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Master of Environmental Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus The promulgation of the National Environmental Management Waste Act (59 of 2008) (NEMWA) gave rise to the first South African Act, which specifically regulates waste management. Section 11 of this Act requires that all spheres of government, including local government prepare integrated waste management plans (IWMPs). The purpose of the IWMP is to address waste management matters at every sphere of government, using one strategic document. The development of the IWMP includes a consultative process with stakeholders in terms of Section 11 7(b) and public participation in terms of the Chapter 4 of the Municipal Systems Act. Following the development of the IWMP in line with Chapter 4 of the Municipal Systems Act, 2000, the IWMP has to be submitted to the council (in the case of local municipalities) for endorsement. The endorsement of the IWMP by its council is to ensure that the plan is integrated into the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) of the municipality. The significance of integration of the two plans is to ensure and secure budget for the IWMP to be implemented. A concern raised is that IWMPs are often prepared as part of adherence to legislative requirements, but the intended impact in addressing the waste services and waste management issues at the municipalities is often negligible. The aim of this research was to critically analyse the content of the IWMPs of the local municipalities within the Fezile Dabi District Municipality. The analyses focused on the content of the IWMPs, the progress made with implementing the waste management plans, and the alignment of the IWMPs goals to those of the national waste management strategy (NWMS). Data of the study was collected through utilising of the content review checklist which was developed with reference to Chapter 12 of NEMWA. Questionnaires were developed with reference to the steps to be followed when developing the IWMPs. Significant to the study was to incorporate the involvement of those within the waste management department and their knowledge on the IWMP document and its implementation. The collected data will attempt to identify constraints or limitations experienced at local municipalities, with the aim of making recommendations to address the issues currently faced by the local municipalities concerned. Data collected will be analysed through utilising of graphs and tables. Masters

MSc (Environmental Management with Waste Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is part of the polyester family and has widespread use as a packaging material, especially for bottling gaseous drinks and mineral waters. The exceptional features of PET, namely flexibility, transparency, excellent adhesion, low permeability to liquids and gases, high thermal resistance and low cost, enable PET to be considered a suitable alternative resource for use in various applications. Furthermore, PET is the only recycled material used in the food industry because it is completely non-toxic and does not contaminate food and drinks with harmful chemicals. Therefore, PET is used in bottle-to-bottle applications, including food applications. Furthermore, PET is a suitable polyester fibre for cotton and is used in various engineered resin applications, for example in textile, plastic sheeting and strapping industries. Thus, recycled PET can replace virgin materials during manufacturing processes to save many of our natural resources. However, with the rapid population increase in recent years, including the growth and urbanisation of towns and widespread consumerism and consumption, PET waste has become a significant source of pollution, causing critical environmental problems, thus requiring urgent attention. In addressing these problems, South African waste legislation, operating primarily through the National Environmental Management Act (107 of 1998) (NEMA) and supplementary regulations, has provided various protective mechanisms. These should be implemented to move waste up the integrated waste management hierarchy and promote diversion from landfills, as well as treatment, to enhance reuse and recovery. In addition, the amended Waste Act (26 of 2014) refined the definition of waste and inserted certain circumstances as to when waste ceases to be waste, such as when an application is approved for its reuse, recovery or recycling, or, in the absence of such approval, the waste is or has been reused, recovered or recycled. For this reason, strategic planning and implementing mechanisms to mitigate and reduce the risk of depleting natural resources are imperative. The primary aim of this study was to determine the opportunities and challenges created by the current South African legislative framework for alternative uses of PET waste. Thus, the research objectives focused on determining potential alternative uses of PET waste, critically exploring the current South African legislative framework, and evaluating the opportunities and challenges of the legal framework within the South African context. The study concluded that PET is an appropriate resource for alternative use in recycled applications, including but not limited to bottle-2-bottle, bottle-2-food grade, textile for domestic and industrial products, for example clothing and duvets, and plastic pallets to replace timber pallets. In addition, various opportunities and challenges for the alternative use of PET waste were identified. However, it was established that there was a deficiency in defining plastic waste in the Waste Act before 2020, except for the definition in the National Domestic Waste Collection Standards. Therefore, the South African legislative framework before 2020 neither governed the alternative uses of PET waste nor served per se to create the challenges and opportunities associated with the current legislative framework. However, it was established that the South African legislative framework could have been explored to govern the alternative use of PET waste. Nevertheless, the significant changes made by the National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) 2020 and the enactment of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations during 2020 present significant legislative opportunities and challenges governing the alternative use of PET waste within the context of the South African legislative framework. Masters

