Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Interpellation 2
In the light of reports that landfill sites across the Western Cape are reaching their capacity at an alarming rate:
What (a) immediate and (b) long-term interventions is his Department implementing to address this growing waste management crisis?
- It has been known for some time that landfill airspace is diminishing in the Western Cape, and this communication has been constantly raised at the Waste Management Officer’s Forum, and other workshops where pertinent. The Provincial position was to ensure that Regional Landfill sites are established to provide airspace for participating municipalities, and this will be coordinated by the respective district municipalities. To date Karwyderskraal Regional Landfill is already operational in the Overberg District Municipality, and is currently serving the Overstrand, Theewaterskloof and Cape Agulhas Municipalities, and the option for Swellendam Municipality is still open to also participate.
This facility is currently operated by an external service provider, and the audit compliance scores of this facility has been between 98%-100% over the last few years, making it one of the best operated landfills in the country. The current airspace at Karwyderskraal can be accommodated until 2076.
The Weskus Regional Landfill became operational in 2025, and serves the Matzikama and Cederberg Municipalities, whose landfills are either reaching capacity, or have reached capacity. The current operational cell will provide at least 8 years of landfill airspace, and should more cells be constructed thereafter, a further 8-9 years of airspace can be secured.
The Highlands facility in Swartland Municipality operates as a regional facility, and also provides landfill airspace for Bergrivier Municipality. The new partial cell constructed will provide airspace for 7 years, and if the entire cell 3 is constructed will provide an additional 6 years of airspace giving it a total of 13 years. This can be increased should a height extension be approved.
The Cape Winelands District Municipality have just completed the construction of the CDWM Regional Landfill site in Worcester, which will become operational in July 2026. Participating municipalities include Breede Valley Municipality, Witzenberg Municipality and Langeberg Municipality. The total airspace for the current cell will provide 7 years of airspace, and should more cells be built in future, will provide 20-25 years of airspace.
The Garden Route District Municipality is in the process of concluding the construction of their first cell at the GDRM Regional Landfill, and this is expected to be commissioned by early 2027. The first cell will provide 5-6 years of airspace, but the facility can accommodate 25 years of landfill airspace should more cells be developed.
- The Department is strongly promoting circular economy principles and not encouraging waste to be discarded and disposed of at landfill sites. Waste minimisation and beneficiating of waste streams, where materials are viewed as a resource rather than waste is strongly encouraged. Organic waste will be diverted from landfill by end 2027, and municipalities were informed thereof in 2018. Organic Waste Diversion Plans had to be drafted for implementation by all local and district municipalities and although most have finalised plans, implementation has been slow. The primary reasons for diverting organic waste from landfill include:
- Reducing the generation of methane gas when organic waste breaks down anaerobically in landfills, thereby reducing the carbon footprint.
- Methane gas is highly flammable, and by diverting organic waste, reduces the incidents of fires at landfills. Burning waste releases carcinogenic material which will impact on the health of citizens, and hence a zero-tolerance on landfill fires.
- There are great benefits from treating separated organic waste, which can either be anaerobically treated for its biogas (methane, under controlled conditions for energy or fuel requirements) or composted to add to the biological cycle which not only creates enhancements for soil quality but also addresses food security in the process.
- Separation of the organic waste from the waste stream will lead to better quality residual waste, which will also increase the recycling value thereof.
The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations were tabled on 5 November 2021 and is an environmental policy approach where producers (manufacturers, importers, or brand owners) are held responsible for the entire life cycle of their products, particularly the post-consumer disposal and recycling. It shifts waste management costs from government/taxpayers to producers, encouraging sustainable design.
A Product Responsibility Organisation (PRO) is an authorized, often industry-funded body that manages the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations on behalf of manufacturers and importers. PROs handle the collection, recycling, and disposal of products, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations while reducing waste and promoting a circular economy. It is thus important for government to enable the above in order to reduce waste disposed of at landfill.
The Department is also exploring alternative treatment technologies, such as Waste-to-Energy options, where feasible, as an alternative to landfilling. Landfilling is becoming more expensive as a disposal option, partly due to legal reforms over the last decade, as well as the increased fuel crisis which is impacting heavily on transport costs.
The Department is in the process of appointing a service provider to undertake a Budgetary Framework for Infrastructure (BFI) application for Solid Waste Management infrastructure to the value of R3b, in an attempt to ensure all the 24 local municipalities, have appropriate waste infrastructure in place to support circular and green economy principles.
