National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008)

Chapter 1 : Interpretation and Principles

2. Objects of Act

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The objects of this Act are—

(a)to protect health, well-being and the environment by providing reasonable measures for—
(i)minimising the consumption of natural resources;
(ii)avoiding and minimising the generation of waste;
(iii)reducing, re-using, recycling and recovering waste;
(iv)treating and safely disposing of waste as a last resort;
(v)preventing pollution and ecological degradation;
(vi)securing ecologically sustainable development while promoting justifiable economic and social development;
(vii)promoting and ensuring the effective delivery of waste services;
(viii)remediating land where contamination presents, or may present, a significant risk of harm to health or the environment; and
(ix)achieving integrated waste management reporting and planning;
(b)to ensure that people are aware of the impact of waste on their health, well-being and the environment;
(c)to provide for compliance with the measures set out in paragraph (a); and
(d)generally, to give effect to section 24 of the Constitution in order to secure an environment that is not harmful to health and well-being.