INTRODUCTION

South Africa’s landscape of beautiful beaches and mountains and the undisturbed open velds of vast valleys and blue skies, can be protected by our united action on issues of proper waste management and the combating of pollution. Our informal settlements that are already a hazard in terms of our people’s vulnerability to various dangers, are made worse as places of dwelling, by the unacceptably high amount of waste that piles on our streets. Unregulated and unplanned dumpsites mushroom at our doorsteps posing danger to our people. To make it worse, our atmosphere is thick with poisonous gases that our children have to be subjected to. If we do not address these issues as government, we cannot talk seriously about a better life for all.

The release of the White Paper today puts Pollution and waste management issues at the top of our government’s agenda. Visible actions will be taken in establishing waste management infrastructure in townships, dealing with medical and other hazardous waste that contributes to increased poverty and degradation of the environment. The implementation programme on waste and pollution has prioritised minimisation of waste and pollution in the industrial sector, hazardous waste management and improved residential waste management. In doing the above, projects which contribute to job creation are currently being implemented to give effect to the goals of the White Paper on Integrated Pollution Control and Waste Management

GOVERNMENT ACTION ON POLLUTION

For a family in Kwazulu-Natal, that will in a few years have a child who, may be continuously ill, or even mentally affected by the recent gas leaks in Durban a few weeks ago, the action of government to clamp down on polluters of our atmosphere may be coming a little too late. Action nevertheless is required and that is what government has set itself to do. The implementation of this white paper is a key step in strengthening the framework to ensure compliance to Health Standards in our country in as far as emissions that pollute our air are concerned.

While we release this white paper today let me reiterate my warning to all the industrial polluters out there. It is simply unacceptable that as we speak here today there are industries and businesses that are affecting the health and livelihoods of poor communities in particular through pollution. I want to clearly state that as government we have zero tolerance for companies that damage the health of residents and workers through their activities.

While on this issue of grave concern - there has been an impression created by some in the Media that government is lax when it comes to industrial polluters. There is nothing further from the truth:

• I have instructed my department to withdraw the permits of companies implicated in gas leaks, until they are able to give us sufficient assurance that the lives of ordinary South Africans are not at risk. We will be establishing an investigation into the recent Polifin disaster, at the cost of the company. The SO2 reduction targets for the oil refineries are in the process of being revised, and the permit conditions for these companies will be amended.
• We have never hesitated to prosecute and recover damages from companies who disregard environmental norms and standards- Over the last three years we have warned, named and shamed over ten companies for non-compliance.
• Keeping our atmosphere clean is however a partnership. Our approach is to involve industry in shaping the new dispensation. To this end, we have agreed to start negotiations with the refineries on putting in place co-operative agreements in terms of the National Environment Management Act which will entail the operation of ambient and emission monitoring, independent auditing of monitoring results and agreeing on emission reduction programmes.

While we welcome the spirit in which industry has come forward to negotiate, I would like you to know that we these negotiations do not preclude more drastic action against the major polluters in this country. I assure you as members of the communities we serve that we will not tolerate the damage these companies are inflicting to people’s health and the environment. Those who pollute will be made to pay in order to clean up the mess.

JOB CREATION IN THE WASTE SECTOR

The opening of the Etwatwa buy back centre is of particular significance to us. It highlights a key area of our Intervention as government: That communities must be involved in the rebuilding of a new culture of how to rid our communities of dirt. The situation where communities do not have adequate dustbins, where municipalities simply neglect their duties to pick up trash or simply have not established a system to do this - must come to an end.

There are other issues to be addressed through the process set in motion by this white Paper such as key issues relating to Water Pollution, Air Pollution, Land Pollution, Noise Pollution and Waste. Approaches to deal with these are specified.

The benefits of the new approach will include:

• Minimisation and /or avoidance of the creation of pollutants and waste.
• Minimisation and/or avoidance of the transfer of pollutants from one medium to another.
• Reduction and/or elimination of pollutants.
• Minimisation of health risks and impacts.
• Promotion of the development of pollution prevention technologies.
• More efficient use of energy, materials and resources.
• Minimisation of the need for costly enforcement.
• Limitation of future liability with greater accuracy.
• Limitation of costly clean-up practices.

In order to enhance community participation in making this approach work while creating jobs, the Department today unveils 20 waste management projects that emulate this centre that you are launching here today. These projects will cover areas such as recycling centres, production of artefacts from waste, establishment of vegetable and fruit gardens, beautification programmes for communities; the training of young people in garden management and the turning of homeless people into trained waste collectors.

In total the department will put in an initial investment of R5m into these projects. A list of these projects and details are made available here today.

CONCLUSION

The opening of the Etwatwa waste buy-back centre today is another important contribution the aims. The time has come for all of us to act together to clean our cities, townships, informal settlements and villages. We must act together to eradicate the pollution that we find all too visible on winter days in our townships and industrial areas .We must create employment opportunities in the waste sector as we clean up our country for a better life.