Today, 22 August 2019, local legislation bans all liquid waste from landfill – signalling a massive shift in South African waste legislation and placing significant importance on the effective management of such waste by waste producers and the waste industry alike. The question is – is South Africa ready to manage this and what is it going to take to do so?

In line with increasingly stringent global standards, South African industry is faced with a challenge of improving upon and changing its waste disposal practices. Arguably, one of the greatest obstacles within the waste economy is the current dependence on landfills. According to the 2018 Africa Waste Management Outlook Report (authored by the UN Environment and CSIR), more than 90% of waste generated in Africa is disposed of at uncontrolled dumpsites and landfills, often with associated open burning. Moreover, 19 of the world’s 50 biggest dumpsites are located in Sub-Saharan Africa.