South Africa
Javascript is required to view this map.
| Land Area
 | total: 1,219,090 sq km country comparison to the world: 25 land: 1,214,470 sq km water: 4,620 sq km note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island) |
| Population | 49,052,489 country comparison to the world: 24 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected. |
| Gross Domestic Product (GDPi) | $492.2 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $477.4 billion (2007 est.) $454.2 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars |
| Human Development Index (HDIi) | 0.683 (129) |
| Happy Planet Index (HPIi) | 29.7 (118) |
| Development Statusi | NICi; BEMi, Developed, UMCi, IBRDi |
| The World Factbook 2009. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency, 2009. | |
| Basel Conventioni Focal Point | Chief Directorate: Pollution Control and Waste Management, Department of Environmental Affairs |
| Web address | www.deat.gov.za |
| Name | Judy Beaumont |
| Address | Private Bag X447 |
| City | Pretoria |
| Postal Code | 0001 |
| Tel | (27 12) 310 3637/3532 |
| Fax | (27 12) 320 1421 |
| jbeaumont(at)deat.gov.za | |
| Waste Management Legislation | 1. The Department of Environmental Affairs has just promulgated the waste legislation which provides, among others: o The recycling of waste by municipalities; o The requirement for industries to produce industrial waste management plans; o The development of a waste management strategy which sets waste minimization targets; o The remediation of contaminated land; o The identification of priority waste streams; and o The focusing of waste management in line with the waste management hierarchy. 2. The Department of Environmental Affairs is also in the process of developing National Hazardous Wastei Management Strategy, which will involve revision of classification system for hazardous waste currently used in the country. 3. South Africa promulgated and is implementing plastic bag regulations which require manufacturers of flat carrier bags to pay a levy on each bag produced. |
| Chemicals Management Legislation | South Africa is developing a Policy on High Temperature Thermal Treatment and co-processing in cement production. This policy development process is at an advanced stage, the draft policy should be gazzetted soon for public comment. Fertilizer, Farm Feeds Act (FFFA) Hazardous Substances Act Occupational Health & Safety Act Environment Conservation Act Asbestos Regulations |
| International Conventions | |
| Basel Convention | BC – Accessioni. South Africa ratifiedi the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal on 5 May 1994. Ban amendment – The amendment to the Basel Convention (Decision III/1) has not been ratified yet by South Africa. South Africa has not ratified Decision III/I of the convention, and the provisions have not been implemented in the country Protocol on liability –South Africa has not ratified the Protocol on liability |
| Rotterdam Conventioni | South Africa ratified the Convention in 2004. |
| Stockholm Conventioni | South Africa ratified the Stockholm Convention |
| Other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAsi) | South Africa ratified the Montreal Protocoli |
| Local projects | |
| Hazardous waste statistics available | |
| National inventory of waste | |
| National inventory on Chemicals | |
Recycling facilities | There are recycling facilities in the country. examples of them include: - Collect-A-Can (Pty)Ltd, P O Box 30500, Kyalami, 1684; ; - FFS Refineries, P O Box 36979, Chempet, 7442; ; - FFS Refiners (Pty) Ltd, P O Box 25102, Sea View, 4072; - Nampak Polycyclers, P O Box 356, Olifantsfontein, 1665; ; - Oil Separation Solutions Lowveld (Pty) Ltd, P O Box 17854, Sunward Park, 1470; - ROSE Foundation; 7 Kotzee Road, Mowbray, 7700 - Desco Electronics, 20 West Street, Pomona, Kempton Park - Consol Glass Recycling, Pretoria - Rubber Resource, Alrode, Johannesburg - Mondi Paper Recyclers, Johannesburg - Sappi Paper Recycling, Johannesburg The facilities listed above are a just a few, and databases of the various recovery/ recycling/ reuse facilities in the various provinces in the country are being developed and held by Provincial Departments of Environmental Affairs through the implementation of the Waste Information System. |
Which materials are collected and recycled? | Glass, Paper, Plastic, Cans, Tetrapak, Polysterene, e-Waste, Scrap metal, Used oil, bulk containers. See the National Recycling Forum for more. |
Hazardous waste management strategy | The Department of Environmental Affairs is also in the process of developing National Hazardous Waste Management Strategy, which will involve revision of classification system for hazardous waste currently used in the country. |
Hazardous waste landfill sites | There are two hazardous waste landfill sites. One of them is Vissershoek Landfill site; Class H:H – Hazard Rating I & II, the other is in Gauteng at Holfontein, both are operated by EnviroServ. |
| Hazrdous waste treatment facilities | - AEC CaF2; Class H:H- hazardous waste with hazard ratings I-IV. It is located in the North West Region; - AECI Umbogintwini; Class H:H hazardous waste with hazard ratings I-IV. It is located in the KwaZulu Natal Region.; - Aloes I (Port Elizabeth); Class H:H-hazardous waste with hazard ratings I-IV. It is located in the Eastern Cape Region; - Aloes II; Class H:H-hazardous waste with hazard ratings I-IV. It is located in the Eastern Cape Region; - Aloes Temporary Leachate Lagoon; Class H:H-hazardous waste with hazard ratings I-IV. It is located in the Eastern Cape Region; - Holfontein Waste Disposal site; Class H:H – hazardous waste with hazard rating I, located in Gauteng Region. The facilities listed above are just a few of South Africa’s disposal facilities, DEAT has a database of disposal facilities of about 688 facilities in the country. These include facilities of different classes, storage, recycling and disposal facilities. The function for permit issuing for establishment of waste disposal sites in line with section 20 of Environment Conservation Act (Act 73 of 1989) is a responsibility of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT). |
e-wastei management | There are e-waste dismantlers and recyclers in the country see www.ewasa.org for a list of collecyion points and e-waste management companies. e-Wsate is dismantled and processed to a point in the country and then shipped to Europe for further processing or safe disposal. |
| Important web links | |
| Department of Environment | www.environment.gov.za |
| Waste Policy | www.environment.gov.za/waste/ |
| NGOs | Groundwork Endangered Wildlife Trust Wessa |
| SA Waste Information Centre | www.sawic.org.za |