MSc (Enviromental Management with Waste Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus Waste Management Licensing (WML) is one of the environmental management policy instruments provided for in the National Environmental Management Waste Act (59 of 2008), as well as the National Waste Management Strategy. The WML application process is sometimes viewed as an obstacle, due to the perceived lengthy and bureaucratic nature of environmental impact assessment (EIA) process supporting the application. The value of the environmental assessment instruments has been scrutinized by different role players, leading to the desire to understand the benefits of undertaking these processes. Some recent research has been conducted by Roos et al. (2020) on the benefits of EIA for society and Cilliers et al. (2020) for government, both focusing on the perceptions of regulators within the South African context. However, no research has been done to understand the perceived benefits of waste management licensing, specifically, for society. The aim of this research is to determine the potential and realized benefits of waste management licensing for society as perceived by regulators. A semi-structured questionnaire was distributed to 62 provincial officials responsible for reviewing WML applications. They were requested to reflect on (i) the potential benefits of WML for society, (ii) the actual, realized benefits of WML for society, and (iii) means of bridging the gap between actual and potential benefits. Responses were received from 21 respondents, representing all nine provinces in South Africa. Reported benefits were discussed in accordance with the National Framework for Sustainable Development (NFSD); and top perceived potential and actual benefits were ranked according to their frequency of mention. The potential and actual benefits of WML for society as perceived by regulators leaned towards encouraging development that does not compromise ecosystem services, as well as exercising the constitutional right to a safe environment. Participants included climate change and health impact mitigation as additional potential benefits of WML (which was not included in this research). Improving education and awareness and an inclusive waste management licensing process were suggested as means of closing the gap between potential and actual benefits of WML for society. Masters

MSc (Environmental Sciences with Waste Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus Integrated waste management planning is essential for designing or improving a waste management system. It allows municipalities to evaluate current waste management practices; and consider waste management options that suit their desired end state, budget, and demographics. The need to develop and implement an integrated waste management plan (IWMP) is a legislative requirement provided for by Section 12 of the National Environmental Management Waste Act (59 of 2008) (NEMWA). In essence, an IWMP is a 5-year plan that provides for a municipality's waste management planning needs. It is implemented through an implementation plan, which needs to be incorporated into the municipality's integrated development plan (IDP) as a sector plan. The monitoring and review phase is one of the essential steps that municipalities must undertake to evaluate how the IWMP is performing. The process must be done yearly and at the end of the five years of implementation period. Monitoring through annual reports determines if the identified projects and the set targets are achieved, and it informs the review process as to whether targets must be adjusted or not. This research aimed to critically evaluate the monitoring and review phase of the IWMP process, using the Drakenstein Local Municipality in the Western Cape Province of South Africa as a case study. A mixed-methods approach was applied to address the research aim, document review and self-administered questionnaire were used to gather data. The Lee & Colley review package (traditionally applied for Environmental Impact Assessment report quality) was applied for the document review to determine the suitability and adequacy of the IWMP monitoring and review process. Self-administered questionnaires, distributed to five participants were used to determine the barriers and challenges experienced during IWMP monitoring and review. The document evaluation revealed gaps in the IWMP implementation plans, which is the primary driver of IWMP implementation. The implementation plan lacked the necessary details to monitor and review the IWMP. Although the IDP and SDBIP contained waste management projects, most of the projects could not be traced back to the IWMP. Subsequently, annual reporting had little impact on the IWMP performance. The self-administered questionnaire revealed that though reporting is done according to Section 46 of the Municipal Systems Act, it does not meet the requirements of Section 13 of NEMWA. Insufficient budget and human resource capacity were identified as barriers to reporting, monitoring and reviewing the IWMP. From the document assessment, it is evident that the reporting, monitoring and review of the IWMP are linked to the quality of the IWMP implementation plan. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the implementation plan is developed as stipulated in DEA’s guidelines for developing IWMPs. Masters

MSc (Environmental Management with Waste Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus South African municipalities regularly face challenges with managing waste due to increased population and economic growth and the complexity of waste streams. The National Waste Management Strategy, 2011 (NWMS) was developed to address these growing waste-related concerns. The main aim of the NWMS and its formulated goals are to affect the realisation of the objectives of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008, which aims to give effect to the waste management hierarchy. It is the responsibility of local government to implement the goals of the NWMS through their integrated waste management plans (IWMPs). This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of the 2011 NWMS goals by the City of Tshwane (CoT) as a case study for local government. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, a qualitative research methodology was adopted. Primary data was collected through research interviews with waste management employees from the CoT’s waste management department. Secondary data was collected from the NWMS, CoT’s 2014 IWMP, CoT’s 2017 – 2021 Integrated Development Plan (IDP), and supporting documents. The results revealed that seven of the eight NWMS goals had been incorporated into the CoT IWMP, whilst Goal 7 was not provided for because it does not fall within the mandate of the CoT’s waste management department. However, the actual implementation of the NWMS goals still required attention, as evident from the review of documents such as the CoT IDP, Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan 2017-2021, and the Waste Management Performance Report 2015-2020. Some challenges exist within the CoT as far as integrated waste management is concerned, which impacted the pace of implementation of the NWMS goals. These challenges include a lack of adequate training among employees in waste management, a shortage of necessary resources such as funding, inadequate law enforcement, which leads to illegal dumping and the lack of awareness of the importance of waste management in communities. The study concludes that even though waste management remains a significant challenge across local governments in South Africa, municipalities such as the CoT are making commendable progress towards attaining the NWMS goals. Masters

