GENERAL WASTE COLLECTION STANDARDS FOR GAUTENG

(Incorporating Cleaning Standards)

FEBRUARY 2010

Acknowledgements

The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development wishes to acknowledge the input from Zitholele Consulting on the development of the General Waste Collection

Standards as well as all the stakeholders who have contributed during the public participation process.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Glencairn Building, 73 Market Street, JohannesburgP O Box 8769, Johannesburg, 2000

Telephone: (011) 355-1900Fax: (011) 355-1000Email: gdard@gauteng.gov.za Website : www.gdard.gpg.gov.za

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION PAGE

1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................11.1 What is a Standard?..............................................................................1

1.2 Structure of the Standards....................................................................1

1.3 Use of the Standards.............................................................................2

1.4 Assistance, commentary on standards and contact with GDARD .....2

2 OBJECTIVES OF THESE GENERAL WASTE COLLECTION STANDARDS33 DEFINITIONS.....................................................................................................34 APPLICABLE LEGISLATION...........................................................................45 APPROACH TO DEVELOPING THE STANDARDS.......................................5

5.1 Investigation Report outcomes.............................................................5

6 PRINCIPLES FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF STANDARDS...............................56.1 Health, Environment and Quality of Life.............................................5

6.2 Integrated waste management approach...............................................6

6.3 Worker health and safety......................................................................7

7 LEVEL OF SERVICE..........................................................................................77.1 Waste collection service levels.............................................................7

7.2 Free basic services................................................................................9

8 STANDARDS......................................................................................................98.1 Collection...........................................................................................10

8.1.1 Domestic - Separation at source collection.....................................10(a) Storage containers......................................................................10(b) Frequency of collection.............................................................11(c) Collection service.......................................................................11

8.1.2 Domestic - Routine Door-to-door service.......................................11(a) Storage containers......................................................................11(b) Frequency of collection.............................................................13(c) Collection...................................................................................13(d) Primary collection in high density areas (such as informal settlements).........................................................................................14

8.1.3 Domestic - Bulk container service..................................................14(a) Storage containers......................................................................14(a) Frequency...................................................................................15(b) Secondary Collection Service (at high density areas such as informal settlements)..........................................................................15(c) Collection...................................................................................15

8.1.4 Business/Industrial waste collection (small container and bulk collection)........................................................................................16

(a) Storage Containers.....................................................................16(b) Frequency of collection.............................................................17(c) Collection service.......................................................................17(d) Separation at source collection..................................................18

8.1.5 Special events..................................................................................19(a) Pre-arranged Events...................................................................19(b) Non Pre-arranged Events...........................................................20

8.2 Cleaning Standards.............................................................................208.2.1 Cleaning...........................................................................................21

(a) Litter containers.........................................................................21(b) High use areas (including town and city centres)......................22(c) Other areas requiring regular cleaning.......................................23(d) Leaf Removal.............................................................................23(e) Lane flushing.............................................................................24(f) Removal of animal kills.............................................................24(g) Mechanical Sweeping................................................................24(h) Cleaning Frequency...................................................................25(j) Cleaning service.........................................................................25(j) Traffic Safety..............................................................................26

8.2.2 Illegal dumping................................................................................268.3 Transport.............................................................................................27

8.4 Health and Safety...............................................................................28

8.5 Recording of complaints.....................................................................30

9 HOME COMPOSTING.....................................................................................3110 IMPLEMENTATION........................................................................................31

10.1 Critical risks to implementation.........................................................3110.1.1 Human resource capacity................................................................3210.1.2 Financial capacity and implications................................................32

Costing / Tariff setting........................................................................3310.1.3 Lack of education and awareness....................................................3410.1.4 Population and economic growth....................................................3410.1.5 Economic factors.............................................................................3410.1.6 Legislative and governmental processes.........................................3510.1.7 Reporting.........................................................................................35

10.2 Implementation plan (explanation of the phased approach)...............36

10.3 Sustainability......................................................................................36

11 PERFORMANCE & MONITORING................................................................3711.1 Key Performance Indicators...............................................................38

11.2 Monitoring responsibilities and monitoring periods..........................3911.2.1 Responsibilities...............................................................................3911.2.2 Monitoring requirements and periods.............................................39

12 EVALUATION AND REVIEW........................................................................3913 The development of additional waste MANAGEMENT standards for Gauteng 40

LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1. List of definitions for the General Waste Collection Standards for Gauteng.

APPENDIX 2. Details of relevant key legislation related to the General Waste Collection Standards for Gauteng

APPENDIX 3. Key issues identified from the Investigation Report

APPENDIX 4. List of possible cleansing standards for metropolitan municipalities

APPENDIX 5. Information on National Treasury Funding

APPENDIX 6. Examples and illustration of storage containers, vehicles and transport equipment

APPENDIX 7. Photo Graphic Standard

APPENDIX 8. Reference material on litter cleanliness codes of practice and user manuals (international)

APPENDIX 9. Template of area cleaning plan

1 INTRODUCTION

The following General Waste Collection Standards (GWCS) have been developed to ensure the provision of consistent, uniform waste collection and cleaning services which are equitable, appropriate, environmentally and socially acceptable, to the communities in Gauteng,. Section 152 (1) of the Constitution states that one of the responsibilities of local government is to ensure the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner. It indicates that provincial government has the exclusive responsibility to ensure that local governments carry out these functions effectively. The National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) and the National Environmental Management: Waste Act , Act 59 of 2008 ,(“Waste Act”) which is the legislative enactment of the NWMS, stipulate Provincial Government’s role in developing standards for the provision of waste management services and waste collection. These standards will ultimately be promulgated as provincial regulations. These GWCS should be used to supplement the existing by-laws and should at no time be in conflict with the municipal by-laws.

It is the purpose of these standards to promote a healthy environment for the general public. The GWCS deal with the technical aspects of waste collection service delivery within Gauteng and detail various collection requirements. The GWCS developed for Gauteng are minimum standards which are applicable to all service providers involved in the provision waste collection services within Gauteng. The minimum standards are outcomes based, with standards focussing on end results. How these outcomes are achieved, with respect to the methodology used is up to the service provider, provided the procedures, methodologies and systems used adhere to a number of aspects indicated within this standards document. Therefore these minimum GWCS accommodate the smaller local municipalities and the larger metropolitan municipalities in Gauteng as well as the smaller and larger private service providers.

The GWCS document has been divided into a number of sections which consider aspects associated with the standards such as definitions and related legislation, levels of service; the specified standards; tools and barriers to implementation; monitoring; PPP, etc.

1.1 What is a Standard?

The South African National Standards Authority (2005) states that “a Standard is a published document which lists specifications and procedures established to ensure that a material, product, method or service is fit for its purpose and performs in the manner it was intended for. Standards define quality and establish safety criteria. Conformance to standards ensures quality and consistency”.

1.2 Structure of the Standards

For the purposes of the GWCS document it is understood that “General” waste refers to urban domestic and business waste (including building waste), non-hazardous industrial waste and

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not hazardous waste, health care waste or liquid wastes. The word “collection” in the phrase General Waste Collection Standards, refers to both the collection operation, which constitutes the formal waste stream which is controlled from generation to the transfer or disposal point, and the cleaning operation, which addresses the informal waste stream, i.e. that waste which is not controlled such as litter and illegal dumping.

The standards are therefore made up of two main components namely:

Waste Collection (domestic and bussiness/non-hazardous industrial waste); and

Cleaning (street sweeping, litter picking, littering and illegal dumping)

In addition, the standards also cover other waste management activities and related issues such as health and safety, and transport.

1.3 Use of the Standards

These GWCS have been developed to be used by all waste collection service providers active within Gauteng. It is the intention of GDARD that these standards are fully implemented and their implementation will be monitored. The service provider must ensure that training is given to all employees on the content of the standards and implementation. Any issues or problems associated with implementation of the standards must be communicated to GDARD (Section 1.4) so that they can be taken into account during subsequent reviews of the standards.

1.4 Assistance, commentary on standards and contact with GDARD

For assistance in understanding and implementing the GWCS within current services, the GDARD Waste Management Directorate can be contacted, details of which are provided below:

Tel: (011) 355-1900

Fax: (011) 355-1000

Address: Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

Waste Directorate

P.O.Box 8769

Johannesburg

2000

Email: gdard@gauteng.gov.za Website : www.gdard.gpg.gov.za

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Any comments on the GWCS document that will aid in improving the standards and ensure practical implementation of the standards, should be sent to GDARD for assessment. These comments must be in writing and should indicate the writer’s name and contact details.

2 OBJECTIVES OF THESE GENERAL WASTE COLLECTION STANDARDS

The objectives of these general waste collection standards are:

To ensure that human health and the environment is not compromised by the provision of waste collection services;

To enable uniformity, and equitable waste management service

To provide the minimum standards by which any service provider engaged in waste collection must comply;

To ensure a consistent level of cleanliness that is environmentally and socially acceptable;

To support best practice;

To provide the generator of general waste with the minimum standards and service levels to be adhered to by the responsible authority and any service provider;

To uphold the principles of Integrated Waste Management and the waste hierarchy;

To facilitate separation at source for the continuing reduction of waste disposed to landfill; and

To consider a system of monitoring and regulation for the implementation of the standards by the service providers and assessing the effectiveness of the standards.

