Establishment of a methodology for initiating and managing waste minimization clubs (2004)

The Water Research Commission sponsored a project from 1998 to 2000 to investigate the feasibility of establishing waste minimisation clubs (WMCs) in South Africa to promote cleaner production to industry. This project was carried out by the Pollution Research Group (PRG) and two pilot WMCs were established – one in the Metal Finishing sector in the greater Durban Metropolitan Area, and the second one, a cross-sectoral club in the Hammarsdale region. These WMCs proved to be a success, with open sharing of information and ideas amongst the club members, financial benefits to the companies and a reduction in their environmental impact. The experiences gained during the course of this project are important lessons for others who wish to establish and manage further WMCs in South Africa, and for this reason, the WRC sponsored the development of Manuals to guide future facilitators.

The primary aim of this project was to develop a sustainable method of promoting and managing WMCs. This was achieved through the development of:

• A Manual for developing and managing WMCs
• Sectoral specific self - assessment guides
• Training material for Waste Minimisation Consultants

Target groups include policy makers, authorities, consultants, industries, and funding bodies. At the Project Steering Committee meeting held in March 2002, it was agreed that there was no need to develop sector specific self-assessment guides as there are many available from other sources, but that the project team should focus on collating all sources of sector-specific guidelines and use them as reference material for the Manuals.