A final research report submitted in fulfilment of part of the requirements for the degree of MSc Project management in construction in the school of construction economics and management, University of Witwatersrand / Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste generation is a universal problem and available landfill space is reducing as landfills reach capacity. Despite the huge effect of construction and demolition waste on the environment, there has been very little research on legislation around waste, and it is therefore increasingly important that compliance with legislation pertaining to management and disposal of construction and demolition waste be assessed. This study explored departmental awareness of the Waste Act in the City of Johannesburg municipality and also in the utility Pikitup, and assessed how the Act has been able to reduce waste. Qualitative data collection techniques in the form of unstructured interviews were used to interview 4 persons in the City of Johannesburg legal department, and 3 persons in the Pikitup department. The challenges and barriers the municipality faces due to the ineffectiveness of the relevant legislation were assessed to gain insight into difficulties with compliance. In addition, the study evaluated the effectiveness of the enforcement strategies that have been used. The results revealed that there is little or no awareness of the legislation so it is difficult for construction site workers to apply it effectively in their waste management activities. In addition, the results exposed a need for a review of the Waste Act as it applies to smaller construction firms and also renovation works, since it was found that it is impracticable for smaller companies to comply effectively with the legislation. All in all, this research sheds more light on the legislation and its purpose, and also on the reasons why it has been quite difficult to achieve compliance with this legislation in the construction and demolition sector. The research will enable useful recommendations for the municipality and also potentially raise awareness of the importance of legislation within the construction community. Key words: Construction waste, Creation, Disposal, Legislation, Management, / GR2017

Poverty and unemployment in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape is forcing thousands of vulnerable people into waste picking. There is growing recognition that waste re-claimers contribute to the local economy, to public health and to environmental sustainability. However, they often face low social status, tragic living and working conditions, and little support from local governments. The waste reclaimers of the Raymond Mhlaba Municipal area are unemployed, experiencing a poorer quality of life and feeling even more socially and economically excluded from the rest of society because of the “limitations” on landfill salvaging currently. Moreover, they have developed feelings of resentment and anger that have resulted in defiant acts of trespassing and theft. This social development study highlights the implications of landfill closure for waste salvagers in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. Landfilling has been the main method for municipal waste disposal in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. To combat the effects of uncontrolled release of landfill gases, the uncontrolled release of leachate that may affect water quality many landfills in the Eastern Cape are being considered for close down and for rehabilitation. To consider as well is the socio-economic backlog and anticipated population growth in the province, which means that landfill salvaging will continue to be an important source of revenue for the poor and homeless. This research used observation, semi-structured one-on-one interviewing, focus group interviewing and questionnaires as well as conducted a review of waste management policy-related documents and secondary data analysis in this qualitative research to analyse the social and the economic impacts. The research found that waste reclaimers in the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality area disagreed with the closure of the Fort Beaufort landfill because of what the researcher assumed to be a lack of general environmental awareness and because of their vulnerability to poverty. Research findings also highlight that waste reclamation can be considered as a viable option to minimize waste at landfills and waste reclaimers have shown an increasing interest and commitment to being trained formally to continue reclamation work. This study has suggested disadvantages in rural landfill closure, without feasible alternatives. Focus must move away from extending waste collection and closing down landfills and instead improve final disposal and initiating minimisation- recycling programs as part of their strategies through the formation of waste cooperatives. This research suggests formalizing and controlling waste recovery to cater for the immediate and most basic needs of the poor. The recommendations will hopefully influence thinking about waste management policy planning and implementation in general, and be of service to furthering Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality achieve goals of sustainable employment creation and poverty alleviation.

Department of Ecology and Resource Management / MENVM

Waste minimisation is implemented worldwide and has become an urgent priority in South Africa as evidenced in the promulgated National Environmental Management Waste Act (2008). The most common waste disposal method in South Africa is by landfill, which is unacceptable. Local municipalities have made little progress towards waste minimisation. The aim of this study was to present a solution to waste minimisation for the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM) by determining the feasibility of establishing composting facilities on landfill sites. One third of all municipal waste consists of green waste, which is compostable and can be converted on landfill sites. Nine municipal landfill sites were screened. The four most feasible sites were evaluated further by applying identified parameters that address physical, social and operational requirements. It is a possible to establish composting facilities on all four sites investigated, with Hatherley ranking as the most suited. The findings of this study clearly provided the basic parameters and requirements for constructing a composting facility and practical procedures applicable within a South African context. The evaluation method used can be applied as a model to evaluate similar studies in other municipalities to aid them in the decision-making process for waste minimisation. / Environmental Management / M.A. (Environmental Management)

Bibliographical refernces appear at the end of each chapter / This study reviews solid waste management practices in Polokwane City. The study area covered some of the residential areas in Polokwane City; namely; Ivy Park, Fauna Park, Welgelegen, Westernburg and the City Centre. This article describes two main methods that were used to collect data; that is Qualitative and Quantitative method. Field survey was also made to validate data obtained from the participants that were interviewed during qualitative data process. After framing the problem, the objectives of Solid Waste Management Practices in Polokwane City were briefly outlined as follows: • Assess solid waste management practices in Polokwane City. • Make comparison on how households and the municipality take responsibility in storing, collecting, transporting, treating and disposing solid waste. • Investigate what problems the City encounters in managing solid waste. • Make relevant recommendations aimed at improving solid waste management practices within the City. The service management was administered by the municipality and private sector. From the five study residential areas, the Municipality manages waste in the City Centre while the private sector manages waste in the other residential areas. However, the City continues to play an administrative role over the contracted service provider. Statistical results were presented in figures and tables. The results showed the storage habits, frequency of collection, mode of transport and methods of disposal for solid waste in Polokwane City. The only method of disposal in the city was found to be landfilling. Activities that took place at the landfill site, such as reclaiming were outlined together with the economic values that these activities add to the City. The study also revealed that as population increases, the amount of solid waste generated also increased. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

