Download Strategy Here: National Waste Management Strategy 2020
This strategy is a revision and update of the 2011 strategy and builds on the successes and lessons from the implementation of that strategy. The NWMS provides government policy and strategic interventions for the waste sector and is aligned and responsive to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Agenda 2030 adopted by all United Nations (UN) member States. It is also aligned and responsive to South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP): Vision 2030 which is our country’s specific response to, and integration of the SDGs into our overall socio-economic development plans.
Most importantly, the 2020 strategy has the concept of the “circular economy” at its centre. The circular economy is an approach to minimising the environmental impact of economic activity by reusing and recycling processed materials to minimise the need to extract raw materials from the environment; and to minimise the need to dispose of waste. The circular economy is built on innovation and
the adoption of new approaches and techniques in product design, production, packaging and use.
- Significant strategic shifts from the 2011 strategy made in the NWMS 2020 includes:
Addressing the role of vulnerable groups, waste pickers and the informal sector and
supporting women, youth and people living with disabilities in the circular economy; - Promoting approaches to the design of products and packaging that reduce waste or encourage reuse, repair and preparation for recycling, support markets for source separated recyclables;
- Investigating potential regulatory or economic interventions to increase participation rates in residential separation at source programmes;
- Investing the economies associated with transporting of recyclables to waste processing
facilities; - Addressing the skills gap within the sector with a special focus on women, youth and people living with disabilities; and
- Engagement with the National Treasury regarding the operational expenditures for municipalities associated with implementing the NWMS and the Waste Act.