3 DEFINITIONS

In order to ensure that terms are always used in the same context and everyone using these standards has the same understanding of a specific term, a list of the most frequently used terms in waste collection and cleaning practices are included below. Most of the definitions listed have been obtained from the Waste Act, the Gauteng Integrated Waste Management Policy and compared to the approved definitions developed by GDARD as part of the guideline document for Integrated Waste Management Planning for Local Authorities. In addition, those terms not found within these aforementioned documents, were investigated in other South Africa legislation and guideline documents as well as international ordinances. It is advised that these definitions are adopted when local by-laws are revised. The list of definitions has been attached as Appendix 1. However, the Gauteng Provincial Integrated Waste Management Policy (2005) has adopted the National Waste Classification System as the foundation for all waste classification in the Province and embraces a system of classification of waste that facilitates the separation at source of different waste types. This is

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particularly true in some cases, where a waste stream may be considered a resource for recovery and reuse or recycling purposes, including the generation of energy.

4 APPLICABLE LEGISLATION

Numerous legislative documents relating to waste, waste management, service provision and related issues such as transport, health and safety, etc. have been promulgated. Not only does legislation prescribe what is required by all levels of government, civil society and industry, but it is often explicit in the roles and responsibilities of government. Legislation is a key tool used to drive the establishment of the GWCS, as well as for the effective implementation of the standards. Notwithstanding this, the GWCS can be viewed as a key regulatory mechanism to implement legislative requirements.

For the purposes of this document, current and impending legislation are important for a number of reasons, namely:

It establishes the current parameters and/or requirements which must be taken into account in the development and implementation of the GWCS; and

It determines the institutional powers, functions and responsibilities of the different spheres of government (including local government).

Details of relevant key legislation related to the GWCS are included in Appendix 2. However, a list of the relevant legislation is given below:

The Constitution Act no. 108 of 1996;

The Municipal Systems Act no. 32 of 2000 and Amendment Act no. 44 of 2003;

The Environmental Conservation Act no. 73 of 1989 ;

National Environmental Management Act no. 107 of 1998;

The National Health Act no. 61 of 2003;

Municipal Finance Management Act no. 56 of 2004;

National Road Traffic Act no. 93 of 1996;

Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993;

National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act 103 of 1977 (Regs. No: R 432, 8 March 1991):

National Environmental Management: Waste Act, Act 59 of 2008;

Waste Management By-laws;

Standards, guidelines and policies

The Integrated Pollution and Waste Management Policy and the National Waste Management Strategy;

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The Gauteng Provincial Integrated Waste Management Policy;

Minimum Waste Recycling Standards for South Africa; and

Draft National Waste Collection Standard Guidelines.

5 APPROACH TO DEVELOPING THE STANDARDS

5.1 Investigation Report outcomes

As part of the development of the GWCS, the compilation of an Investigation Report was conducted to understand the current waste collection and cleaning situation within Gauteng as well as report on case studies and best practice examples from a national and international perspective. A number of key issues have been identified from the studies conducted which have been used to inform the development of the GWCS and are included in Appendix 3.

6 PRINCIPLES FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF STANDARDS

A number of critical elements crucial to the development of the GWCS have been described within this section. Not only is it essential that a waste service is provided, but the underlying principles or elements associated with this practice need to be defined.

6.1 Health, Environment and Quality of Life

Quality of life is enshrined as a core value of the Constitution of South Africa. Within the Bill of Rights in the Constitution, the rights may be viewed as having direct or indirect relevance to the environment. The environmental right can be divided into two components i.e. the right to a clean and healthy environment and a positive obligation on the state to pass legislation to give effect to that right.

Within the Bill of Rights it becomes clear that:

all organs of state are bound by the right and must give effect to it;

in giving effect to the right, the state must establish an effective regulatory framework; and

that as poor waste management practises can lead to pollution, ecological degradation and negative health effects, an effective waste management system will fall within the ambit of the right.

In addition to the Constitution, the issue of adequate and effective waste management has always been directly linked to the issue of human health and the consequential effects of poor waste management on human health.

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6.2 Integrated waste management approach

The Waste Act follows the waste management hierarchy approach, which is an internationally accepted approach underpinning integrated waste management. The waste management hierarchy prioritises waste management options, in descending order of priority by promoting and encouraging waste reduction:

Firstly by preventing the generation of waste;

Secondly introducing waste minimisation (where the quantity of waste is reduced which is often related to the introduction of cleaner production technologies);

Thirdly establishing recycling of waste (re-use, recovery and composting);

Fourthly considering treatment to reduce the harmful effects of waste (physical, thermal and chemical destruction); and

Finally implementing the practice of safe waste disposal.

The South African government has adopted this approach as a tool to reduce waste generation and disposal as well as to meet the targets stated within the Polokwane Declaration 2001. Within the context of the GWCS, this approach relates to waste recycling of post consumer waste and in particular the requirements necessary for collection. The Service Providers must introduce, implement and/or facilitate separation at source. Separating out recyclables and or compostables at the point of generation (domestic and business entities) is required to:

Assist the service provider in the collection of recyclables, thereby preventing double handling of all domestic waste at a secondary point, which could have associated health and safety issues, as well as increased costs;

Limit contamination of recyclables guarantees a higher selling price;

Focus on specific recyclables that can currently be recycled and that have a viable end market;

Create a waste awareness/consciousness for the generator of the waste which will further enhance the prevention or minimisation of waste generated;

Aid in diverting waste away from landfill and reduce the unnecessary consumption of valuable airspace.

It must be noted however, that additional mechanisms and facilities will be required to handle, treat and process the recyclables collected at source. Ensuring sustainability and financial viability within all aspects of the recycling cycle is critical. The recycling program should be dictated by the best available technology not entailing excessive cost (BATNEEC).

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6.3 Worker health and safety

As waste collection and cleaning is labour intensive, there are a number of critical health and safety issues that come into play which have to be taken account of in the GWCS:

The type of work undertaken by waste collectors and cleaners is more often than not very physically demanding;

That waste in itself is unhealthy and hazardous at times;

Equipment and vehicles used by workers can be complex and highly mechanised;

Work is often undertaken in difficult and relatively unsafe environments; and

Service delivery and productivity is directly linked to ensuring the health and safety of the workers.

7 LEVEL OF SERVICE

7.1 Waste collection service levels

In waste collection terms, the “level of service” refers to the frequency of the waste removal service and the type of service provided. There are various levels of service that can be applied in the provision of waste collection services, with a consequent increase in the cost of the service with increasing levels of sophistication of the service. Having said that introducing waste minimisation can be a cost saver, as less waste needs to be collected, less waste is landfilled and a product can be derived from recyclable waste.

In terms of the National Government policy, every person / household has a right to be provided with at least the basic level of municipal services. Regarding waste collection, the basic level of service is seen as the removal of waste from the dwelling area at least once per week, in a safe and healthy manner. The frequency of collection may be increased from once per week if:

The residents have insufficient storage space due to the high density of dwellings;

The storage containers have insufficient capacity to store a week’s waste without overflowing and causing a litter problem;

The waste is of such a nature that it would cause a health hazard if left for a week before collection (e.g. highly putrescible waste).

Table 1 indicates the criteria to be used for solid waste removal service levels. All local municipalities involved in the delivery of waste management services must comply with these criteria and should provide a basic level of service as a minimum.

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For the Basic Level of Service, households should have adequate on-site storage containers which can also be used to transport waste to the communal container. The communal containers should be placed within reasonable walking distance (200 m) of the households, and the communal containers should be such as to allow for easy dumping of waste.

Table 1: Levels of Domestic Waste Collection Service for Urban Areas

Level of service Service option Explanation of serviceBasic Level of Service Community transfer

to central collection points

(a) Community appointed members collect the waste door-to-door at least once per week (or more frequently if required).

(b) They transport it to central collection points located within acceptable walking distance of the households serviced (200m).

(c) The municipality, or appointed contractor, then transports the waste from these secondary collection points to the landfill, on the same day as the primary collection.

Intermediate Level of Service

Organised transfer to central collection points

(a) Local contractors are appointed to collect the waste door-to-door at least once per week (or more frequently if required).

(b) They transport it to central collection points, perhaps using hand or bicycle-carts. The municipality, or appointed contractor, then transports the waste from these secondary collection points to the landfill, on the same day as the primary collection.

Full Level of Service Kerbside collection (a) Households put their separated out waste out for collection once a week (or more frequently if required).

(b) The municipality or appointed contractors collect the recyclable and residual waste from each household in trucks, or with tractors and trailers, etc. and transports it to the landfill and or recycling handling facility.

For Rural Areas, the following is recommended regarding levels of service:

In dense rural settlements, service levels would be similar to those indicated in Table 1 for urban areas.

In scattered rural areas and farms, on-site disposal may be appropriate if the composition of the waste is primarily organic and if households are sparsely settled. However, if appropriate on-site disposal facilities do not exist both rural households and farms may require a regular waste removal service via either communal or individual collection.

In no circumstances may waste be burnt by any service provider.

For Businesses, the minimum level of service for routine collected waste would be at least once per week, or more frequently in the case of highly putrescible wastes (e.g. wastes from restaurants, hotels, food shops, markets, etc). However, an exception can be made in cases where the frequency can be determined by type and quantity, where a generator of small quantities of inert dry waste which does not pose a health, safety and environmental threat can safely be provided with a service not less than every two weeks.

