South Africa

Disaster Management Act, 2002

Directions Regarding Measures to Address, Prevent and Combat the Spread of COVID-19 in Relation to Recycling of Waste

Government Notice 539 of 2020

I, Barbara Dallas Creecy, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment hereby issue the Directions set out in the Schedule in terms of regulation 4(10) of the Regulations issued by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in terms of section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002) and published on 29 April 2020 in Government Notice No. R. 480 of Government Gazette No. 43258.Barbara Dallas CreecyMinister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

1. Definitions

In these Directions, any word or expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Regulations or the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, bears the meaning so assigned and, unless the context otherwise indicates—"National Environmental Management: Waste Act" means the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008);"Regulations" means the Regulations issued in terms of section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act and published on 29 April 2020 in Government Notice No. R. 480 of Government Gazette No. 43258; and"Waste Information Regulations" means the National Waste Information Regulations issued in terms of section 69(1) of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act and published on 13 August 2012 in Government Notice No. R. 625 of Government Gazette No. 35583.


2. Purpose

The purpose of these Directions is to—(a)curtail the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and to alleviate, contain and minimise the effects of the national state of disaster;(b)ensure fair processes, and related procedures during Alert Level 4 for the recycling of glass, paper, plastic, metal and tyres and other waste streams as contemplated in Annexure 3 and 4 of the Waste Information Regulations;(c)provide direction in respect of the protection of health, well-being and the environment when carrying out of activities by the recycling sector in terms of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, through the provision of reasonable measures for re-using, recycling and recovering of waste in respect of services that have been permitted under Alert Level 4 as contained in the Regulations; and(d)enable separation of waste at source by encouraging households and other establishments that generate municipal solid waste to separate recyclables from residual waste before disposal.


3. Application

These Directions apply to persons carrying out activities as contemplated in section 2(a)(iii) and 16(1)(b) of National Environmental Management: Waste Act and includes—(a)all recycling operations within the Republic of South Africa, including formal recycling establishments (e.g. waste storage, depots, Buy Back Centres, waste processing facilities, etc.); and(b)all informal recyclers and waste pickers.


4. Directions related to formal recycling establishments of glass, paper, plastic, metal, tyres and other waste streams as contemplated in Annexure 3 and 4 of the Waste Information Regulations

4.1All recycling operations within the Republic of South Africa are expected to allow operations for the recycling of glass, paper, plastic, metal, tyres and other waste streams as contemplated in Annexure 3 and 4 of the Waste Information Regulations and which are contained as Annexure 1 and 2 to these Directions, which operations are permitted to operate at 50% capacity.
4.2Formal recycling operations as permitted by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition must adhere to Alert Level 4 conditions relating to social distancing, the usage of personal protective equipment, the disinfecting and sanitizing of establishments and are limited to operate at not more than 50% ofcapacity. When establishing capacity, all formal recycling establishments must limit the number of persons, including staff, contractors and customers physically present in a recycling establishment at any given time to not exceeding one person for every nine square metres. The calculation of the maximum number of people permitted in the recycling establishment must be based on the net floor space where people can freely move around, not considering divisions such as walls, fixtures, fittings, etc. and others that occupy floor space. The following formula must be applied:N = F/9N = Number of people allowed in the recycling establishment spaceF = clear floor space of the site in square metres (excluding space occupied by walls, fixtures and fittings).


5. Directions related to informal recyclers and waste pickers

5.1A municipality may issue permits under regulations 16(2)(b) and 28(4) of the Regulations relating to informal recyclers and waste pickers, and must maintain a list of persons to whom permits were issued, including their names, gender, and identification or passport number, where available.
5.2In order to enable a municipality to process the issuing of permits as contemplated in subparagraph 5.1, all informal recyclers and waste pickers must provide proof of identity or certified copies of proof of identity in the following manner:(a)All South African informal recyclers and waste pickers must provide South African identity or passport documents or certified copies thereof;(b)all non-South African informal recyclers and waste pickers must provide either—(i)a valid passport or a certified copy thereofwith a visa authorising him or her to work, issued by the Department of Home Affairs in terms of section 10 read with section 19 of the Immigration Act, 2002 (Act No. 13 of 2002), or a certified copy thereof; or(ii)an asylum seekers’ visa, or a certified copy thereof, issued in terms of section 22(1) of the Refugees Act, 1998 (Act No. 130 of 1998), which is endorsed with the right to work; or(iii)a formal written recognition of refugee status or a certified copy thereof, issued in terms of section 27 the Refugees Act, 1998 (Act No. 130 of 1998).
5.3All informal recyclers and waste pickers must uphold health and hygiene requirements by—(a)wearing personal protective equipment (including gloves, a cloth or any other mask) at all times during operation; and(b)maintaining a social distance amongst informal waste recyclers and waste pickers of at least one and a half metres.


