An appraisal of the quality of waste management environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports in South Africa

Abstract

In recent years, a growing interest in determining the quality of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Reports emanating from the EIA Process has been observed. To date no studies have been done to determine the quality of EIA Reports (which document the aspects and likely consequences of Waste Management Activities) which have been prepared in support of a Waste Management License Applications. It is therefore the purpose of this study to fill this knowledge gap and to provide a benchmark for subsequent Waste Management specific EIA Reports. This study is therefore aimed at determining the quality of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Reports in South Africa which have been prepared in support of Waste Management License Applications (WMLAs). An amended version of the Lee Colley Review Package (Lee and Colley, 1992; Lee et al., 1999) was adopted to selected case studies. The Lee Colley Review Package (Lee and Colley, 1992; Lee et al., 1999) was amended to align the information requirements presented in the Review Checklist with the aims of the study and information requirements which are stipulated in the National Environmental Management Act (107 of 1998) EIA Regulations 2010 and 2014 (Government Notice 984) as well as the National Environmental Management Waste Act (59 of 2008). The results of this study revealed that EIA Reports which are prepared in support of WMLAs are of a Satisfactory Quality. This in turn suggests that although WMLA EIA Reports in South Africa are not deemed as unsatisfactory, there is most certainly room for improvement. Based on the key findings of the study several recommendations are made to bring Waste Management in South Africa on par with both best practice standards and legal requirements