In addition, bulk waste collection services can be provided to the business/commercial sector, in which case the bulk containers would be collected on call when full.

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There are a number of waste collection services that are provided by the larger local authorities such as the Metropolitan Municipalities, which are not necessarily applicable in the smaller municipalities. This list of Cleansing Services showing the appropriate service levels is included in Appendix 4 for reference.

7.2 Free basic services

The national government in 2000 initiated a Free Basic Services Policy aimed at the provision of free basic municipal services to every poor household in the country. While local government is charged with the service delivery and implementation role, national government is responsible for assistance with the provision of the financial resources to local government, and provincial governments must monitor the implementation and provide support if necessary. Municipalities can either receive their part of the equitable share, or they can apply for infrastructure grants or raise their own revenue through service charges. Details regarding National Treasury Funding (Equitable Share and MIG) are included in Appendix 5. Municipalities however, need to analyse what their costs for free basic service provision is, what allocations they receive and what their internal resource base is. This should then form the basis of what would be affordable and therefore what the most suitable options for implementation would be.

The Department of Planning and Local Government suggests that targeted subsidies are often the preferred approach. Targeting of subsidies requires the identification of poor households and would normally occur within the framework of an indigents or pro-poor policy of a municipality. The source of income for free basic service subsidies can be from cross subsidies within the municipality or from external operating subsidies, primarily the equitable share. The use of service level differentiation may also be needed to implement a free basic municipal services strategy. Where it is unaffordable to provide a high level of service to all households, regardless of whether they are contributing to the costs of the service or not, a municipality can provide some households with a lower, yet adequate service level. In this manner a municipality can provide free basic services to all households, with some households choosing to receive, and pay for, a higher level of service. This would however have to be by area rather than by individual households.

Based on the foregoing, the Basic Level of Waste Collection Service as indicated in Table 1 would be considered as the minimum Free Basic Service to be provided.

8 STANDARDS

Holistically, the temporary storage, collection and transporting of waste shall be conducted in a manner which will:

Inhibit the harbouring of flies, rodents, and other vectors;

Prevent situations arising for the transmission of diseases to man or animals;

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Prevent wind blown litter so as not to be injurious to human health and the environment;

Prevent water pollution by limiting the escape of waste or leachate, which could impact stormwater management systems; and

Minimise offensive odours, dust, unsightliness, and aesthetically unsightly conditions, and prevent the accumulation of materials in an untidy and unsafe manner so as to become a fire, health and safety hazard.

The following minimum standards have been developed for the different types of waste collection services offered to both the domestic and business/industrial sectors for the collection of general non-hazardous wastes. It must be noted that if a local authority contracts in a service provider to undertake work on its behalf, a service level agreement/contract needs to be drawn up between the two parties and the standards will be applicable to the service provider.

Examples and illustrations of storage containers, collection vehicles and equipment is given in Appendix 6 to compliment what is provided in the text.

All Service Providers to take note that they must be registered with their local authority if they collect and transport waste within that municipal area.

8.1 Collection

8.1.1 Domestic - Separation at source collection

Service Providers must have a clearly defined policy on separation at source and in the case of local authorities, supported by appropriate by-laws.

At the outset of separation at source practices in Gauteng, the following minimum standards shall apply:

(a) Storage containers

The service provider will only collect waste in containers which are suitable for this collection system. The minimum standards for containers are as follows:

i. Containers can include a bag (bin liner), reusable bins (such as 120 l or 240l bins) or reusable fibre type bags.

ii. Containers will be colour coded blue being the approved standard colour, which will identify the container as exclusively for recyclable material within the Gauteng Province.

iii. Recyclable containers must be watertight and with a thickness sufficient to prevent breakage, tearing or splitting upon collection and shall be securely tied.

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iv. Blue disposable bags (bin liners) should either be made of material which is recyclable and or contain a blend of the maximum practicable recyclable content and virgin plastic (thickness is sufficient to prevent breakage, tearing or splitting upon collection).

v. These bags shall have an overall length of between 0.5 meters and 1 meter when empty.

(b) Frequency of collection

i. The service provider shall collect recyclable waste (dry waste component) at least once a week.

(c) Collection service

i. The service provider will communicate with the community provided with a source separation service regarding the system, what recyclables should be separated out, where recyclables will be transported to, etc. and will develop a comprehensive awareness and education programme.

ii. The Service Provider will be identifiable to the community by way of uniforms or ID tags/badges, bibs, etc.

iii. A two colour container waste separation at source system shall be implemented by the service provider, providing a routine door-to-door service. One colour container (preferably black, but any colour other than blue) for non-recyclable material and the other container (blue) for mixed recyclable material.

iv. Service providers shall offer the collection of recyclable materials at least once a week from every household as part of the door-to-door routine collection service.

v. The service provider may indicate which recyclable materials must be separated out depending on the current market and use of the recyclable material.

vi. The recycling container must be clearly identifiable, and in this case, the colour blue will be used to mark the containers. Only blue containers will be collected for recycling.

vii. The service provider shall ensure that once recyclables are collected, the area is left clean and tidy.

8.1.2 Domestic - Routine Door-to-door service

(a) Storage containers

If containers are supplied by the service provider, the following standards apply:

i. Containers must be adequate for the storage of waste and can include reusable 240 l wheeled bins, and 85l bins, and 85l bin liners. The specifications of the containers must be in compliance with the SANS standards for bins (SANS 493:1973 - Steel refuse bins;

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SANS 1310:1980 - Refuse bins of polymeric materials; SANS 1494:1989 - Mobile refuse bins).

ii. Reusable containers shall be:

a. Rigid and durable;

b. Corrosion resistant;

c. Non-absorbent and watertight;

d. Rodent-proof and easily cleanable;

e. Equipped with a close-fitting cover;

f. Suitable for handling with no sharp edges or other hazardous conditions;

iii. If bin liners are used, the following specifications and requirements shall be utilised for the purposes of collection:

a. Bin liners must be a minimum 30 micron thick and contain a blend of the maximum practicable recyclable content and virgin plastic (thickness is sufficient to prevent breakage, tearing or splitting upon collection, but should also not compromise the expected brittleness required by landfilling).

b. Bin liners must be watertight and securely tied with an overall length of between 0.5 meters and 1 meter when empty.

c. Bin liners may be in any other colour, except blue as this is the colour for containers which will be used exclusively for storage of recyclable waste.

d. The weight of each bag, including contents, placed for recyclable materials collection must not exceed 12 kilograms.

iv. As a minimum, the service provider can accept waste from any of the containers mentioned above as well as variations to these containers, provided the containers are durable, easy to handle and sealed.

v. The service provider may only accept plastic shopping bags for collection of mixed waste from informal areas.

vi. The maximum number of containers provided to and/or used by the waste generator and placed out for collection must be specified by the service provider.

vii. The maximum number of containers put out for collection determined by the service provider, needs to be based on the principles of the waste hierarchy; prevention, minimisation, reduction, recycling and reuse of waste. The least amount of containers which will be adequate for a household’s waste generation shall be regarded as the minimum standard. Any additional containers will be regarded as excessive waste and the generator must be dealt with through the provisions of the by-laws.

viii.Access to the storage containers must be defined by the service providers, with the location specified as the kerbside (pavement).

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(b) Frequency of collection

When service providers establish collection frequencies, account needs to be taken of generation rates, waste composition and storage capacity.

i. The Service Provider shall provide, as a minimum standard, a once per week collection service (for households, dwellings and multi-dwelling complexes).

ii. The service will be provided on a weekly cycle .

iii. The minimum standard on the frequency of collection will have to increase if the following factors have been identified in an area:

a. Storage space is limited due to high density living conditions

b. Containers are filled with waste in a time period of less than 1 week

c. Health of the community or residents is compromised by the accumulation of the waste

(c) Collection service

The following minimum standards shall apply for all routine door-to-door collection services:

i. Collection of recyclable waste could undertaken by:

a. A service provider,

b. A separate recycling contractor,

c. Formal kerbside salvagers

ii. Recyclable waste containers shall be placed out on the same day of the residual waste collection. Recyclables not collected before the routine door-to-door residual waste collection shall be treated at residual waste. This is provided that the collection system used does not accommodate simultaneous collection of the two different waste streams.

iii. During each collection operation, all waste placed out for collection shall be removed;

iv. After emptying, each bin shall be returned to its designated place so as not to cause undue obstruction to pedestrian traffic;

v. The service provider shall be responsible for immediately cleaning up all spillage caused by their operations. This will be done immediately by the vehicle crew responsible for the spillage;

vi. The service provider shall not create undue noise in residential areas in and through which they operate;

vii. Waste collection shall, under normal circumstances, not take place outside of the hours between 06:00 and 18:00.

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viii.For multi-dwelling complexes (townhouses, flats, clusters, etc.), containers brought to the specified communal collection area shall be collected by the service provider. Access to the storage areas must be ensured.

ix. If bins are used by the complex residents, these shall be replaced, upright, where found. Containers shall be properly returned to enclosures where applicable.