Waste minimisation is implemented worldwide and has become an urgent priority in South Africa as evidenced in the promulgated National Environmental Management Waste Act (2008). The most common waste disposal method in South Africa is by landfill, which is unacceptable. Local municipalities have made little progress towards waste minimisation. The aim of this study was to present a solution to waste minimisation for the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM) by determining the feasibility of establishing composting facilities on landfill sites. One third of all municipal waste consists of green waste, which is compostable and can be converted on landfill sites. Nine municipal landfill sites were screened. The four most feasible sites were evaluated further by applying identified parameters that address physical, social and operational requirements. It is a possible to establish composting facilities on all four sites investigated, with Hatherley ranking as the most suited. The findings of this study clearly provided the basic parameters and requirements for constructing a composting facility and practical procedures applicable within a South African context. The evaluation method used can be applied as a model to evaluate similar studies in other municipalities to aid them in the decision-making process for waste minimisation. / Environmental Management / M.A. (Environmental Management)

Bibliographical refernces appear at the end of each chapter / This study reviews solid waste management practices in Polokwane City. The study area covered some of the residential areas in Polokwane City; namely; Ivy Park, Fauna Park, Welgelegen, Westernburg and the City Centre. This article describes two main methods that were used to collect data; that is Qualitative and Quantitative method. Field survey was also made to validate data obtained from the participants that were interviewed during qualitative data process. After framing the problem, the objectives of Solid Waste Management Practices in Polokwane City were briefly outlined as follows: • Assess solid waste management practices in Polokwane City. • Make comparison on how households and the municipality take responsibility in storing, collecting, transporting, treating and disposing solid waste. • Investigate what problems the City encounters in managing solid waste. • Make relevant recommendations aimed at improving solid waste management practices within the City. The service management was administered by the municipality and private sector. From the five study residential areas, the Municipality manages waste in the City Centre while the private sector manages waste in the other residential areas. However, the City continues to play an administrative role over the contracted service provider. Statistical results were presented in figures and tables. The results showed the storage habits, frequency of collection, mode of transport and methods of disposal for solid waste in Polokwane City. The only method of disposal in the city was found to be landfilling. Activities that took place at the landfill site, such as reclaiming were outlined together with the economic values that these activities add to the City. The study also revealed that as population increases, the amount of solid waste generated also increased. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

MPH / Department of Public Health / See the attached abstract below

This research aimed to investigate an area of research that has largely been overlooked in the past, that is, the efficiency, profitability and sustainability of informal waste recycling in semi-urban areas. In exploring the research topic, a recycling buyback centre was used as a case study. The centre facilitates collection, sorting and selling of waste and is located in Senwabarwana, Northern Limpopo Province. Here the P.E.A.C.E (Planning, Education, Agriculture, Cooperatives and Environment) Foundation, an organisation looking at rural poverty alleviation in South Africa, initiated a flagship recycling buyback centre as a community project. This research picks up on prior research that was conducted on a similar project initiated by the same organisation in Ndumo, KwaZulu Natal. Even though the location is different from KwaZulu Natal, both Senwabarwana and Ndumo are faced with similar challenges affecting social, economic and environmental circumstances. Five objectives were identified to provide structure to this research. Through action research, the study assessed the sustainability of this recycling buyback centre with regard to the impact on social, economic and environmental factors within Senwabarwana. It also covered problems experienced in rolling out waste management initiatives within the semi-urban study location and assessed the municipal framework with regard to waste and how waste is managed and recycled. Furthermore, analyses of the waste data generated at the recycling centre was examined that culminated in offering solutions to the identified problems. Recommendations for acceptable practices in semi-urban waste management are made to enable further research and potentially up-scaling the project for application in other geographic areas. The study reports both qualitative and quantitative data collected through the investigation of the case study in the start-up phase. The data gathering was done through administering questionnaires to waste pickers associated with the case study centre. Telephonic and face-to-face interviews and secondary data were interchangeably used to address each of the five objectives. The results from the data gathered show that, if properly coordinated and structured, informal waste recycling in semi-urban communities is possible and can contribute positively to the socio-economic and environmental development of these areas. It is envisaged that this study would contribute to the body of knowledge already in existence, whilst also creating an opportunity for further academic research and input within this field to enable the scaling-up of such initiatives. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Science)

Integrated management of municipal and hazardous waste is one of the challenges facing the new municipalities in South Africa, especially those located in previously disadvantaged rural areas. However, much of the research on solid and hazardous waste management in South Africa has examined waste management problematics in urban areas, the majority of which are located within the jurisdiction of local governments which are comparatively effective in terms of providing adequate disposal services. By contrast, this study has examined the environmental risk assessment associated with unregulated landfill sites in the Albert Luthuli municipality, in the Mpumalanga province. The determination of the environmental risk was achieved by the use of questionnaire surveys and landfill analysis forms in selected study areas. The findings have highlighted a very high environmental risk, nearly four times and above, the threshold limits set by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT, 2005:15) for all of the landfill sites examined. Several exposure pathways stemming from associated environmental impacts have also been identified for the study. The higher environmental risk determined for the problem sites is ascribed to numerous factors, including their ill-planned location, the sensitivity and vulnerability of the natural environment and adjacent rural settlements, the lack of appropriate waste pre-treatment processes prior to disposal, and most significantly, the lack of regulatory and control measures to contain the myriad of environmental problems generated. In conclusion, it is recommended that several measures (including closure) should be taken in order to reduce and contain the magnitude of environmental risks involved. / Environmental Sciences / M.Sc.(Environmental Sciences)