COWI to upgrade South Africa’s hazardous waste handling, COWI
Release Date: 2009-04-27
In South Africa’s drive to build up a modern waste management industry, COWI has been charged with developing a new system for classifying the country’s hazardous waste according to international standards.
Together with a South African business, COWI has been awarded a contract to develop a classification system for hazardous waste in South Africa. The project was tendered under the umbrella of the Danish-South African Urban Environment Programme.
"In April 2009, South Africa adopted a policy allowing the incineration of waste – a policy which COWI helped to define. It is a policy which gives South Africa a means of developing a modern waste management industry which will benefit the population as a whole in the course of the years to come," says project manager Jørn Lauridsen.
COWI will undertake the project in collaboration with the South African company, Environmental Science Associates, and two specialist consultants: NORSAS (Norway) and Kommunekemi (Denmark).
Waste classification
The overall purpose of the project is to formulate a review of South Africa’s existing waste classification system which regulates the procedures for handling, storing and treating the country’s waste. When waste is classified, it is sorted using objective criteria which vary according to the type of waste. Classification can help to determine how waste should be sorted at the source and treated once it has been collected.
The existing system has limited flexibility and therefore limits the scope for restructuring South Africa’s waste management from a landfill-based process to a more integrated system with several treatment options such as recycling and incineration.
New legislation in 2010
The ultimate objective of the project is to develop an updated and upgraded waste handling system based on international practice and tailored for the South African context. With a view to providing a basis for legislation in the last quarter of 2010, one task of the project is to formulate a revised hazardous waste classification system which will be acceptable to stakeholders.
COWI has already undertaken tasks in the field of waste handling for South Africa’s Ministry of the Environment and is currently providing subconsultancy services on a separate waste project for the City of Johannesburg.
| Type: | NORMAL |
| Company: | COWI |
| Country: | Denmark |
| Url: | http://www.cowi.com/menu/news/newsarchive/utilities/Pages/cowitoupgradesouthafricashazardouswastehandling.aspx |