FIS – Conservation Committee Report on three landfill sites

Hon. Speaker, this report is highly concerning, given the reality that landfill sites are not the only answer to waste management.
The time is now for other initiatives which includes: the role of private companies in recycling as business start-ups or as corporate social responsibility; engagement with NGO’s which voluntarily clean the environment and local government which needs to implement management of waste at source.
The provincial government must be the champion to make recycling at source the key focus in all government departments, including the Legislature.
We must have colour- coded bins or boxes for paper, organic and other recycling items at workplaces and other institutions.
In homes, municipalities must give color-coded biodegradable bin bags.
The landfills must work with recycling businesses.
More innovative initiatives will be to allow waste producers such as large airports, hotels hospitals and shopping malls to build a recycling facility on-site.
The above will lessen the burden for landfills and surrounding community conflicts. Leachate must be monitored by a land drainage authority which should be part of the land-use sector.
E- recycling is big business, using dry depot drop offs and can effectively employ the disability sector.
Government is an enabler and must look at waste management as big business for private and community sectors, instead off punishing polluters, which makes us look like a police- state.
The recently strengthened environmental management laws, allows for these, hence the cabinet must come up with an integrated departmental plan to open up waste recycling to all, as the government cannot manage this alone.
Rural areas must take advantage of composting businesses.
Hon. Speaker, we seriously need to engage think-tanks for sustainable development.
Thank you.