The inaugural Waste Management Indaba, held from September 30 to October 1 by Gauteng Department of Environment MEC Ewan Botha, has highlighted the province’s growing waste management challenge and a need for a coordinated response.

The event brought together government, municipalities, industry, waste management operators, producer responsibility organisations (PROs), academia, civil society, waste pickers and communities. Stakeholders assessed the current state of waste management and identified interventions to improve waste collection, recycling, waste diversion, compliance and enforcement.

Solutions presented included strengthening municipal waste management systems, expanding recycling infrastructure, promoting waste separation at source, supporting small and medium enterprises in the waste sector, and advancing the circular economy.

Participants agreed that sustainable solutions require collaboration among government, businesses, communities, waste pickers, and the recycling industry. Stakeholders committed to improving coordination and cooperation across the waste management value chain to ensure more effective and integrated interventions.

Participants agreed on the need to reduce reliance on landfill disposal by promoting waste minimisation, reuse, recycling and recovery initiatives, with greater emphasis on household and business participation in separation-at-source programmes.

Expanding recycling activities and increasing economic participation through support for buy-back centres, waste enterprises, cooperatives and informal waste collectors were some of the opportunities identified.

Following the Indaba, the department said it will develop an action plan to guide the execution of resolutions.

“We will engage municipalities and stakeholders to align interventions with existing waste management programmes, undertake municipal roadshows to promote recycling among young people, strengthen waste minimisation and recovery initiatives, enhance compliance monitoring and enforcement, and promote partnerships that support investment and innovation in the waste sector.”

The department committed to establish mechanisms to monitor progress and ensure that commitments made during the Indaba lead to measurable improvements on the ground.

“Achieving a cleaner, greener and more sustainable Gauteng requires active participation from government, municipalities, businesses and communities. Residents are encouraged to reduce waste, separate recyclable materials, use appropriate disposal facilities and refrain from illegal dumping.”