Chemicals and Waste Management

Purpose

To manage and ensure chemicals and waste management policies and legislation are implemented and enforced in compliance with chemicals and waste management authorizations, directives and agreements

Functions

To develop and implement processes and systems for the efficient and effective administration of the Department's authorisation of waste management activities andensure reduced releases of hazardous waste streams into the environmentand that contaminated land is remediated.
To lead the development of national policies, strategies, legislation, norms and standards and build capacity in government, industry and civil society to respond to the challenges of pollution resulting from poor general waste management while also contributing towards the provision of basic waste services to all citizens of South Africa.
To lead the development of national policies, strategies, legislation, norms and standards and monitor and evaluate the impact of policy on chemicals and waste management
To manage, facilitate, plan and coordinate department’s and South Africa’s engagement and co-operation agreements in multi-lateral chemicals and waste agreements and related international cooperationand national programmes

Structure and contact details

Deputy Director-General Chemicals and Waste Management: Ms Mamogala Musekene

Telephone: 012 399 9759

Fax:

E-mail: Mail: Ms M Musekene

Chief Directorate- General Waste and Municipal Support

Chief Directorate - Hazardous Waste Management & Licensing:
Ms Mishelle Govender

Tel: +27 399 8993

Mail: Ms M Govender

Chief Directorate - Chemicals and Waste Policy Evaluation and Monitoring:
Mr Kgauta Mokoena

Tel: +27 12 399 9825

Mail: Mr K Mokoena

Chief Directorate - Chemicals Management:
Mr Obed Baloyi

Tel: +27 12 399 9843

Mail Mr O Baloyi

Related projects / programmes categories

Chemicals and Waste Phakisa programme

Chemicals and Waste Phakisa was aimed at engaging on opportunities that call lead to reduction of impact on the environment, while growing the GDP contribution and creating jobs. The Departments intended to have an intensive consultative process involving all the relevant stakeholders to define ambitious target and identify ideas to reach them and come out with clear detailed 3 feet plans to achieve proposals with defined timelines and committed budget and legal support. The implementation of the outcomes is intended to be a collaborative effort by government and stakeholders.

Chemicals management in the environment sector

The Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) relating to chemicals in the country aim to protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of chemicals. The National Environmental Affairs acts as a Focal Point and the Designated National Authority for the implementation of the obligation of MEAs that relate to chemicals and waste of which a country is Party to, or has accepted or signed.

Working on Waste

Waste management is a concurrent function amongst all spheres of government and the department of environmental affairs as the custodian for environmental management is mandated to ensuring a safe and healthy environment that is not harmful to the well-being of the citizens of the country. In recognition of this Constitutional obligation, the department promulgated the national environmental management: Waste Act 59 0f 2008 (Waste Act) and in 2010 developed the National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS).

Youth Jobs in Waste programme

During the delivery of the 2013/14 Budget Vote speech in Parliament by Minister Edna Molewa, the minister emphasised the department's concern over the growing number of unemployed young people. The waste sector has been identified as one of the critical sectors, with the potential to contribute substantially to the generation of jobs within the green economy. It is in this light that the department is increasingly expanding its programmes in job creation and enterprise development programmes within the Waste sector.

Biomass Energy

The Concept of Biomass to Energy is still at its infancy in South Africa but holds promise for the future sustainable development. Biomass is generally regarded as any carbon based material such as animal (including human) waste, plant material, food waste, algae, industrial waste such as reclaimed woody material such as planks, etc. which when processed can produce organic fuels.

Legislation

Policies:
- White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste Management
- National Environmental Management: Waste Management Bill, 2013

Acts:

Regulations
- National Environmental Management Act (107/1998): Regulations to phase-out the use of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) materials and Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) contaminated materials

Strategies:
- National Waste Management Strategy

Related events with media products

National Waste Management Summi

One of the objectives of the National Waste Management Summit is to introduce the recently promulgated National Environmental Management: Waste Amendment Act, 2014 (Act No. 26 of 2014) to the stakeholders and allow an opportunity for high level and technical engagement on how the Act will be taken forward. The Waste Management Summit will be held as a once off summit which may be repeated as and when required.

2015 event

Waste Management Officer's Khoro

The Waste Management Officers (WMO) Khoro (conference in the Vhenda language) is an annual conference of all government institutions dealing with waste. The aim of this conference is to provide a platform for WMOs in the three spheres of government to share information and exchange thoughts in a mutually beneficial manner. It further aims to strengthen capacity and streamline the institutional framework across government entities to enhance effective waste management.