(d) Primary collection in high density areas (such as informal settlements)

i. In extremely high-density areas, primary collection will best be carried out by manually carrying the bags of waste to dedicated secondary collection sites as per the definition.

ii. Service providers should use equipment fit for use, such as trolleys, handcarts, donkey carts, etc., for the carting of waste to the secondary collection sites in less densely populated areas where greater distances would need to be covered.

iii. The trolleys/carts must be designed and constructed to take account of the loads to be carried, and the conditions of the roads and tracks to be traversed.

iv. Issues related to cleanliness, noise, spillage, etc. as indicated above, should be included within this specific service.

v. Primary collectors must have suitable protective clothing for the task of waste collection and as minimum standard overalls, boots and gloves should be worn by collectors.

8.1.3 Domestic - Bulk container service

(a) Storage containers

i. Bulk containers used in this service, are more often used for the communal collection of waste from informal areas or areas which cannot be accessed by a waste collection vehicle. The Service Provider must make special arrangements to move waste to a point that is both accessible to the collection vehicle and where the stored waste will not create a nuisance. Containers which can be used require adequate volume to accommodate large amounts of waste coming from numerous households. These types of containers need to comply with the following minimum standards and must be:

a. Rigid and durable,

b. Corrosion resistant,

c. Rodent-proof and easily cleanable,

d. Easily accessible,

e. Containers must be fitted with reflectors.

ii. If underground storage systems are used by Service Providers all relevant specifications to ensure the adequate storage of waste and collection of waste has to be complied with. Prevention of the accumulation of water as well as the release of leachate has to be ensured.

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(b) Frequency of collection

i. Service providers’ must empty the bulk containers or collect waste from the communal area within 24 hours of being deposited,.

(c) Secondary Collection Service (at high density areas such as informal settlements)

i. The service provider shall take cognisance of the NWMS guidelines for collection in high density unserviced areas regarding the provision of services to these areas.

ii. Service providers must strategically position secondary collection sites to suit the maximum walking distance of the primary collector.

iii. Secondary collection sites must be placed taking into account the distance of the nearest dwellings and how they will be affected by the containers, especially from a traffic (vehicle and pedestrian), accumulated waste, and nuisance factor point of view. These secondary sites should be identified for current and future planning of waste collection in the spatial development framework to ensure that there will always be provision of space (i.e. open land).

iv. Secondary collection sites should be clearly demarcated, maintained and kept clean by the service provider.

v. Where bulk containers are used for secondary collection sites, consideration must be given to ensuring that the primary collectors can easily deposit the waste into the containers. Where necessary, split-levels such as ramps must be provided.

vi. All waste must be removed from the containers or the communal secondary collection point.

vii. All containers must be cleaned on a regular basis to prevent disease and nuisance effects such as odours, flies and vectors.

viii. The vehicles used in secondary collection must be suitable for the situation (load type, road conditions, etc.) and should adhere to the transport standards stated in Section 10.

(d) Collection

i. Provided special domestic waste cannot be collected as part of the routine door-to-door service, upon request from a household, and provided the service can be offered, the service provider can provide for the collection of bulky waste.

ii. Waste shall be removed in such a way as to cause minimal disruption to the routine of the persons from whose premises the waste is being removed.

iii. Care must be taken to minimise the risk of damage to the property of the customer.

iv. The surrounding area must be left in a clean and tidy condition.

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v. All health and safety considerations must be adhered to.

vi. All workers involved in collection must be adequately trained in the correct handling of waste storage infrastructure to enable them to use it safely and with minimal damage to the infrastructure.

8.1.4 Business/Industrial waste collection (small container and bulk collection)

The waste included in this collection service includes business waste, non-hazardous industrial waste and building waste. The following minimum standards apply to the provision of this service. The service provider must obtain the following information from its customer to advise on the most appropriate service type:

what type and size of container is required,

the quantity of container needed for the waste generated,

space provision which is made available for the container/s and accessibility of collection vehicles.

(a) Storage Containers

The service provider shall ensure that the container provided meets the following minimum standards:

i. The container supplied for the service must be appropriate and adequate for the type of waste required to be collected (i.e. skip container for building waste).

ii. The container must be

a. Rigid and durable;

b. Corrosion resistant;

c. Rodent-proof and easily cleanable; and

d. Must be capable of containing the material deposited within.

e. Bulk containers must be fitted with a reflective strip.

iii. All storage containers for putrescible waste shall be watertight, of galvanized metal or durable plastic construction and equipped with tight-fitting lids that restrict contact by animals, insects and weather and designed for safe handling.

iv. Reusable waste containers which are emptied mechanically should be designed and equipped to prevent spillage or leakage during on-site storage, collection, or transport. The container should be easily cleanable and designed to allow easy access for depositing the waste and removing it by gravity or by mechanical means.

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v. Large containers shall have safety signage displayed on them and the name and telephone number of the owner of the container must be displayed.

vi. A limit shall be placed on the number of smaller containers used by business/commercial entities that form part of the routine door-to-door service. The limit should be relative to the cost of providing the service and availability of alternative services.

(b) Frequency of collection

i. The frequency of collection shall be based upon the mutual agreement between the customer and the service provider. However, this shall not be less than once per week so as to prevent the accumulation of waste in quantities detrimental to public health or safety. However, an exception can be made in cases where the frequency can be determined by type and quantity, where a generator of small quantities of inert dry waste which does not pose a health, safety and environmental threat can safely be provided with a service not less than every two weeks.

ii. Those business/commercial entities that form part of the routine door-to-door service shall be provided with a weekly service.

iii. Where putrescible waste from hotels, restaurants and food shops are collected, frequency of collection shall at least every two days. This is however dependent on whether the containers storing the waste are locked overnight and are not accessible by the public and if this waste does not pose a health nuisance. If these criteria are not met, waste must be collected on a daily basis.

iv. For non-routine (ad hoc) collection, the service is to be provided within 24 hours of the request, unless the waste is inert or does not pose a health and safety threat, the collection timeframe can be agreed between the Service Provider and customer.

(c) Collection service

i. Where appropriate, the Service Provider can request that the National Building Regulations be adhered to with regard to refuse collection.

ii. Spillage during collection must be cleaned immediately.

iii. Reusable containers shall be placed in their original positions, once waste has been collected.

iv. The containers shall be easily accessible to the collection vehicle in an area which can safely accommodate the dimensions and the weight of the vehicle.

v. Containers placed on pavements for building waste, must not have any part extending beyond the curb into the road and shall only be placed there for a period not exceeding 2 weeks. A business container may be placed within a premise for a temporary period of time not longer than one month when the placement is in relation to the construction or repair of a building or structure, provided the businessl container is removed as soon as

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the construction or repair ceases. Containers can be temporarily placed in the roadway where there is no adequate space on the premises or pavement. This should be done with the consent of the local authority and the container must be highly visible and marked with the contact details of the Service Provider.

vi. Noise generation during collection activities must be minimal.

vii. Service generally to be provided during normal working hours (07:00 to 18:00, weekdays), or reduced hours over weekends.

viii. Waste loads collected must be signed off by the customer as proof of collection which can be used as a type of manifest document.

ix. All workers involved in collection must be adequately trained in the correct handling of waste storage infrastructure to enable them to use it safely and with minimal damage to the infrastructure.

(d) Separation at source collection

i. The service provider shall ascertain from the customer what waste will be separated out and the types, number, and locations of containers will be identified.

ii. The service provider shall ensure that the container provided to the customer is fit for purpose for the type of waste separated out.

iii. Containers must meet the specifications listed in section 8.1.2 (a) i

iv. Containers must be identifiable in terms of the recyclables stored in them.

v. There must be easy access for unloading.

vi. There must be provision for locking-up the containers after hours to avoid contamination.

vii. Environmental and health and safety considerations as mentioned above need to be adhered to.

viii. The frequency of collection will be determined by the agreement between the service provider and the customer, but it shall be at an adequate frequency, which takes into account safe and healthy working conditions (possibility of fires, etc.).

(e) Collection of condemned food

i. The requirements of the National Health Act, Act 61 of 2003 and the relevant municipal By-laws will apply in this regard.

ii. Access to be restricted to authorised personnel only.

iii. The Service Provider must ensure that adequate notice is provided to the disposal/treatment facility.

iv. The condemned food waste must be transported in a closed vehicle.

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v. The Service Provider must supply a safe disposal certificate to the generator of the waste.

vi. The term “condemned food” does not apply to infectious or contagious waste. The relevant national and provincial legislation dealing with these waste types need to be referred to.

8.1.5 Special events

There are two types of special events; those that are pre-arranged and planned, and those that aren’t. Pre-arranged events included concerts, exhibitions, trade events, political gatherings, sports events (cycle races, marathons, etc.), protest marches, etc., that would take place within the borders of Gauteng on public or government/municipal owned property. Non-arranged events include unauthorised protest marches for example.

(a) Pre-arranged Events

Adequate pre-notification of the event is required for the service provider to plan for the event, which would have to be stipulated by the service provider. The service provider must draw up a plan of action to service the event.