6. Commencement and duration

These Directions come into effect on the date of publication in the Government Gazette, and will apply for the period of Alert Level 4.


Annexure 1

General waste types


  No Name NO Name
General waste GW 01 Municipal waste 01  
  GW 10 Commercial and industrial waste 01  
  GW 13 Brine 01  
  GW 14 Fly ash and dust from miscellaneous filter sources 01  
  GW 15 Bottom ash 01  
  GW 16 Slag 01 Ferrous metal slag
  02 Non-ferrous metal slag
  03 Other
  GW 17 Mineral waste 01 Foundry sand
  02 Refractory waste
  03 Other
  GW 18 Waste of electric and electronic and electronic equipment (WEEE) from which hazardous components/ substances have been removed 01 Large household appliances
 
  02 Small household appliances
  03 Office, information and communication equipment
  04 Entertainment and consumer electronics and toys, leisure, sports and recreational equipment and automatic issuing machines
  05 Lighting equipment
  06 Electric and electronic tools
 
  07 Security and
health care equipment
  08 Mixed WEEE
  GW 20 Organic waste 01 Garden waste
  02 Food waste
  03 Wood waste
  GW 21 Sewage sludge 01 Sewage sludge
  GW 30 Construction and demolition waste 01  
  GW 50 Paper 01 Newsprint and magazines
  02 Brown grades
  03 White grades
  04 Mixed grades
  GW 51 Plastics 01 Polyethylene
terephthalate (PET)
  02 Polyvinyl Chloride
(PVC)
  03 Low-density
polyethylene
(LPDE)
    04 Polypropylene (PP)
  05 Polystyrene (PS)
    06 Other
  GW 52 Glass 01  
  GW 53 Metals 01 Ferrous metal
  02 Non-ferrous metal
  GW 54 Tyres 01  
  GW 99 Other 01  

Annexure 2

Hazardous waste types


  No Name No Name
Hazardous waste HW 01 Gaseous waste 01 Gases (excluding
Greenhouse gases)
02 Obsolete ozone depleting gases
HW 02 Mercury containing waste 01 Liquid waste containing mercury
02 Solid waste containing mercury
HW 03 Batteries 01 Lead batteries
02 Mercury batteries
03 Ni/Cd batteries
04 Manganese dioxide and alkali batteries
05 Lithium and Lithium ion batteries
06 Nickel-metal hydride batteries
07 Mixed batteries
HW 04 POP waste 01 PCB containing wasste (>50mg/kg)
    02 Other POP-containing waste
HW 05     Liquid and sludge inorganic waste
02 Solid inorganic waste
03 Spent pot lining (inorganic)
HW 06 Asbestos containing waste 01 Asbestos containing waste
HW 07 waste oils 01 Waste oil
HW 08 Organic halogenated and / or sulphur containing solvents 01 Solvents containing halogens and/ or sulphur
HW 09 Organic halogenated and / or sulphur containing waste 01 Liquids and sludges containing halogens and /or suIphur
02 Solids containing halogens and / or sulphur
HW 10 Organic solvents without halogens 01 Solvents without halogens and sulphur
HW 11 Other organic waste without halogen or sulphur 01 Liquid and sludge organic waste
02 Solid organic waste
03 Spent pot lining (organic)
HW 12 Tarry and bituminous waste 01 Tarry waste
02 Bituminous watse
HW 13 Brine 01 Brine
HW 14 Fly ash and dust from miscellaneous filter sources 01 Fly ash
HW 15 Bottom ash 01 Bottom ash
HW 16 Slag 01 Ferrous metal slag
02 Non-ferrous metal slag
03 Other
HW 17 Mineral waste 01 Foundry sand
02 Refractory waste
03 Other
HW 18 Waste of electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) 01 Large household appliances
02 Small household appliances
    03 Office information and communication equipment
    04 Entertainment and consumer electronics and toys, leisure, sports and recreational equipment and automatic issuing machines
    05 Lighting equipment
    06 Electric and electronic toools
    07 Security and health care equipment
    08 Mixed WEEE
HW 19 Health care risk waste 01 Pathological waste
02 Infectious waste and sharps
03 Chemical waste
HW 20 Sewage sludge 01 Sewage sludge
HW 99 Miscellaneous 01 Miscellaneous

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