Environmental Affairs Dr Edna Molewa has withdrawn the Integrated Industry Waste Tyre Management Plan (IIWTMP), which was submitted by the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (REDISA).
In June 2017, Minister Molewa called for public comments after she announced her intention to withdraw the IIWTMP. The withdrawal is effective from 1 October 2017.
“Having duly considered all the comments received, the Minister decided to withdraw the plan, citing REDISA’s term of contract has come to an end. In addition, our evaluation performed over a period of time indicated that there has been poor governance of the plan.
"There has also been mismanagement related matters that have been raised in court papers and led to the provisional and final liquidation orders of REDISA being granted to the Department of Environmental Affairs,” the department said.
In the meantime, the department’s Waste Management Bureau (WMB) will manage the waste tyre stream through, amongst others, the 2017 Waste Tyre Regulations gazetted for implementation in Gazette No. 41157.
The Waste Management Bureau is established in terms of section 34 of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008 to implement and monitor the industry waste management plans, programmes and strategies.
It is also responsible for promoting and facilitating the minimisation, re-use, recycling and recovery of waste, and best practices in relation thereto.
“The newly gazetted regulations repeal the Waste Tyre Regulations, 2009 and aim to remove duplications, advance the implementation of waste tyre strategy to reduce the environmental externalities associated with waste tyres in South Africa.
“The Regulations provide for transitional arrangements in the event that a waste tyre management plan expires, be withdrawn or be terminated,” the department said.
In the event that a waste tyre management plan expires, be withdrawn or be terminated and at the time no other industry waste management plan exists in terms of section 28 or 29 of the Act for the same or substantially the same waste stream, the WMB assumes responsibility to facilitate, supervise and control the management of waste tyres for the interim until a new industry waste tyre management plan is approved.
The department has called on all participants that were registered with the waste tyre management plan upon the expiry, withdrawal or termination thereof, shall in the interim register with the Bureau.
To access a full copy of the regulations, follow the links below:
Withdrawal Notice
The 2017 Waste Tyre Regulations
https://www.environment.gov.za/sites/default/files/gazetted_notices/nemwa59of2008_wastetyreregulations2017_gn41157.pdf. - SAnews.gov.za
