Institute of Waste Managementof

Southern Africa

WHO COLLECTS AND TAKES OUR WASTE AWAY?

Your local council is responsible for waste collection anddisposal, which includes· removal from households, businesses and industries· removal of litter from streets, service lanes and other public places· removal of bulky waste from private premises and open areas, e.g. scrap cars, furniture, tyres, electrical appliances, builders’ rubble· adequate landfill sites The council

needs to paywages for

· labourers· drivers· street sweepers· litter pickers· landfill workers· office staff· supervisors

iwmsa@telkomsa.net www.iwmsa.co.za

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In order to do thisthe municipalityneeds to buy

· dustbins and bags skips· street sweeper trolleys· brooms and brushes· worker overalls· trucks· fuel

As you can see waste collection and disposal costs a greatdeal of money. The council uses our waste removal rates topay for this service. If we don’t pay our rates, there is nomoney to pay for removing our waste.

WHO IS THE EXPERT ON WASTE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA?The Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa promotessound and cost-effective waste management to ensure that allwastes are handled in a way that protects the environment. Themembers come from all sectors of the waste management industryand include waste managers, contractors, academics, consultantsand students,

Compiled by Liz Kneale and Mary ChettleCentral Branch, Institute of Waste Management of SAPO Box 79 Allen’s Nek, 1737 Tel 011 675-3462 Fax 011 675-3465

e-mail:

WHAT IS WASTE AND WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?

We all use pens every day. When the pen dries up and is no longeruseful, we call it waste and throw it away. Everything we docreates waste.

What happens to our waste when we throw it away? The counciltakes it to be uried in a landfill. (We don’t call it a rubbish dumpanymore). This costs money and too much waste causes landfills tofill up quickly. Landfills use up valuable land. Sometimes the waste ispoisonous (hazardous), such as paint, batteries, medicines andchemicals, and can harm the environment.

Waste can actually be useful – it could be re-used or recycled.In this way we will use up less of the earth’s valuable materials,also called natural resources.

We should do everything we can to create less waste

Buy wisely

Buy - · less, create less waste· only what you need· the best quality· items with less packaging drinks in returnable bottles· refill packs· long lasting items· items that can be re-used, repaired and recycled· items that will not harm the environment Take your own bag or basket to the store. Carry small items home without a packet If you can, borrow rather than buy

Repair – make somethinglast longer

· Fix, mend and patch rather than buy· Keep an eye out for loose buttons, handles, screws· Do repairs as soon as necessary· Repaint and re-varnish

AVOID CREATING UNNECESSARY WASTE

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Make wisely

Design and make products–· that last longer· with less packaging· using recyclables· using scrap materialTrain workers to operateequipment correctlyUse quality control systemsto reduce rejectsReduce and manage wastecreated when products aremade

Use wisely

· Use less rather than more· Look after your clothes, toys, books· Clean, sharpen, tighten, polish, oil as soon as needed· Use equipment/toys according to instructions· Service regularly· Use proper cups, plates and towels rather than throw-away (disposable) ones

REDUCE WASTE ALREADY CREATED

RE-USE

There are three aspects to re-us:Use items more than once to make them stay useful longer.

Make a useful item from waste.Give items away to someone who needs them

HOW?Use boxes, jars and plasticcontainers more than once

Set up a “use-it-again”box in the classroom.

Use waste to make games,gifts, toys, flower pots,

jewellery and teaching aids

Set up a “swop box” in the classroom.Bring in an unwanted toy, game or poster

and swop it for something else.

Contact a pre-school to find out whatwaste is used to make teaching aids.Set up a collection scheme at school

Take slips from the garden, plant in used containers and give to friends, schools, retirement villages

Write a play about waste. Make costumes andmusical instruments from waste.

Give unwanted clothes, furniture, appliances,toys, books, magazines to second-hand shops,jumble sales, charities, churches, hospitals,

service organisations or pre-schools.

Use plastic bags as litter bagsin the car or taxi.

Use garden and kitchen wasteto make compost

Click on to waste exchangewww.capetown.gov.za/iwe

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REDUCE WASTE ALREADY CREATED

COLLECT WASTE FOR RECYCLING

First we sort our waste, putting aside those items that can berecycled. Then we take it to a collection point or put it out forcollection. The recyclables are collected, treated, taken to afactory, broken down or melted and used to make new products.This is called recycling.Using recyclables to make products· could use uses less energy and could result in causes less pollution than using raw materials· saves natural resources

HOW?IMPORTANT

Find out if there is a collectionpoint for glass, plastics, cans,

paper or oil in your area,and use it.

Find out if there is a kerbsidepick-up service in your area anduse it.

Help to start a school or communityrecycling programme

Before you start a recycling schemeContact recycling companies and ask :· What do you take?· Do I need to clean or sort?· Where can I deliver?· Do you collect?· Do you give bags or drums to put the items in?· How much do you pay??

Contact:Rose Foundation021 448-7492

Contact:Collect-A-Can011 466-2939

Contact:Glass RecyclingAssociation011 803 0767

Batteries:Fry's Metals 011 827-5413

Contact:Mondi0800 022 112Nampak0800 018 818SAPPI0800 072774Tyres011 792 0359E-Waste:www.e-waste.org.za

Contact:PlasticsFederation ofSouth Africa011 314-4021PETCO 0860 147 738

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A skip is placed at acentral point in thecommunity. Wastemust be put insideand not next to it.

WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR WASTE?

We have done everything we can to reduce our waste. What isleft has to be stored on our property until collection day ortaken to the communal skip bin. The local council collects thewaste and takes it to be buried in a landfill. All this has to bedone cheaply and hygienically, with as little harm to theenvironment as possible. When waste is handled correctly likethis it is called the formal waste stream.

We store and put out our waste using bags, dustbins or mobilebins (also called “wheely bins”)The waste is collected by a teamof men and a truck. The truck can be fitted with a compactor tosquash the waste together so that it takes up less space.

A tractor and trailerare used where housesare close together androads are narrow.

TIDY TIPS

· Place your dustbin in the shade and keep the lid on.· If you use a bag, tie it up firmly to avoid spillage.· Do not overfill the bag so that it bursts.· Place bags or bin out early on the collection day and not the night before.· Put bags or bin where workers can see them and do not leave them behind.· When you go on holiday ask neighbours to put out your bags or bin on collection day.· Contact your local council about removal of bulky or heavy items not covered by the normal collection service.

The waste arrives at the landfill

4.The waste is covered with soil to keep it down, to stop smells and to keep flies and rats away

3.The waste is scooped up andspread. The heavy spiked wheelsflatten or compact the waste.

2.The waste is off-loaded

Containers for useby the public

1. As it arrives at the landfilll,the truck drives overthe weighbridge to find out how much the waste weighs.The driver pays a fee based on the weight.Landfills are built according to very strict rules and checked allthe time to make sure that they do not harm the people or theenvironment. At uncontrolled dumps, waste is just offloaded andleft to rot.Litter

We have described waste in the right place – the formal wastestream. When waste is in the wrong place – lying around on ourstreets and veld – it is called litter.

Litter does not just happen – it is created by people. It costs alot of money to pick it up. It is ugly. Litter can cause :· air, water and land pollution· health and fire hazards· harm to people, animals, birds and fish

Think before you throw. Look for the bin and put your waste in!5 6