The Service Provider shall provide the necessary storage and transport infrastructure and carry out the appropriate cleaning activity required by the event. The following will apply as a minimum standard to the collection and cleaning of the event:

i. Source separation will be instituted and aided by the supply of a 2 bin/container system (waste station), one bin for recyclables and the other for wet waste/non-recyclables. All bins must be clearly labelled, showing what waste types are acceptable and what types are expressly prohibited.

ii. Different colours to be used for the waste bin/container and recyclable waste bin/container for easy identification.

iii. Bins with wheels such as 240l bins are more appropriate, as these are easy to move around.

iv. Appropriate signage must be erected at each waste station indicating the separation of waste.

v. Bins/containers must be user friendly and large enough to collect an adequate amount of waste to prevent waste from overflowing prior to collection.

vi. Bins/containers will include lids or will be covered to prevent rain from entering.

vii. The number of bins/containers provided must be adequate for the expected number of people attending the said event.

viii. A dedicated container/s which includes a lid or cover must be provided for back-of-house areas where food and beverages are prepared.

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ix. The waste stations must be positioned near vendors, bathrooms, entrances and exits, and other identified sites that typically generate waste material.

x. All areas where waste is collected from shall be left in a clean and tidy state.

xi. All recyclable waste collected and transferred from the smaller bins/containers to the larger skips or bulk containers, shall be kept separate from any other wastes.

xii. The area of the event shall be completely cleaned within 24 hours of completion of the event, according to the Cleaning Standards contained in Section 9, and the contained waste shall be removed within 48 hours.

xiii. For events lasting more than one day, cleaning of areas will take place every day, at a predetermined time when the event is not in progress. Collected containerised waste will be collected every day.

xiv. All cleaning staff should be identifiable and must have the required Personnel Protection Equipment (PPE) and tools for the cleaning job required.

(b) Non Pre-arranged Events

The Service Provider shall develop a plan of action for implementation of services for non pre-arranged special events, as soon as possible after being notified of the event.

Once a non-pre-arranged event has been identified, where large crowds are expected, the Service Provider needs to determine the type of event taking place and if in any way there is a health and safety risk associated with the event which could impact the staff of the service provider. The plan of action to manage the waste generated and to clean up the waste after the event needs to be determined. The following minimum standards apply to this situation:

i. The area of the event shall be completely cleaned within 3 days after completion of the event, according to the Cleaning Standards contained in Section 9.

ii. The Service Provider must try and recover costs for the clean up from the organisers of the event.

8.2 Cleaning Standards

The cleaning standards consider both street cleaning as in litter picking, etc., as well as the clearing of illegal dumping.

It is important that Service Provider’s cleaning route plans are developed to improve efficiency of cleaning and to determine where areas not attaining cleanliness standards are located. These routines must be reviewed at least every year or more frequently in the event of areas changing so as to affect the rate at which they require to be cleaned. The Photo Graphic Standard (Appendix 7) will be used as the standard measure of cleanliness. Appendix

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8 includes references to implementation of the United Kingdom litter and refuse cleaning standards and guidelines.

8.2.1 Cleaning

Cleaning of urban streets and parkways, etc. is done by means of a number of methods, this can include:

Litter picking;

Street sweeping;

Removal of leaves;

Removal of animal kills and discarded carcasses;

Removal of illegal dumping; and

Lane or pavement flushing/washing.

As a minimum and to prevent health and nuisance issues arising, litter picking and street sweeping has to be conducted by the Service Provider within their cleaning function. Town/City centres, high use areas, “public roads”, “public places”, private land (associated with complaints received regarding littering), require regular cleaning by the Service Provider. The following standards apply to cleaning activities.

The Service Provider must ensure that all of the cleaning staff understand the Photo Graphic Standard and will also be able to determine the levels of cleanliness in an area. Information on the Photo Graphic Standard must be made available to the workers.

(a) Litter containers

The following minimum standard specifications are required for all litter containers used:

i. Litter containers must be easily cleanable;

ii. All containers shall comply with the relevant SANS specifications (SANS 493:1973 - Steel refuse bins; SANS 1310:1980 - Refuse bins of polymeric materials; SANS 1494:1989 - Mobile refuse bins).;

iii. If plastic bins are used the plastic must have a high fire retardant value;

iv. Bins should have holes in the base so that they cannot be used as liquid containers; and

v. The opening at the container top should be appropriate (fit for use) for the waste generated, within areas defined.

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(b) High use areas (including town and city centres)

High use areas can be defined as areas where the public congregate for periods of time or areas where there is a large number of people present or in transit at any given time and include areas such as taxi ranks, bus terminals, railway stations, street side malls, food vendors, etc. These areas are therefore prone to the generation of high volumes of waste over short periods of time. These areas require intensive and continual management of the waste generated and collected. In addition, Town/City centres have a huge influx of commuters on a daily basis, resulting in high generation of wastes. As a result, the following minimum standards to cleaning applies:

The following applies to service providers regarding the collection and cleaning of these areas:

i. The Service Provider shall supply and install sufficient containers, appropriately sized, in public places to prevent the container from overflowing between service intervals.

ii. Town/City centres must be cleaned of litter dependent on pedestrian frequency and density and the rate at which litter accumulates and containers become filled.

iii. Litter containers must be cleared out regularly so as to prevent waste from flowing out of the container.

iv. The Photo Graphic Standard (Appendix 7) will be used to measure the extent of litter within an area and to what extent the level of cleanliness is being achieved.

v. If the cleanliness standard should fall to Level 3 or higher during the period from 08:00 am to 06:00 pm it shall be restored to Level 1 by the following day.

vi. If required by the service provider and depending on the amounts of waste generated, larger containers such as skips could be used to service areas where hawkers are located. These large containers would have to be removed based on the frequency at which they are filled provided the health of the surrounding community is not compromised.

vii. The size and siting of litter bins has to be decided on based on local experience and observations recorded by officials. In light of this the following shall apply:

a. Containers shall be located within adequate walking distance from one another;

b. The size of the containers should be determined based on waste volumes generated and the rate at which containers are filled relative to the frequency of collection; and

c. The health of pedestrians should not be compromised.

viii. The needs of the disabled and visually handicapped people should be consider when placing containers.

ix. In addition, records shall be maintained of all street and public containers, in terms of size, type, location, serviceability, replacement frequency, utilisation, etc.

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x. Notices shall be placed in these high use areas specifying that littering is prohibited and provision has been made for litter disposal.

xi. All footpaths within the designated Town/City centre areas to be cleaned daily. This shall include shop entrance ways and other privately owned areas in front of shops where public access extends up to doorways, etc.

xii. In areas that are inaccessible due to physical obstructions such as parked vehicles, hawker stalls, other activities etc., the Service Provider shall make every effort to clean these areas. This would include cleaning during off peak periods but always ensuring that the areas are properly cleaned at least once during the 24 hour period on the days of the week on which the particular areas experience heavy traffic and are therefore required to be serviced.

(c) Other areas requiring regular cleaning

These areas include urban streets, strategic entrance roads, important public landmarks, parks, walkways and public open spaces.

i. The Service Provider shall supply and install sufficient containers, appropriately sized, in public places to prevent the container from overflowing between service intervals.

ii. The Service Provider needs to identify these areas, document these areas and develop a waste cleaning plan for these areas, based on their rate of use, strategic importance and level of cleanliness deterioration and expected cleaning frequency. Appendix 9 provides a template table which can be used for this purpose.

iii. No area shall have a cleanliness Level of 3 or higher. The area would need to be cleaned within 24 hours of this being identified.

iv. High density, low income areas (informal settlements)

a. Street sweeping and clearing of litter should be the responsibility of each service provider (primary collector) within his/her designated area.

b. Service providers (Primary collectors) must have the necessary equipment for street sweeping and litter picking. This would include brooms, shovels and suitable tools for picking up small items of litter.

(d) Leaf Removal

Leaf removal is required, especially in the autumn months to prevent the accumulation and blockage of water drainage systems. The following standards therefore apply:

i. Service providers will determine highly treed areas where leaf removal will be required;

ii. At the start of autumn leaves are to be removed prior to them accumulating to a depth of 200mm;

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iii. Particular attention must be given to gutters and entrances, and any other areas where leaves may accumulate and restrict or prevent drainage;

iv. During the process of leaf removal, all other waste must also be removed, to render the area visibly clean; and

v. Collected leaves must be taken to a composting plant on the same day, provided composting facilities are available, and the waste is not contaminated to a degree that makes composting undesirable or uneconomical.

(e) Lane flushing

This activity is generally associated with the larger city centres where homeless people find shelter within the city streets and as a result utilise the lanes for urination and defecation. Taxi ranks are also sometimes prone to these practices. The following standards apply to this activity:

i. Once litter has been cleared from these areas, the service provider shall flush these areas with water and a disinfectant and deodorising chemical which is biodegradable (such as chloride of lime) to destroy any disease harbouring bacteria.

ii. The disinfecting and deodorising chemicals to be used for flushing shall be approved by the relevant authority responsible for the local water catchment area management.

iii. Lane flushing will be done on a daily basis, prior to the early morning rush hour.

iv. Excess water which does not drain away, must be cleared away.

(f) Removal of animal kills

i. The service provider shall remove dead animals/birds from public roads within one working day of being reported to them.

ii. Suitable containers such as plastic bags shall be used for the containment of the dead animal.

(g) Mechanical Sweeping

Service Providers utilising mechanical sweepers shall abide by the following minimum standards specific to this activity:

i. Areas where mechanical sweepers are to be utilised need to be identified and recorded and should be available at the Service Provider’s premises.

ii. During sweeping operations allowances must be made to accommodate certain conditions such as rush hour traffic.