MSc (Environmental Management with Waste Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus Since the South African Waste Information System (SAWIS) formally came into effect in January 2013, the SAWIS has failed to produce credible and timely information on waste generation and management in South Africa, notwithstanding the National Waste Management Strategy’s (2020) aim to “improve the collection, reporting and dissemination of information on SAWIS” by 60% by 2022. This research focused on critically identifying challenges in implementing the SAWIS, with a view of making practical recommendations for improvement to the system. The research followed a mixed-methods approach, using a combination of a literature review and evaluation, survey questionnaires, and interviews to gather data. The document or literature review included the analysis of key South African milestone reports. These reports included the 2011 and 2020 National Waste Management Strategies, the 2012 National Waste Baseline Information Report, the 2018 State of Waste Report and the SAWIS databases used to determine the status of the SAWIS reporting. 152 SAWIS users responded to the survey and completed the survey questionnaire (quoted later). Some were later excluded. A total of 116 SAWIS users completed the survey questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with the nine provincial SAWIS administrators to identify the challenges in implementing the SAWIS. The results of the SAWIS database analysis revealed an average reporting rate of only 33% by its users, with the majority of 67% not reporting to the SAWIS and therefore not being compliant with the National Waste Information Regulations (NWIR). The issues related to non-reporting or non-compliant reporting are widely reported in the secondary literature reviewed. The study also found that the SAWIS users' and administrators' perceptions and expressions varied. The findings point to systemic challenges in implementing the SAWIS. Identified challenges related to data-capturing, a lack of equipment for determining waste quantities (i.e., scales or weighbridges), high staff turnover of waste management facilities, lack of capacity in provinces, and access to the internet, to name a few. The findings also clearly show that the SAWIS challenges and the dire need for system improvements can neither be ignored nor postponed. It is recommended that the next amendment to the NWIR consider waste transportation activities, update SAWIS user manuals, align the SAWIS with the existing provincial waste information systems, and regular verifications of the waste data. Masters

MSc (Geography and Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus An increasing population, urbanisation, as well as unsustainable anthropogenic activities have resulted in the degradation of the natural environment. This is especially true in vulnerable environments, such as protected areas (PAs). South Africa is home to many PAs, which generates a considerable number of tourism activities. Tourism-related activities generate different types and quantities of waste, which may cause negative impacts to PAs if not managed correctly. In order to ensure that the PA environment is conserved and protected, sustainable waste management should be practiced. This research aims to apply the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to understand the factors influencing waste behaviour related to tourism activities within the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area (MPA). The TPB suggests that an individual’s intention to engage in a behaviour is dependent on their attitude, subjective norms, as well as perceived behavioural control. To this extent, the waste management behaviour of selected diving charters and accommodation facilities were considered in this research. The research specifically focuses on waste separation at source behaviour. Observed- and self-reported elements of waste separation at source behaviours were determined during this research, since literature suggests that there may be inconsistencies between reported- and actual waste-related behaviour. On-site observations and a waste characterisation study were performed to understand observed (or actual) behaviour. Survey questionnaires, based on the TPB, were administered to determine self-reported behaviour. Associations between TPB statements could not be determined because of the low variability of data points, mainly due to the relatively small sample size. Finally, interviews were conducted to understand the opportunities and challenges related to waste separation at source within the Aliwal Shoal MPA. Waste observations and waste characterisation studies of five diving charters and four accommodation facilities indicated that there was a significant percentage of recyclable waste (>70%) found within the disposable waste, with no source separation currently taking place. It was also determined that no waste separation infrastructure was present at any of the participants investigated. Responses from nine participants indicated a positive attitude towards waste separation, with a social drive towards participating. Respondents also indicated that they generally participated in waste separation at source. This contradicted the observation data, which indicated that no waste separation at source is currently being practiced. Results of interviews indicated that a lack of waste separation infrastructure, a lack of collection and transportation services, convenience, time constraints, and the willingness of customers to participate in waste separation were the main challenges of source separation in the Aliwal Shoal. The provision of waste separation resources and municipal services, as well as improved waste management behaviour were opportunities identified by the participants. Masters

