Approximately 29 000 jobs will be created from tons of recyclable waste which may lead to nearly R9 billion in savings for businesses annually if closely monitored, the Director of waste management in the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Saliem Haider has revealed.

In a presentation at the Standing committee on agriculture, environmental affairs, and development planning on waste management Saliem Haider stated that about R700 million landfill airspace could be saved annually from the R15bn that has been estimated in waste management sector.

Bajunet Van Der Schyff executive officer of Van Der Schyff plastics scrapyard – recycling plastics specialist, said the activity of scrapyards is dependent on its performance. “The challenge is that we depend on the market. If the economy is not good, the waste will not be good. If customers are not buying in the retailers, it means there will not be manufacturing and as a result, there will not be recycling,” he said.

Challenges in waste collection

The challenges identified by the National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS)

 • A growing population and economy, which means increased volumes of waste generated.

• Increased complexity of waste streams because of urbanisation and industrialisation.

• A historical backlog of waste services for, especially, urban informal areas, tribal areas, and rural formal areas.

Haider said there was a need to create opportunities across the waste management sector from the collection, sorting, and processing to treating waste to create a circular economy and to improve information management and create a circular economy.

The support and safety of waste pickers are significant for the creation of an enabling environment. Municipalities ought to build fully-fledged containers in the communities, that have dustbins where people could dispose of plastics separately from glass and other waste products and which should be accompanied by awareness campaigns. Waste pickers should wear protective gear such as masks, gloves, and boots.

Stellenbosch Universitys’ Epidemiologist and health expert Dr. Jo Barnes stated that it is imperative to keep microplastic fibres that cause cancers and enhance risks of antibiotic resistance developing among organisms from landfills out of the environment as they cause health and environmental issues.