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

Chapter 1 : Interpretation and Principles

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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.