An alternative waste treatment guide was developed to support the implementation of alternative waste management in South Africa. The guide outlines different waste management technologies that can be applied to different waste types, and lists the legal requirements associated with each technology.

The guide can therefore also help the agriculture sector manage their waste in more effective and efficient ways.

The guide is divided into 4 main sections that are easy to use and understand. These include a step-by-step overview of the processes involved in implementing alternative waste management technologies, an overview of each of the waste treatment technologies, processes that a municipality should follow and the legislative requirements.

Relevant information to the agriculture sector and how to use the guide:

The sections most relevant for the agriculture sector are the step-by-step processes, the technology overviews and legislation:

• Step-by-step process - This section contains a simple flowchart that provides an overview of the waste management process. Steps 1 - 3 detail the types and amounts of waste generated on a farm and which technology would be best used to treat the waste in question.
• Technologies – This section provides a simple yet detailed explanation of different waste treatment technologies, including their advantages, disadvantages and license requirements. For the agricultural sector, the most relevant technologies are open windrow composting, anaerobic digestion and in-vessel composting. However, other technologies such as gasification and incineration are also discussed, and may become relevant depending on context.  
• Legislation – Linked to the technology section, this section lists all the applicable legislation that could be triggered when installing a particular waste treatment technology.

Throughout the guide links are provided for more information on a specific subject.

To use the online guide follow this link.

The alternative waste treatment guide (policy and regulation) was developed through a collaboration between the South African Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), GreenCape (under the Western Cape Government), South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) and South African Local Government Association (SALGA).