A process mapping appraisal of municipal waste management system compliance in Limpopo province South Africa

Abstract

The study investigated the state of municipal waste management compliance in selected local municipalities in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The aim of the study was to apply process mapping and systems analysis in measuring the extent of compliance with minimum national standards in municipal waste management systems and to use the findings in designing an alternative intervention framework. A descriptive research design was employed involving questionnaire administration covering municipal waste managers, supervisors and general workers, as well as households. The data from the field observations and questionnaires was coded and analysed using Excel to yield descriptive statistics. Thereafter, Fisher's Exact test was applied in hypothesis testing. The key results indicated low levels of compliance with waste legislation, inherent problems of design within the municipal waste management system, problems of translating national minimum standards for waste management into quantitative measures, the lack of data on waste management, inappropriate prioritization of waste management, and low levels of environmental awareness in the general public. These findings were then used as inputs in the design of a waste compliance framework for potential application in waste management. The significance of the study lies in its contribution to the state of knowledge with respect to the measurement of municipal waste management compliance, the characterisation of waste streams, methods for improving efficiency and the translation of guidelines into quantitative measures.