In 2002/03, residents, visitors and businesses in Cape Town generated 2.3 million tons of
waste – that’s almost 2 kg per person a day on average. Waste generation is growing at
almost 7% per annum – faster than our city’s population growth rate of 1.7%! Three of the
City’s landfill sites are already closed and the remaining three are filling up fast.

Since the adoption of the City's Integrated Waste Management (IWM) policy in May 2006, the
Solid Waste Management Department now concentrates on preventing pollution and waste at
source, instead of focusing on treating and disposing of waste once it has been generated
(known as ‘end-of-pipe’ waste management).

Most waste has economic value – recycling and reuse creates economic activity and minimises
health, socio-economic and resource impacts, thereby reducing the amount of waste that ends
up in expensive landfills in the municipal area. Soon, a new by-law, which will be augmented by national legislation that has been drafted for Parliament’s consideration, will enable the department
to strictly enforce the new IWM policy.

People in Cape Town are already catching onto the practice of waste minimisation, and are
producing less waste and recycling and reusing items. Over the 2006/07 financial year, 14% of
‘waste’ was diverted from landfill sites, and was recycled or reused instead. This includes
anything from builders' rubble to glass, paper and plastic.

The City of Cape Town’s Solid Waste Management Department aims to:

• Ensure that efficient and effective basic waste management services are accessible
  and available
• Maintain acceptable cleanliness standards
• Promote and ensure waste minimisation
• Reduce the impact of waste

The department’s main functions are:

• Waste collection
• Area cleaning
• Waste disposal

These functions are all carried out within the City’s social, economic, health and legislative
obligations, in collaboration with other departments such as Environmental Resource
Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Spatial Planning and Urban Design, Planning
and Building Development Management, Health, 107 Emergency Services, Economic and 
Human Development and Tourism and Integrated Development Planning (IDP).