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iii. If the area required to be swept is obstructed by parked vehicles, or overhanging trees etc., it is the Service Provider’s responsibility to make arrangements as necessary for the effective cleaning of the area by manual sweeping or other means.

iv. Parked cars shall not be seen as a legitimate restriction to cleaning operations but shall be worked around.

v. Where roads are constantly obstructed by parked cars, manual sweeping will have to replace the mechanical operation.

vi. Mechanical sweepers shall adhere to the requirements of the National Road Traffic Act, and the rules of the road shall apply.

vii. Mechanical sweepers must be regularly maintained to ensure that oil spillages and the like do not occur.

viii. The mechanical sweepers should not generate excessive dust during their operation.

ix. Appropriate filter systems should be incorporated into the mechanical sweeper.

x. The mechanical sweeper should not pose any excessive noise nuisance.

(h) Cleaning Frequency

i. Service providers are expected to set their cleansing schedules so that they meet the duty to keep their relevant identified area clear of litter.

ii. In some areas, these standards can be effectively maintained during daylight hours. However, in others longer hours of management are required, for example, in town and city centres. If the standard in high intensity areas should fall to an unacceptable level during the evening, it should be restored to level 1 by the following day. This applies to weekdays, weekends and holidays.

iii. Response times will be subject to overriding requirements, especially in relation to health and safety and traffic management.

iv. Areas which have been identified, through complaints; identification by residents, service providers, regulatory officials, etc., as having a cleanliness level of 3 or above should be cleaned within 24 hours.

(j) Cleaning service

The following minimum standards will apply when cleaning an area:

iv. All litter, glass, paper, plastic, metal, cigarette ends, loose leaves, debris, filth, excrement, dead animals, and any material foreign to that area with its particular surface use, and not placed there for a particular purpose, must be removed, irrespective of the quantity. This also includes illegal dumping as well as the emptying of all public litter containers.

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v. Depending on the surface which requires cleaning the fit for purpose tool i.e. brooms, rakes or litter-picking equipment needs to be utilised by the workers employed by the service provider.

vi. All waste collected during cleaning operations must be removed from the cleaned areas and disposed of on the same day of the cleaning operation.

vii. The Photo Graphic Standard will be used as the measurement standard for cleanliness of an area.

a. This is a tool to measure the level of cleanliness in an area

b. Training of staff undertaking collection and cleaning activities on how this standard works as well as how to identify the various levels of cleanliness has to be undertaken

c. Photo Graphic standards must be made available to the community and rate payer, so they can monitor the level of cleanliness if their respective areas.

viii. Ensuring the maximum cleanliness of an area must become part of the daily activity of the Service Provider as a number of activities such as illegal dumping removal and cleaning (litter picking and sweeping) are dependent on this standard to measure compliance with these Gauteng standards.

ix. The minimum cleaning standard shall never fall below Level 3 (according to the Photo Graphic Index).

(j) Traffic Safety

i. The Service Provider shall ensure that operations are conducted in a safe manner, including the provision of advance warning signs, traffic cones or other safety equipment as necessary. When carrying out any cleaning activity the Service Provider shall take all reasonably practicable steps to minimise inconvenience to traffic and to ensure the safety of the workers, pedestrians and other road users.

8.2.2 Illegal dumping

Illegal dumping is an activity which cannot necessarily be eradicated by instituting certain collection actions, however, by instituting intensive illegal dumping collection management standards, it is hoped that this activity will be minimised. The service providers must identify the underlying issues which result in the occurrence of illegal dumping and address them as part of the standards or by other means (e.g. encourage the planting of vegetable gardens in open areas in informal and low income areas). The following minimum standards apply to the identification and collection of illegal dumping:

(a) Complaints registered for illegal dumping should be seen as a priority complaint.

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(b) Illegal dumping hot spots must be identified and routinely monitored to prevent the accumulation of waste.

(c) In the event of regular illegal dumping occurring in any given area, this should be reported to Law-Enforcement for them to take preventative action.

(d) Once illegal dumping has been reported as a complaint or identified by the Service Provider during collection routes, etc., the Service Provider must remove the waste which has been illegally dumped within 72 hours. Illegal dumping or littering which occurs on private land must be addressed through Section 32 and 33 of the Waste Act.

(e) The area where illegal dumping is removed must be left clean and tidy and free of all litter.

(f) All attempts should be made to identify where the waste has originated from, and follow up action must be conducted.

(g) Notices must be erected at known hot spots for illegal dumping, stating the fines that can be imposed by the local authority in the area.

(h) If illegal dumping is resulting because of the lack of skips/containers at informal settlements or because of the infrequent removal of the waste, this situation needs to be prioritised and standards related to collection of waste from these areas must be adhered to. This must be used as a measurement in respect of the collection service provided to those areas.

8.3 Transport

Any Service Provider who transports waste, needs to adhere to the stipulations within the National Road Traffic Act No. 93 of 1996 and any other appropriate road transport legislation currently in place. This Act pertains to the fact that all vehicles should be in a fully roadworthy condition and should have an up-to-date license registration. In addition, the driver of the vehicle must be fully licensed and permitted as a minimum standard. An added benefit would be advanced training in driving techniques. In addition to the Act and the related legislation, a number of minimum standards specific to waste collection transportation are listed below:

8.3.1 Vehicles transporting waste must be appropriate for the type of waste transported and should be of adequate size and construction for the waste type.

8.3.2 Vehicles should not be overloaded and should only be loaded to an acceptable height.

8.3.3 The Service Provider’s name and telephone number shall be printed or painted in legible letters on the vehicle

8.3.4 All vehicles and equipment shall be maintained at all times in a manner to prevent unnecessary noise, oil leakages, etc. during its operation

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8.3.5 Waste collection vehicles shall be fitted with safety devices, including, but not limited to, the following:

(a) Flashing warning lights and chevrons, and shall have headlights switched on during waste collection operations;

(b) Easily accessible first aid equipment and fire extinguisher; and

(c) Audible reverse warning device.

8.3.6 Waste transported must be covered with adequate covers such as tarpaulins or netting, or sealed to prevent the waste from falling off or blowing off vehicles whilst in transit. If nets are to be used, the aperture size must be smaller than the waste particle size to prevent the waste escaping through the net, and shall be no greater than 150mm x 150mm. The net or cover must be properly fastened to the vehicle or waste container.

8.3.7 Precautions shall be taken to prevent spillage or leakage during transportation from all vehicles used to collect and/or transport municipal solid wastes that produce leachate.

8.3.8 Any waste spillage that occur during the collection and transport of waste, must be cleaned up immediately. No transportation may continue should waste be observed to be falling out of the transportation vehicle, but driver must stop and secure waste to prevent waste spillage.

8.3.9 Vehicles used for collection and transportation of waste shall be cleaned frequently to prevent nuisances arising such as odour or insect breeding.

8.3.10 Transport vehicles such as trolleys/carts, etc. used for collection of waste from informal areas or collection of recyclables in urban areas must be designed and constructed to take account of the loads to be carried, and the conditions of the roads and tracks to be traversed.

8.3.11 All waste collectors and transporters must be registered with their local authority.

8.4 Health and Safety

Manual methods of collection often result in waste workers coming into direct contact with wastes that sometimes contain faecal matter (human and animal), glass and infected medical wastes, etc. In addition, injuries can occur during the actual carrying and lifting of containers. Waste accumulation can also lead to greater exposure to insects and vermin, scavenging by animals, and increased health risks to workers. Health and safety within the working environment is therefore important.

The provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act No. 85 of 1993 and its regulations are applicable to all waste collection activities and shall be continually complied with by all staff dealing with waste collection and cleaning activities. Non-compliance to the Act and

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minimum standards must be dealt with speedily and appropriately as is indicated in the Act. The following minimum standards related to waste collection and cleaning activities must be adhered to:

8.4.1 All staff must have fit for purpose health and safety training which must be documented;

8.4.2 All staff must be adequately trained as regards to working in hazardous conditions and within traffic situations;

8.4.3 All waste collection personnel should receive instructions and training in safe container and waste handling techniques, and in the proper operation of collection equipment;

8.4.4 Each Service Provider must develop and have available a safe working plan;

8.4.5 All staff directly related to the collection and cleaning operation must have an annual medical examination;

8.4.6 All casual staff employed for collection or cleaning must undergo a health and safety induction and must be provided with the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);

8.4.7 As a minimum the following PPE should be supplied to each permanent worker dealing with collection, cleaning or transport of waste:

(a) Overall with a reflective stripe or reflective jacket;

(b) Appropriate safety shoes;

(c) Gloves;

(d) Hat or cap; and

(e) Dust mask.

8.4.8 Workers shall not be allowed to work unless they are wearing the fit for purpose PPE for the specific job.

8.4.9 The Service Provider must provide the workers with adequate means to disinfect themselves while away from the depot, i.e. alcohol impregnated wipes for hands and face.

8.4.10 Workers must be provided with adequate access to clean drinking water.

8.4.11 Occurrences of health and safety incidents related to collection and cleaning activities must be documented. Repeated incidents of a particular nature need to be actively investigated and changes made where appropriate.

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8.4.12 The Service Provider must ensure that the waste collection teams have a first aid box on each collection vehicle and that at least one of the crew has been for first aid training, with certification up-to-date.