M (Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus Most landfills in South Africa are rapidly running out of airspace. This calls for the implementation of sustainable alternative waste management solutions to move waste, such as gypsum wallboard waste, up the waste management hierarchy. Although the environmental and social impacts associated with the disposal of gypsum wallboard waste in landfills are well understood, and the alternatives to landfill disposal are extensively researched on an international scale, there is limited publicly available research on the use of gypsum wallboard waste in South Africa. This study aimed to explore alternative options to landfill disposal of gypsum wallboard waste within the South African context. This was achieved through evaluating the physico-chemical properties of gypsum wallboard waste, identifying the alternatives to the landfill disposal; and investigating the opportunities and challenges associated with gypsum wallboard waste alternative use. The study employed a mixed-method design, using qualitative and quantitative techniques. The results of the study indicated that gypsum wallboard waste is non-hazardous and is not likely to pose any physical, health or environmental hazards. In addition, the physico-chemical properties of the gypsum wallboard make it suitable for potential alternative uses identified in literature, prompting further investigation of alternatives through field experiments and interviews. The results from field experiments indicated that the presence of the gypsum wallboard waste in composting dampened the temperature of the compost, but the pH, EC and moisture content of the compost remained within the required composting limits. Also, the sodium and the heavy metal concentrations of the compost were reduced suggesting that gypsum wallboard waste is capable of reducing the salinity and toxic levels of heavy metals in compost to below lethal levels. The study also found that up to 20% of gypsum wallboard waste can be added to produce a fertilizer before reducing the concentrations of boron to deficiency levels. Of interest to this study, the gypsum wallboard waste drastically reduced the concentrations of pathogens, and increased the concentrations of calcium and sulphur nutrients in correlation to the quantity of gypsum wallboard added. This suggested that gypsum wallboard waste supplied the essential nutrients required by plants to the compost and has the potential to sterilise the infectious pathogens in compost that are harmful for human and animal consumption. The results from interviews indicated that 78% of composters interviewed were not interested in utilising gypsum wallboard waste in their composting processes - mainly because of its quality and origin. On the other hand, gypsum wallboard manufacturers expressed their interest in utilising recycled gypsum in the manufacturing of new wallboard with the aim of improving company image, achieving environmental targets and earning points from the green building council. To make alternatives such as fertilizer production from wallboard waste more favourable than landfill disposal, measures such as landfilling gate fees and landfill restrictions/bans for the disposal of gypsum wallboard waste are suggested. Masters

M (Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus Food waste remains a global concern. This is attributed to its negative impacts on food security, water resources and climate change, to name a few. Throughout the food supply chain, food waste figures are generally based on estimates. The grocery retail sector is in a critical position to influence waste reduction and to contribute towards achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal to halve the amount of global food waste by 2030. The purpose of this study was to understand how food waste is managed in the retail industry using a sample of three grocery retail stores in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal as a case study. This was achieved by assessing food waste types, determining food waste management in relation to waste- and food recovery hierarchies; exploring drivers behind food wastage; and lastly exploring motivators and opportunities for food wastage prevention and reduction in the grocery retail sector. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used to collect and analyze data from three grocery retail stores belonging to one retail group. Data collection included semi-structured interviews, secondary data in the form of archived waste monitoring and measurement records and on-site food waste assessment and characterization. Nvivo 12 and Microsoft 2010, were used to analyze data. Similar to the results of other studies, this research has found that fruit and vegetables were the most wasted food items, followed by perishable products (such as dairy) and in-store bakery items. This study identified food waste drivers which include date labelling, food safety standards, shelf life, handling, quality standards, promotions and lack of diversion avenues. Store managers were exclusively motivated by financial gain to reduce food waste. Opportunities identified to prevent and reduce food waste include training and awareness, improved demand planning and forecasting, food redistribution and landfill ban legislation, and infrastructure investments. These findings are not unique to this study but relates to findings from studies conducted globally. Masters

