The Minister of Environmental Affairs, Mrs Edna Molewa will open the second Waste Management Summit on 31 May 2016. The Department of Environmental Affairs will host the 2nd Annual Waste Management Summit in Umhlanga, Durban from 31 May 2016 – 02 June 2016.

The theme of the conference is “Promoting Innovation and Upscaling Enterprise Development” - Delivering the tools of the trade -. The discussions will be centralised around improved service delivery, significant fast turnaround of waste management practices to promote the recycling economy.

Over 500 delegates including; government officials, industry leaders, waste management officers and other stakeholders will gather for this annual summit. Representatives from the Vaal University of Technology, PETCO, Coca Cola, National Treasury, SALGA, Mpact Recycling are some of the key organisations that will be joining the discussions.

The coming into effect of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008) on 1 July 2009 brought about a significant policy shift for waste management in South Africa. This introduced the waste management hierarchy approach which advocates for waste avoidance, reduction, reuse, recycling, and recovery as priority options before treatment and disposal of waste, as the last resort.

Minister Molewa has also announced plans to approve and begin the implementation of the three prioritised Industry Waste Management Plans (IWMPs), namely for the Paper and Packaging, Electrical and Electronic and Lighting Industries respectively. The announcement was made recently at the Department of Environmental Affairs budget vote.

Media is invited to attend all sessions
Date: 31 May 2016 – 2 June 2016
Time: 09:00 – 16:30
Venue:  Coastlands Convention Centre
            329 Umhlanga Rocks Dr
            Umhlanga
            Durban
            KwaZulu – Natal

Media Briefing by Minister Molewa
Date: 31 May 2016
Time: 11:00 – 11:30
Venue:  Coastlands Convention Centre
             Umhlanga
             Durban
             KwaZulu – Natal

To RSVP:
Sithokozile – Banele Mabena
SMabena@environment.gov.za / 012 399 9989/ 073 297 9409

Daniel Boya
DBoya@environment.gov.za / 012 399 9987

For media enquiries contact Albi Modise: 083 490 2871