8.4.13 Telephone numbers of the Emergency Services and the police must be available to the crew.

8.5 Recording of complaints

The purpose of recording complaints or having a complaints system in place is to:

ensure good customer service

determine to what extent, adequacy and quality of the required service is being implemented,

determine if standards indicated here have been implemented,

identify uncontrolled activities such as illegal dumping,

determine if there is an improvement in service.

In line with this the following minimum standards shall be complied with:

8.5.1 Every Service Provider shall maintain a telephone service for the purposes of responding to inquiries and for the receipt of complaints.

8.5.2 The Service Provider must record complaints in a formal manner.

8.5.3 A complaints line and recording system must be established for receiving and recording of complaints.

8.5.4 The complaints telephone number must be made known to the public be it through advertising, inclusion into the rates account, by pamphlets, etc. and shall be listed in the local telephone directory.

8.5.5 The complaints telephone service shall be provided during working hours.

8.5.6 All complaints received must be recorded, and as a minimum, the complaint must be addressed within 72 hours of obtaining the complaint. If a delay in the action will exceed 72 hours, the complainant must be informed of the delay and the required actions being put in place to resolve the problem. Except in instances where complaints have been lodged regarding littering and a cleanliness level of 3 or more has been indicated, the area must be cleaned to a level 1 within 24 hours of the complaint being received.

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8.5.7 A monthly report of complaints must be compiled by category of complaint with resultant resolutions. The time period taken to resolve each complaint must be indicated. In addition to this information, the report must detail what measures have been taken to minimise the recurrence of the complaints.

8.5.8 The Service Provider will address the following actions/questions which must accompany each complaint:

(a) What was the cause of the complaint?

(b) What can be done to reduce the chances of a recurrence of the problem?

(c) If interaction with the law enforcement office is required to ensure prosecution where possible.

9 HOME COMPOSTING

Although the provision for separation of organic waste has not yet been included in the standards, local authorities need to look at encouraging their residents to develop home composting or vermiculture (worm farming) projects as a means of reducing the quantity of organic waste disposed to landfill. Methods used to promote home compost programs include:

Distribution of practical information on how to set up a home composting or vermiculture system and cope with problems that may arise;

Promotion and direct sale of compost bins and/or worm farms to residents;

Provision of contact details for private operators that sell compost bins or worm farms;

Demonstrations of composting, worm farming and market gardening at shows or dedicated sites; and/or

Provision of compost bins and worm farms to interested schools.

In informal and low income areas, areas can be identified where vegetable gardens can be established. This also prevents communities from using these areas as dumping grounds. Vegetable wastes can be composted for use in these vegetable gardens.

10 IMPLEMENTATION

10.1 Critical risks to implementation

Because these standards set benchmarks related to collection and cleaning service delivery, there is a real possibility that not all the standards will be met at the onset or immediately after publication of these waste standards. This could then result in varied or phased

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implementation of the standards by various Service Providers. The critical risks to implementation considered to be considered are the following:

10.1.1 Human resource capacity

Many municipalities, particularly some of the smaller local municipalities have limited human resource capacity and are currently not even meeting their required service delivery mandate where many households are not receiving a waste collection service. To introduce standards which would impose a duty on the local municipalities to improve on their current waste collection and cleaning service could be risky as implementation of the standards might not be guaranteed. This scenario could possibly be true for a number of smaller SMMEs, entrepreneurs and one man contractors, who might not have the capability to comply with the given standards. What would be required, is a phased approach to the introduction and implementation of the standards, which would allow for the gradual expansion of the required capacity needed to implement the standards. However, it must be noted that many of the standards do not require the need for additional capacity for implementation. Introduction of the standards will be part of the current waste collection and cleaning practices. The service providers which would be mostly affected by the standards will have to analyse the standards and determine where additional capacity might be required and how this could affect their business. Cognisance should be taken of utilising subcontractors / partnerships within certain aspects of the standards such as collection of waste for separation at source and collection of waste from informal settlements.

Linked to the implementation of standards is the awareness and training that need to be provided by the service providers to their staff. This could also determine to what extent additional staff might be required.

10.1.2 Financial capacity and implications

The financial implications for implementing the standards have not yet been determined. However, what is clear is that the smaller local municipalities have limited budgets for waste management. Long-term cost savings, based on changes made in the short-term, are often difficult to put into perspective given the short-term budget demands. Although a number of the standards will not require additional finances, some of them will, and it cannot be expected that only those which do not require additional budget are implemented in the short-term. Municipalities therefore need to consider a number of cost savings which will be achieved once the standards have been implemented. These include:

Long term savings in the cost to remove illegal dumping once quantities start decreasing. The cost to remove illegally dumped waste is far higher than for routine collected waste, generally more than double.

Less utilisation of landfill airspace, when separation at source is implemented. The unit capital cost of a new permitted landfill is approximately R8.00 to R10.00 per tonne. The

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operational cost is between R20.00 and R30.00 per tonne. Therefore the total cost of waste disposal at a permitted landfill is between R28.00 and R40.00 per tonne.

Transporting waste long distances, because of landfill closures would increase transport costs. Long distance transportation costs vary between R2.50 and R4.50 per tonne per km. As an example, if a new regional landfill is established 40km further away from the waste generation areas, the additional transportation costs could be as much as R180.00 per tonne. This cost would be additional to the high cost of routine waste collection.

Reducing the need for the establishment of a new landfill when waste is diverted from landfill, which will have huge cost savings, in terms of development costs (R8.00 to R10.00 per tonne). In addition, distances travelled to reach these new landfills, seem to be further and further away from waste generation nodes, which could result in extensive transport costs (R2.50 to R4.50 per tonne per km).

Collection vehicle routes should be designed to minimise driving distances and delays. The cost of routine collected waste is between R450.00 and R650.00 per tonne.

For municipalities, utilising the service of private contractors for collection of waste from specific areas, is often more cost effective than providing the service in-house. Typically waste collection using the private sectors costs between R15.00 and R25.00 per service point per month, whereas the municipality costs for the same service ranges from R40.00 to R55.00 per service point per month.

Municipalities could look at partnering up with the private sector to collect the containers with recyclables, once separation at source is introduced. This would reduce the amount of waste to be collected, and hence reduce the overall cost of the waste collection service.

In addition a number of financial options such as subsidies, funding (i.e. Municipal Infrastructure Grant funding), etc. will assist the municipalities in making their budgets go further. These include:

Better utilising systems such as the indigent policy and free basic service grant which would subsidise numerous households currently not paying for a service.

Applying for MIG funding which could assist with capital investments and the like.

Costing / Tariff setting

Although waste management is regarded as a basic service, at municipal level, it is generally placed well below the other basic services such water supply, housing, etc. and as a result does not get allocated sufficient budget. This needs to change. In addition, municipal income generation is extremely poor, which often results in budget deficits.

The Waste Tariff Strategy (WTS) developed by DEAT, now called DEA, is a functional tool which could assist municipalities with regard to ensuring adequate funding for meeting standards set out by the Gauteng Province. The Tariff Models presented within the Tariff

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Strategy will be able to assist in the development of adequate tariffs based on implementation of the required standards. The WTS indicates different tariff scenarios and how tariffs are applied within different municipal circumstances. A number of documents have been developed in support of the WTS which includes the WTS document, the guideline document, the user-friendly manual and the tariff model. The cost of additional requirements needed to fulfil the standards will have to be borne by the rate payer and adjusted costing within the tariff models would allow for this.

10.1.3 Lack of education and awareness

Education and awareness of the Service Providers, their staff as well as the public is required to ensure successful implementation of the standards. Without an understanding of how waste collection and cleaning has to be implemented according to the standards by the service providers, will place a huge risk on successful implementation of the standards. Labour Unions must be brought on board, so that they understand the reasons for implementation of the standards and where the implementation can affect work carried out by the service providers’ staff. In addition, those obtaining the service, the public as well as commerce and industry, need to know what is required of them and the level of service that they can look forward to. Because of the cost of education and awareness programmes, there is a potential risk that this will not be undertaken, which is seen as a vital tool to implementing the standards. Success of the separation at source programmes is totally reliant on the participation of residents and business/industrial entities and the role of the local government in facilitating and providing enabling mechanisms such as appropriate by-laws, etc. and this requires extensive and continual education and awareness communication.

10.1.4 Population and economic growth

Uncontrolled population as well as economic growth can place a huge burden on service providers in that additional financial, human resource and infrastructure might be required to keep up with the demand of the provision of an equitable, uniform, environmentally sound waste service. This is especially true if allocated budgets and income generated do not increase accordingly. As a result the implementation of standards might be compromised, given the division of resources, budget, etc.

10.1.5 Economic factors

Economic factors which cannot be controlled at a local level can have a marked effect on the implementation of certain of the standards required. This is particularly true in the case of separation at source for recycling as well as the costs in obtaining parts for machinery and vehicles not made locally. The decreased need in the market for certain recyclable commodities previously had a huge negative impact on the recycling industry and reduced the price of these commodities substantially. Recycling markets need to be investigated at a national level as this would impact on the whole of South Africa and locally new avenues for use of recyclable materials should be considered, especially advancement of home industries. Residents will become despondent if they separate out their waste, only to discover that their

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recyclable wastes are ending up in the landfill. This will only discourage their participation and place implementation in jeopardy.