MSc (Geography and Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus Waste management in South Africa faces numerous challenges, including a growing population and economy, which cause an increase in the generation of waste. Limited human and financial capacity, the absence of infrastructure and equipment, coupled with the declining levels of capital investment and maintenance, present a challenge to most South African municipalities as far as municipal solid waste management is concerned. Previous research reports on the challenges faced with regards to waste management in the Limpopo Province, highlights the need for further research at a local municipality level. This study aimed to evaluate the municipal solid waste management system in Polokwane Local Municipality, with a focus on identifying challenges and gaps, to, ultimately, make recommendations for improvement. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, a mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) research approach was adopted. Primary data was collected through observations, interviews with waste managers, and survey questionnaires with general workers. Secondary data was collected from literature review and evaluation of the Polokwane Local Municipality integrated waste management plan (IWMP) and integrated development plan (IDP), as well as supporting documents. The results of the study indicate that some challenges exist with the implementation of national waste management legislation as it relates to the storage, collection, transportation and final disposal of waste, which may influence the municipality’s waste management system performance. When comparing the IWMP goals to the goals of the National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS), the results revealed a gap linking all of the goals, especially Goals 3 and 7. Observations revealed challenges with regards to insufficient receptacles for waste storage, with limited to no separation at source, as well as insufficient operations at the landfill site, with inadequate daily cover, irregular inspection of vehicles at the access gate leading to incorrect data being reported to the SAWIS system. Interview with waste management officers revealed that financial management, equipment management, labour management, and institutional behaviour are the main factors influencing waste management systems within the municipality. Surveys completed by general waste workers indicated that a lack of adequate human resources, and insufficient basic waste management awareness and skills are cause for concern. An improvement in human resource capacity, with a focus on training was recommended. Masters

MSc (Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus In redressing global and local waste management challenges, many countries developed and implemented integrated waste management systems through policies, laws and strategies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the evolution of the South African National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) from its inception in 1999 to the current 2020 NWMS. The study also aimed to compare the evolution of the South African NWMS with international waste management policies, laws and strategies. The comparative process included two developed countries, namely the Netherlands and Taiwan, and two developing countries namely, Thailand and Nigeria. This study made use of critical document review and analysis, supported by literature review and a comparative analysis to mainly evaluate the evolution of the following: the focus of strategic goals and objectives; the approach towards implementing the waste management hierarchy as well as the thematic content. The comparative analysis with other countries’ waste management laws, policies and strategies included a review of the key principles underpinning integrated waste management, as outlined in the documents under review. The results of the research demonstrate the progressive evolution of the South African NWMS from 1999 to 2020 compares well with the evolution of other developing and developed countries. Progressive advancements include critical aspects such as an integrated approach to pollution prevention and integrated waste management. This is underpinned by the incorporation of the waste hierarchy at its core, with the end goal to develop a circular economy. To achieve stated goals and objectives, the policies and strategies highlight the importance of government, civil society and private business acting as a collective. In terms of its documented contents to give effect to the terms of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act 59 of 2008), the South African NWMS 2020 as well as the laws, policies and strategies from other countries, are progressively moving towards “zero waste” goals and the overall improvement of integrated waste management. Masters

M (Enviromental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus Explosives waste generation is a universal problem because of its complex and hazardous nature. Despite the well-known negative impacts of explosive waste on the environment, there has been very little research on the governance of these waste streams, especially in the evaluation of the legislative framework and legislative compliance. This study aimed to determine the legal framework applicable to the management of explosives wastes in South Africa, and to examine legal compliance challenges in the explosives sector. This was done by using a South African explosives manufacturer as a case study, focusing on the life cycle of explosives waste management – from generation, including the explosive destruction process to final disposal. To achieve the aim of this study, three research objectives were researched through the collection of primary and secondary data. The methodology of data collection included literature review, the review of previous audit reports, conducting interviews, performing onsite observations, as well as a legal verification on selected legislation applicable to the scope of this study. The findings of the research revealed that legal compliance status of the explosives manufacturer has improved over the past five years, and that the manufacturer was generally in compliance with applicable legislation at the time of the research study being conducted. There were, however, some areas of non-compliance, where these non-compliances may cause negative environmental impacts. Non-compliances related to explosives waste management were related to the storage of explosives waste exceeding the storage capacity, transportation of uncovered explosives waste, which can be easily blown away by the wind and result in contamination of the exposed area. The outcomes of the interviews indicated that employees did not receive appropriate training from local authorities on the requirements for the handling and disposal of explosives wastes, and interviewees perceived a lack of emphasis on explosives waste recycling. The study has provided different recommendations to appropriately manage legal compliance challenges by the explosive sectors. From lessons learned from the developed world, this research recommends that government officials should take the lead in ensuring that explosives manufacturing sectors level of legal compliance is enforced and continuously monitored. Masters

