaigns in order to avoid rubbish getting to landfills.
"South Africa is faced with a challenge in terms of sufficient landfill space and the high costs of maintaining landfill sites.
"Waste minimisation and recycling therefore becomes the most important elements of the waste management hierarchy in reducing the amount of waste..." the department said.
The Waste Act, which came into effect in 2009, seeks to centralise waste management by coordinating the activities of stakeholders at all levels.
