Hazardous Waste Fact Sheet

What is hazardous waste? What are the potential impacts of

• Hazardous waste is a waste that contains organic or inorganic hazardous waste?
elements or compounds that may, owing to the inherent physical,
chemical or toxicological properties of that waste, have a • When hazardous waste is released into the environment, it can
detrimental impact on health or the environment. spread and contaminate all environmental media (i.e. air, water,
and land) and pose a threat to human health and the environment.
• Hazardous waste may be generated from household,
agricultural sector, mining, manufacturing processes, medical • The impacts of hazardous waste are determined by one or
facilities, educational institutions, research institutions, and many more of its properties or characteristics listed in the table above.
other sectors.
Typical examples include:
• Hazardous waste must be handled with precaution and must be
disposed at authorized hazardous waste management facilities. −− Paints

Characteristics or properties of hazardous −− Pesticides

waste −− Electrical and electronic equipment

−− Batteries
PHYSICAL HAZARDS
−− Chemicals
−− Health care risk waste
−− Pharmaceuticals
−− Aerosols
Explosive
PHYSICAL HAZARDS Flammable −− Drums
−− Glue
−− Sludge
−− Solvents
−− Mercury containing waste
Oxidizing Compressed gas
PHYSICAL HAZARDS HEALTH HAZARDS −− Cleaning agents

LEGISLATION
National Environmental Management Waste
Act (Act No. 59 of 2008)
Corrosive Toxic
HEALTH HAZARDS HEALTH HAZARDS Government Gazette No 278, 10 March 2009
The Department of Environmental Affairs manages hazardous
waste in South Africa through the National Environmental
Management Waste Act.
The Act provides protection for public health and the environment
Irritant Health hazard by providing measures for:
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS −− Minimising the consumption of natural resources
−− Avoiding and minimising the generation of waste
−− Reducing, reusing, recycling and recovering waste
−− Treating and safely disposing of waste as a last resort
Environmentally damaging
−− Preventing pollution and ecological degradation
−− Remediating land where contamination exits
−− Securing ecologically sustainable development while promoting
justifiable economic and social development
 National Norms and Standards for Disposal
ASSOCIATED REGULATIONS AND NORMS of Waste to Landfill
AND STANDARDS Government Notice No. R. 636, 23 August
Waste Classification and Management 2013
Regulations The Norms and Standards prescribe:

Government Notice No. R. 634, 23 August −− the landfill classification and containment barrier design;
2013 −− waste acceptance criteria for disposal to landfill; and
The WC&MR aim to regulate the classification and management −− waste disposal restrictions.
of waste in a manner which supports the implementation of the
provisions of the Act. The Regulations: −−

−− Prescribe the general duties of waste generators, transporters National Norms and Standards for Storage
and managers of Waste
−− Prescribe the requirements for disposal of waste to landfill Government Notice No. 926, 29 November
−− Provide a mechanism for the listing of waste management 2013
activities that do not require a waste management licence The Norms and Standards provide:
−− Prescribe timeframes for the management of certain wastes. −− a uniform approach to the management of waste storage
−− facilities; and
−− a minimum standard for the design and operation of new and
List of Waste Management Activities that
existing waste storage facilities.
have, or are Likely to have a Detrimental
Effect on the Environment −−

Government Notice No. 921, 29 November National Norms and Standards for the
2013 Remediation of Contaminated Land and Soil
In terms of Part 4, section 19 of the Act the Minister may publish
Quality
a list of waste management activities that indicates whether a Government Notice No. 331, 2 May 2014
waste management licence (WML) is required to conduct the
activity or, if a WML is not required, the requirements or standards The Norms and Standards provide:
that must be adhered to when conducting the activity. −− a national approach to determine the contamination status of
The list prescribes those activities that require a basic an investigation area; and
assessment process (Category A), those that require a scoping
−− minimum standards for assessing necessary environmental
and environmental impact process (Category B) and those that
must comply with the established Norms and Standards relevant protection measures for remediation activities.
to the undertaking of such activities (Category C). −−

National Standards for Scrapping or

National Waste Information Regulations Recovery of Motor Vehicles
Government Notice No. R. 625, 13 August Government Notice No. 925, 29 November
2012 2013
The purpose of the WIR is to regulate the collection of data and The National Standards provide:
information to fulfil the objectives of the national waste information
−− the minimum requirements for the design, construction or
system as set out in section 61 of the Act.
upgrading of a vehicle scrapping or recovery facility.
−−
National Norms and Standards for National Standards for Extraction, Flaring or
Assessment of Waste for Landfill Disposal Recovery of Landfill Gas
Government Notice No. R. 635, 23 August Government Notice No. 924, 29 November
2013 2013
The Norms and Standards prescribe:
The National Standards provide:
−− the standard assessment methodology;
−− the minimum requirements for the construction and operation
−− total and leachable concentration analysis and limits; and of a landfill gas extraction, flaring or recovery facility.
−− waste types for landfill disposal.

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