MSc (Waste Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus Around one third of food produced for human consumption is wasted globally, with the majority of this waste being landfilled. This is troublesome, especially in developing countries, where access to food and hunger have been raised as concerns. Sources of food waste include household, commercial, industrial, and agricultural waste, and its composition differs, depending on source and type. The disposal of food waste leads to a loss of resources in the food production life cycle, while landfilling also leads to negative environmental impacts. The waste management hierarchy advocates the disposal of waste as the least preferable option, with alternatives such as re-use, recycling and treatment, being more preferable. The aim of the study was to explore alternatives for the diversion of food waste from landfill disposal. The Waterval landfill site, located in the Rustenburg Local Municipality (RLM) was selected as a case example for what could typically be expected for a South African landfill site. Food waste was characterised (in quantity and type) over a five-day period, supported by secondary weigh bridge data, and data gathered during interviews. Two-hundred-and-twenty-one kilogrammes (221 kg) of waste was sorted during the waste characterisation study, with a total of 65,18 kg (29.5%) being food waste. Fruits and vegetables, bakery items and mixed food are the three types of food that were found to be present in the largest quantities. The results of the study compared well with what other researchers have found elsewhere in South Africa. Literature was reviewed to determine which alternatives to landfilling would be the most suitable for the food waste characterised at the Waterval landfill site, based on factors such as food waste composition and estimated quantities, cost, technology required, creation of job opportunities, etc. The results of comparing alternative methods showed that composting and livestock feeding were the most suitable alternatives, based on the waste quantities and types. Anaerobic digestion was also considered, but not found feasible due to the amount of food waste required for sustainable, ongoing anaerobic digestion. Incineration was considered as an option, but were not considered feasible, due to its low position on the food waste hierarchy, and limited incineration capacity in RLM. Interviews with staff from the RLM indicated that alternative initiatives would be supported. Review of documentation, such as the integrated waste management plan (IWMP) and integrated development plan (IDP) has indicated that the reduction of food waste to landfill has been identified as a priority within the municipality. The allocation of operational budget towards the investigation and implementation of alternatives has, however, been identified as being a gap. Masters

North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus MSc (Environmental Management), North-West University,Potchefstroom Campus The aim of this study was to investigate household behaviour towards waste management amongst the youth in Parys, South Africa. Various research studies have been conducted globally which indicated the acute household waste problem in cities like China, Seoul, Brazil and Mexico City. These cities receive more than 10 000 tonnes of household waste per day. The Saharan African region is characterised by household waste creation due to population growth and urbanisation. In South Africa the situation is also deteriorating. The youth is the future citizens of the nation and they should actively participate in solving environmental issues (Sujatha, 2012:6). Household waste has been increasing annually by an alarming rate, exacerbating threats such as global warming and ozone depletion, if not managed well. The legal mandate in South Africa is briefly discussed in this study, to establish the structures that are in place to assist with household waste management in South Africa. The waste management hierarchy is embedded in the South African waste policy (NEMWA). This hierarchy guides household waste behaviour by avoiding and reducing household waste as the preferred method, rather encouraging re-using, recycling and treatment of household waste. Disposal of waste is seen as the last resort. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) served as theoretical lens to understand the influencing factors of household waste behaviour. This is a popular and validated tool to assist in explaining the influencing factors of human behaviour towards household waste. The quantitative study using a questionnaire, established that learners have a proper understanding of household waste, regarding it as everything that is thrown away in the kitchen bin. They occasionally have a sense of responsibility towards the environment. Environmental education (EE) can improve environmental awareness, yet steps have to be taken to address this phenomenon. Treatment of waste in terms of creating a compost heap is not a favourable option. Learners do engage in the re-use of items from household waste regularly, and they do make an attempt to avoid the creation of waste. Recycling does however, not take place enough and there seems to be a misconception that recycling is time-consuming. Most households do not sort their household waste. Learners are willing to sort and recycle waste if a system can be implemented that does not take up much time. The use of incentives for recycling waste is also an attractive option. Individuals must focus on reduction (prevention/minimisation) of household waste and where it is not possible, re-use, recycle and recover (Parkour et al., 2014). Masters

MSc (Waste Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream globally and its rapid increase has become a global concern. Due to the lack of e-waste legislation, public knowledge, recycling infrastructure, and framework for the e-waste take back or implementation of extended producer responsibility (EPR) in Lesotho, e-waste is often disposed of with general waste to the landfills, or end up in open burning or open dumping. The study aimed at establishing the level of knowledge and awareness of e-waste management practices amongst members of the public in Maseru, Lesotho. Door-to-door semi-structured interviews were conducted with selected households in certain Maseru suburbs. The surveys were conducted to determine current e-waste management practices and respondents’ awareness, knowledge and willingness around e-waste practices. Three-hundred-and-fifty-four (354) respondents were interviewed, and 92% response rate was achieved. The literature review also aimed to inform the context of the current study, focusing on “knowledge”, “awareness” and “willingness” aspects around waste in general, but also focusing on e-waste management practices. According to the results of the survey, knowledge of e-waste was very limited, with approximately 94% of respondents not being aware or having knowledge of what e-waste was. Approximately 88% of respondents indicated that they were willing to recycle their e-waste products, however they were not willing to pay the recycling fee. The recycling of e-waste is generally insufficient, with limited amounts of e-waste being recycled or re-sold. The current e-waste management practices established were the storage of e-waste in the households and disposal to the landfill together with general waste. Where e-waste was disposed of, practices were generally poor, with the majority of e-waste being disposed to own dumps, the Tsosane dump site or end up being burned. Many of the malpractices may be attributed to a lack of awareness and the absence of legislative and regulatory measures. Command-and-control measures, together with economic instruments should be considered to improve the management of e-waste in Maseru, Lesotho. E-waste management regulations should consider the polluter pays principle to electronic devices importers and manufactures through mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR), and incentive schemes for producers of e-waste. Masters

