Climate Action 2011-2012

What is Waste?
The answer to this question forms the basis of all laws
and regulations that govern national and international
waste markets (treatment methods, industrial facilities
and exchange). Waste historically was disposed without
consideration for the environmental consequences, or the
re-use or recycling potential. The management of waste,
both locally and internationally, has been incorporated into
legislation to protect both the environment and human
health from any adverse effects of disposal.
The internationally accepted ‘waste hierarchy’, as first
accepted into policy by the European Community in the
Framework Directive of 1975, is aimed at preventing
waste where possible; re-using, recovering and recycling
waste to reduce volumes; treating the waste to render it less
hazardous or harmful to the environment; and disposing of
unavoidable waste to landfill as a last resort. The successful
implementation of the waste hierarchy largely depends on
its translation into policy, strategy and legislation.
Contribution of Waste to
global Change
The 2006 World Waste Survey estimated the quantity of
waste collected worldwide at 2.5 to 4 billion tonnes per
annum. The global average waste generation rate is in the
order of 0.7 kg per person per day. Waste affects resources
on two fronts. Firstly, a wasteful society puts unnecessary
pressure on the resource base due to overconsumption
of natural resources. Secondly, waste that is not properly
managed impacts on the natural environment through its
potential to cause pollution (air, water and soil pollution).
into actions and policies – as well as anticipate both future
opportunities and obstacles in the path to sustainability.”
Waste minimisation
In general consumers have an increasingly ‘throwaway’
culture. One example of our wasteful society is the urge to
keep up with the latest technologies. Cell phones, computers
and other electronic equipment are replaced while still in
perfect working order, adding to the mountain of electronic
waste. Acknowledging that it is sometimes cheaper to replace
broken equipment than to have it repaired, with waste
minimisation in mind, one should rather repair than replace,
even if it entails paying more. This may seem impractical,
uneconomical and optimistic, but the reality of diminishing
natural resources and unsustainable consumerism cannot
be ignored. What may seem to be a saving to the individual
may result in a much higher cost to society as a result of the
ever-increasing waste stream that needs to be managed.
In reality, minimising consumption of natural resources
and minimising the generation of waste means that every
individual has to start thinking and rethinking about what
they buy and what will happen to consumer goods when
no longer in use, i.e. disposed of as waste. If we are serious
about minimising waste, we must refrain from buying
unnecessary goods, or replacing goods that are not broken,
or if broken, can be repaired. Even buying essential items
will require a conscious decision on, for instance, buying
the item with the least packaging material, highest recycled
content or highest potential to be recycled at the end of its
lifetime. For business and large organisations, implementing
this approach may require a change in procurement policies.
A wasteful society puts
unnecessary pressure on
the resource base due to
overconsumption of
natural resources.
The 2006 Environmental Outlook Report for South
Africa, estimated that waste from households, commercial
enterprise, institutions and the manufacturing sector was
about 13.5 to 15 million tonnes annually. In addition,
industrial waste handled and disposed of on site was
estimated to be about 22 million tonnes per annum. The
greenhouse gas emissions from this waste according to
the Greehouse Gas Inventory of South Africa (2009) are
in the order of 8.09 million tonnes of CO 2
equivalent. In
addition, production of consumer goods also contributes
to greenhouse gas emissions and wasted consumer goods
therefore add to this burden. As WWF commented in
2010, “In order to secure the future in all its complexity
for generations to come, governments, businesses and
individuals urgently need to translate these facts and figures
© DEA
135 climateactionprogramme.org