Another driver related to the collection of recyclables is the productivity potential of that recyclable. To what extent are recyclables being used to produce other items? What is the relationship between what can be expected to be recycled and the processing capability provided by industry? It will be no use if PVC plastics are required to be separated out and recycled if there is no processing industry or a market for the processed item.

In addition, Service Providers are being paid for the amount of general waste they collect. Alternative payment methods would therefore have to be considered especially if separation and waste reduction is to be encouraged.

Despite the fact that the standards will eventually be promulgated as provincial regulations, the issue of providing incentives to the municipalities in particular to implement the standards and actually go beyond the standards needs to be taken into consideration. GDARD would like to institute a recognition programme for municipalities who go beyond the minimum standard.

10.1.6 Legislative and governmental processes

Legislative and governmental processes can often halt or delay progress of a programme or project. A case in point is the long and drawn out Municipal Systems Act Section 78 process which is used to determine if external delivery mechanisms can be used by a municipality or not. This process can significantly delay the appointment of a contractor to provide a service to informal settlements. This will have an impact on the rate of the implementation of the standards. In addition, the request for MIG funding can be a tedious process, which might or might not result in the allocation of funding for capital projects.

The registration of indigents, which will entitle the municipality to subsidies for free basic services, is a continuous process, which relies on the indigent person to register on a yearly basis. The municipalities need to ensure that this is an easy, simple process, with no costs incurred by the indigent person.

In addition, the lack of enforcement of by-laws, outdated by-laws as well as limited prosecutions by the National Prosecuting Authority which are often stalled by red tape, lack of evidence, etc. can negatively influence the implementation of the standards.

10.1.7 Reporting

Service Providers will have to report to the authorities regarding the implementation of the standards. The risk associated with this, is that reporting might not be accurate or reporting might not be undertaken by the Service Provider. This will not allow GDARD to determine the actual success of implementation of the standards, which is crucial to them as they have

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the legislative mandate to ensure that services are provided at the required standard that they stipulate.

10.2 Implementation plan (explanation of the phased approach)

It is intended that the GWCS will be implemented over a period of time. This is especially true for new services namely separation at source for the purpose of recycling. Because of the variety of pilot projects currently underway in South Africa, for which successes are minimal and have not fully been proven, economic factors and the unique set of circumstances defining the socio-economic elements in Gauteng, pilot studies will have to be investigated to research source separation. The initial focus will be on the higher income residential areas where greater quantities of recyclables are being generated. Associated with this, would be the analysis of a separation at source pricing model which would indicate the successes and failures of this system. This must be all encompassing and should consider long term cost savings in landfill airspace among other cost savings.

The GWCS document will then be revisited considering the findings of the pilot study. Once standards have been implemented and have proven to be practical, useful, and effective, they will be promulgated as provincial regulations.

10.3 Sustainability

There are a number of factors and variables which could positively or negatively affect the implementation of the standards. These will ultimately determine whether the implementation of the Standards will be sustainable or not. The following list has to be taken into account and addressed with regard to the various pilot studies that will be undertaken to determine the feasibility of certain of the standards as well as the standards as a whole. These sustainability issues are as follows:

Political support is vital

Adequate management systems in place (such as the ISO 14001 series)

Appropriate (fit for purpose) technology

Public information and transparency

Adequate cost recovery

Subsidisation of free basic services

Household affordability, or willingness to pay

Cooperation from communities

Adequate levels of supervision and monitoring

By-laws conflicting with Provincial standards

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Buy-in from municipalities

Practicability and applicability

Fit for purpose training and capacity building for all parties involved in the provision of waste collection services is necessary to ensure sustainability of the service, which needs to be supported by appropriate enabling by-laws.

Delays in implementing services as a result of legislative processes. This pertains specifically to implementing Section 78 of the Municipal Systems Act with regard to external service delivery.

11 PERFORMANCE & MONITORING

Monitoring of the GWCS is necessary to determine to what extent Service Providers are implementing the standards, where problem areas are with regard to implementation, successes and failures of the standards and where changes and improvements can be made to the standards to make them more applicable, practical and ultimately implementable. This is especially true in light of the fact that these standards will become Regulation in the province.

An effective monitoring programme is essential to provide information against which the implementation of the standards can be measured as well as the performance of Service Providers in the implementation of the standards. Monitoring of specific outputs will determine to what extent standards are being met. The objectives of monitoring are to:

Determine which of the standards and by whom they are implemented and how the standards can be improved.

Obtain current information against which the standards’ implementation is measured.

Improve the level of service provided.

Ensure that progress on the implementation of the GWCS is on track and that adjustments and refinements can be made where required.

Fulfil the monitoring requirements as may be imposed in terms of legislation.

According to the Municipal Systems Act, Chapter 6, section 46, municipalities should submit an annual report to their respective Councils, the reason being to ensure that non-performances and misadministration at local municipal level is identified and addressed. The management systems of the municipalities are therefore performance outcome based. This would require that key performance indicators are developed and performance targets set. This type of performance measurement is also relevant to the Service Providers in the private sector.

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11.1 Key Performance Indicators

Some key performance indicators for monitoring the implementation of the standards have been listed below, however, additions or deletions can be made based on information obtained during implementation and what indicators give the best results and information required.

Percentage of the population receiving a waste collection service

Improvement on level of service given per population

Percentage of the population receiving a door-to-door service.

Number of complaints related to collection and cleaning activities.

The percentage of complaints addressed with 72 hours.

Percentage of waste illegally dumped which is collected related to all waste collected.

Percentage area that conforms to the Photo Graphic Standard 3, 90% of the time.

Number of private sector waste companies registered with the local authorities

Number of people registered as indigent (related to expected numbers)

Percentage of employees (involved in collection and cleaning activities) that have been trained on the standards.

Number of health and safety incidents reported.

Number of educational programmes successfully implemented.

Development of Areas Cleaning Plan Development of Worker Safety Plan

Quantity of waste disposed of at landfills

Quantities of waste diverted from landfill and the airspace saving as a result of waste diversion

Number of recycling companies partaking in waste separation activities.

The number of residences (communities) participating in the recycling program.

The number of business/commercial customers participating in the recycling program.

Number of jobs created as a result of waste recycling initiatives.

For waste going to landfill / For waste separated out for recycling R/Service Point/month R/Tonne of waste collected R/m of street cleaned or swept R/worker/month R/vehicle/month kg/Service Point collected Number of Service points serviced /

Vehicle T/worker per month T/day (general waste collected)

Those KPI’s which have been highlighted with a bold font, can be readily implemented by Service Providers

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11.2 Monitoring responsibilities and monitoring periods

11.2.1 Responsibilities

Responsibility for monitoring can be defined based on legal mandatory responsibility, operational responsibility as well as the level of environmental consciousness.

In terms of current or impending legislation provincial government is responsible for monitoring waste service delivery within its jurisdiction.

With monitoring being an operational issue, municipalities and businesses themselves are currently responsible for monitoring themselves.

The local community can play an invaluable role in monitoring, as they are always exposed to the operational aspects of waste management.

11.2.2 Monitoring requirements and periods

GDARD are considering the principle of self-monitoring of the standards by the different Service Providers, especially as many of the standards are based on operational aspects. However, information regarding key outputs to measure certain aspects of the standards will be required on a yearly basis. Monitoring information will have to be supplied by the Service Providers to the Provincial Government. It is the intention to use the current Waste Information System in which the Service Providers will have to input details related to the performance indicators described above. It might be required that this information, particularly from the local authorities, would have to be included in the agreed information submitted to the Province for Integrated Waste Management Planning. Service Providers shall submit information annually on the performance indicators listed above.

The establishment of Environmental Management Inspectors could assist in monitoring certain operational aspects related to the standards for both the local authorities and the private sector. Findings would then be provided to the Province.

12 EVALUATION AND REVIEW

The reason for reviewing the standards and their implementation on a continual basis is to ensure its practicality, suitability and usability. These evaluations may reveal additional or different priority areas that should be addressed within the standards or as complementary tools to implement the standards.

A full review of the standards will take place, once the pilot studies have been completed and enough monitoring data on the implementation has been received. The standards will be reviewed every 2 years, for the first 4 years and small changes made during the course of the

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implementation period. The necessary legislative process will be followed to have the standards adopted in law in the Gauteng Province.

13 THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADDITIONAL WASTE MANAGEMENT STANDARDS FOR GAUTENG

The GDARD has also of developed standards for certain activities, processes, facilities, etc. which cannot be monitored by them on a regular basis. This will ensure that these activities, processes, facilities, etc. will have a uniform and consistent operational system, which is environmentally, socially and economically sound. The following activities, processes, facilities, etc. related to general waste which will be considered by GDARD have been listed below:

Garden sites

Transfer stations

Buy-back centres

Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF)

Treatment facilities (e.g. composting)

Although many of these facilities and processes require a Waste Management Licence to operate, operational aspects might not necessarily be detailed within these permits/licences. The standards which will be developed for these facilities will be directly and indirectly linked to the GWCS. For example, the manner in which waste is separated at source can influence how waste is handled and processed in a MRF.

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Glencairn Building, 73 Market Street, JohannesburgP O Box 8769, Johannesburg, 2000

Telephone: (011) 355-1900Fax: (011) 355-1000Email: gdard@gauteng.gov.za Website : www.gdard.gpg.gov.za

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