North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus MSc (Environmental Management), North-West University,Potchefstroom Campus Groundwater resources, which form an important source of readily available potable water supply, are vulnerable to contamination from land-based activities. One of the potential sources of contamination is waste disposal facilities (WDFs). In South Africa, groundwater pollution potential from WDFs is regulated in terms of the National Water Act (36 of 1998) (NWA) and the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (59 of 2008) (NEM: WA). These two laws make use of different approaches to determine the groundwater pollution potential, namely, the (1) the Waste Classification Management System (WCMS), currently prescribed for the assessment of waste for landfill disposal under the NEM: WA; and (2) the source-pathway-receptor (SPR) approach recommended in the guidelines giving effect to Water Quality Management Policy developed under the NWA. It was argued that the current application of the WCMS may not consider site-specific conditions associated with groundwater pollution potential from WDFs. The aim of this study was to understand the extent to which the SPR approach differs from WCMS in terms of consideration of site-specific conditions when assessing potential pollution of groundwater from wet and dry ash disposal facilities (ADFs). SPR is one of the approaches, other than the WCMS, which is believed to make a more suitable provision for site-specific conditions. A case study method for ash disposal from the power generation processes of Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd was considered. One wet ADF and one dry ADF, located at two different Power Stations, with different site-specific conditions were included. Groundwater quality data, measured quarterly from June 1989 to February 2018 (at Site A) and October 1990 to June 2017 (at Site B) of twenty-two (22) different (source-, pathway- and receptor) boreholes were included for consideration during this study. Considering the above, it is clear that the WCMS and SPR approaches differ in how they assess groundwater pollution potential of ADFs, as it relates to the source (indicator: leachable concentration), pathway (indicator: NAP and geological structures) and receptor (indicator: thresholds). The fact that the WCMS approach does not provide for site-specific conditions and apply thresholds that do not adequately protect the most sensitive user identified for that catchment, could result in either over- or under-protection of the surrounding environment. It is, therefore, argued that the SPR approach may be a more suitable method for assessing groundwater pollution potential while taking site-specific conditions into consideration. Keywords: groundwater pollution potential, site-specific conditions, ash disposal facility, waste classification management system, source-pathway-receptor approach. Masters

Master of Environmental Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus This study aimed to investigate household awareness and willingness towards recycling. The study was limited to Vryheid and Bhekuzulu a small town situated in the Northern parts of Kwazulu-Natal. The empirical study investigated demographic variables such as gender, ethnicity, household size and income as it relates to current recycling participation as well as willing to participate in future recycling initiatives. The study aimed to be representative of most of the Vryheid and Bhekuzulu area and questionnaires have been handed out to low-, mediumand high-income households of each area. The number of respondents accumulated to 757 households in total. Sampling was stratified over the income spectrums (low, medium and high), and initially a grid was drawn to facilitate a random sampling procedure, however, during the execution of the study, questionnaires were delivered and received based on the availability of respondents. An extensive literature review was conducted on municipalities in the continents of Asia, Europe, North America and Africa to provide context to the current study. In certain cases, the results of this study have been similar to what was found elsewhere, but in other cases it has contradicted the results of other studies. Results found that all variables, except household size, have been statistically significant in current recycling participation. All variables pertaining to willingness of households to recycle, were statistically significant. The study area was generally characterised by low levels of awareness regarding recycling practices and initiatives. Masters

