As part of the Department of Environmental Affairs efforts to drive recycling in South Africa, 15 buy-back centres will be established in this financial year, 2013/2014, Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, announced on Tuesday 11 June 2013. She was presenting the Budget Vote to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) in Parliament in Cape Town.

Molewa also highlighted the continued contribution of the National Waste Management Strategy to the creation of varied industries that are deliberately structured to deliver sustainable livelihoods.

“We are assisting three District Municipalities in the Northern Cape, two in Gauteng and two in Mpumalanga with the development of their Integrated Waste Management Plans to ensure that the planning around provision and management of waste complies with the requirements of the Waste Act. We will assist a further five this year.”

The Minister added that the Department of Environmental Affairs would continue with the project of reducing the number of unlicensed waste disposal sites in South Africa.

“In this financial year, the Department will finalise the norms and standards for remediation of contaminated land, storage of waste, flaring of landfill gas and waste classification and management regulations,” concluded Molewa.