MSc (Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus Internationally, a call for research has been made to study third-party certification auditing (Albersmeier et al., 2009; Castka et al., 2015; Heras—Saizarbitoria & Boiral, 2013; Lal, 2004). In South Africa, legal non-compliance from prestigious organisations has led to a waning in the trust of ISO 14001 as a voluntary self-regulatory tool (Craigie et al., 2009; Nel & Wessels, 2010). Across various industries worldwide, scandals in the auditing profession have led to adverse perceptions about auditing (Dimitriu, 2017; Harney, 2005). Furthermore, the quality of non-conformance reporting and follow-up has come into question (Henderson & Gallagher, 2008; Kumar, 2016; Sweeney & Pierce, 2015). As management system auditing activities are similar in nature across various sectors, concerns relating to non-conformance reporting and follow-up may exist in the environmental management system (EMS) auditing as well. The quality of non-conformance reporting plays a major role in the auditing process. Undermining the value of non-conformance reporting may lead to the whole auditing process' value being negated (Birkmire et al., 2007; Tam et al., 2006). The study, therefore, evaluated the effectiveness of the non-conformance reporting systems of EMS (ISO 14001) certification auditing in South Africa from a selected Certification Body's perspective. As "effectiveness" is something that works as intended (Pölönen et al., 2011; Sadler, 1996), the non-conformance reporting systems' intent, as deduced from ISO 14001 (2015), is to identify a non-conformance and take action to eliminate the cause of the non-conformance including the prevention of recurrence. One-hundred and two (102) non-conformance reports, consisting of audit reports and corrective action plans, of forty-seven (47) clients across various industries were obtained from the selected certification body and evaluated. A scoring model (Glasson & Therivel, 2011; Lee et al., 1999) (where alphabetic scores are assigned based on qualitative criteria) was used to evaluate and categorise non-conformance reports. According to the scoring model, criteria rated as A-C is regarded as a satisfactory, which, in the case of this study, is synonymous to effective. The results showed that overall 93% of the non-conformance reports were deemed to be satisfactory, of which 39% received the best performance grade (A-B). The remaining 54% graded a C-score which is indicative of "just satisfactory" despite inadequacies and/or omissions. The study also highlighted areas of weakness that require addressing, with the weakest area being the effectiveness of the acceptance of the root cause analysis. 77% of non-conformances reported, scored an unsatisfactory rating (D-F) due to the root cause, in some instances, only the corrective action plan, being accepted by the certification body without the root cause analysis. The research furthermore discusses the strengths and weaknesses and providing recommendations for improvement. Masters

MSc (Geography and Environmental Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus Long working hours, the increased participation of women in the labour force, the growing middle class, as well as the convenience offered by restaurants have greatly accelerated the growth of the commercial food service sector across the world. This is also true for South Africa where eating outside of the home has become more prevalent. South African food consumption patterns show a rise in the consumption of food outside home while consumption of home cooked meals is decreasing. The expansion of the commercial food service sector comes with an increase in the amount of waste generated by the sector, adding to the high volumes of waste that municipalities are grappling with. Municipal efforts towards diversion of waste from landfill tend to focus more on household waste, while waste coming from restaurants receives less attention. As a result, most of the waste generated in restaurants is disposed at the landfills as mixed waste. The aim of the study was to understand waste management practices in the commercial food service sector to identify opportunities for waste reduction and recovery of resources through source separation. The study was conducted in twenty restaurants of two malls located in eThekwini metropolitan municipality. A triangulation approach, which involved the use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods in one study, was adopted to understand waste management practices in the commercial food service sector. A waste characterisation study was conducted to understand waste composition and generation rates of restaurants; observations were used to uncover waste management practices in the restaurants while semi-structured interviews were used to understand sources and reasons for waste generation. Based on the waste characterisation results, waste generation rates estimated indicate that 10.25 tonnes is generated by Mall1 restaurants and 9.41 tonnes by Mall2 restaurants annually. More than 74% of waste generated by the sampled restaurants can be recovered through recycling (paper, plastics, glass and tins) and composting/anaerobic digestion (food waste). Food waste accounted for close to 50% of restaurant waste that was sorted in both Mall1 and Mall2. Restaurant managers cited poor stock rotation, over-purchasing of stock, negligence from the staff members, placing wrong orders, preparation of excessive amount of food, dissatisfaction with the taste of food and people ordering more food than they can eat as the main reasons for food waste generation. The results also showed that restaurant waste cooking oil ranged between 500ml to 150 litres per week. Currently, waste from restaurants is handled by the same service provider contracted by the management of both shopping malls. Unsorted waste from the restaurants is collected and sorted for recycling while residual waste is taken for landfilling. The composition of waste and current waste management practices by restaurants in both malls highlight the need for improved waste management practices. With the expected growth in the restaurant industry, improved waste management practices at the source of generation, which appreciate waste as a resource and encourage diversion of waste away from landfill is required. This may include implementation of source separation schemes to enhance recycling and ensure diversion of clean recyclables. Waste prevention and reduction through reducing material wastage and green purchasing should be given greater priority as dictated by the waste hierarchy. Food waste can be reduced by providing training to restaurant staff members, procurement of food that is needed in the business, carefully checking ingredients during receiving of goods, practicing FIFO method, improving communication between staff member and customers during order taking, giving surplus food to staff members and also measuring food waste. Masters