2.3.1 Setting strategic goals, targets and indicators

The desired end state entails identifying priorities and goals that a municipality wishes to attain with regards to waste management. Using the information collected on the historical and present waste management situation, strategic goals for the IWMP should be developed. These should aim to address the gaps and the needs of the community and more importantly should respond to the Waste Act requirements. A program on how these will be attained is developed as an implementation plan. The strategic goals must be set based on the relevant waste legislation, regulations and policies and should be guided by the waste management hierarchy principles. Further, it should also include the setting of targets for waste management services such as collection, recycling, recovery and disposal. The setting of goals, objectives and targets must also take into consideration the municipal response to the goals and targets set in the National Waste Management Strategy.

The National Waste Management Strategy provides a set of goals that municipalities must achieve in the next five years in order to give effect to the Waste Act. It contains an action plan with various targets to be achieved by municipalities in the next five years until 2016. It is important that there should be a target date by which municipal strategic goals and targets are to be attained within the 5 years from the date the IWMP has been approved.

Strategic goals can be divided into:

  • Immediate: 1 year
  • Short-term: 2 to 3 years
  • Medium term: 3 to 5 years and
  • Long-term: 5 to 10 years

Long term goals relate to targets that extend beyond the 5 year period of implementing an IWMP i.e. decommissioning and planning to develop a new waste disposal facility.

The following tables provide examples of how a desired end state for waste management strategic goals can be captured:

For example, in this particular municipality goal 1 was to promote recycling and the recovery of waste; in a tabular format this would be represented as follows:

Goal 1: Promote recycling and recovery of waste

Immediate goals Short term goals Medium term goals Long term goals
Establish mechanisms for promoting separation at source Roll out separation at source to 30 % of households Roll out separation at source to 70 % of households 100% households receiving separation at source
Conduct a feasibility study to determine whether there is a need to establish buy back centres Develop plans to establish buy back centres Buy back centres established
Develop a composting strategy to divert garden waste to landfill Establish a compost recycling plant Compost recycling plant fully operational and is operated in a sustainable manner

Goal 2: Ensure the effective and efficient delivery of waste services

Immediate goals Short term goals Medium term goals Long term goals
Develop a strategy for the collection of waste services Increase the roll out of waste collection services by 50% of households (including indigents) Increase the roll out of waste collection services by 70% of households (including indigents) Increase the roll out of waste collection services by 100% of households (including indigents)

Goal 3: Ensure that legislative tools are developed to deliver on the Waste Act and other applicable legislation

Immediate goals Short term goals Medium term goals Long term goals
Develop/ amend waste by-law Review by-laws

Goal 4: Sound budgeting and financing of waste management services

Immediate goals Short term goals Medium term goals Long term goals
Conduct full cost accounting for waste services Set and implement tariffs for waste collection and disposal Review and implement tariffs for waste collection and disposal Review and implement tariffs for waste collection and disposal
Allocate budget for waste services from equitable share funding Allocate budget for waste services from equitable share funding Allocate budget for waste services from equitable share funding Allocate budget for waste services from equitable share funding

Goal 5: Ensure the safe and proper disposal of waste

Immediate goals Short term goals Medium term goals Long term goals
Apply for a waste license in order to have an approved waste disposal facility Train waste disposal facility managers/operators in order that the disposal facility/ies can be run in accordance with the license requirements Train waste disposal facility managers/operators in order that the disposal facility can be run in accordance with the license requirement Train waste disposal facility managers/operators in order that the disposal facility can be run in accordance with the license conditions
Determine the available waste disposal airspace and apply for a waste license to construct a new waste disposal facility Secure funding for the construction of a new waste disposal facility

Construction of waste disposal facility
Secure funding for the construction of a new waste disposal facility

Construction of waste disposal facility
Secure funding for the construction of a new waste disposal facility

Construction of waste disposal facility

Goal 6: Education and awareness

Immediate goals Short term goals Medium term goals Long term goals
Recruit environmental/waste education personnel Develop an education and awareness strategy and training materials to roll out education and awareness campaigns Education and awareness campaigns implemented in a sustainable manner
Develop a schools competition programme to encourage school’s involvement on waste management issues i.e. recycling Roll out the competition and work closely with the schools to ensure maximum participation

Goal 7: Compliance and enforcement

Immediate goals Short term goals Medium term goals Long term goals
Determine the required number of EMI's for the municipality to enforce by-laws and other waste transgressions. Appoint staff to enforce by-laws

Enforce by-laws
Enforce by-laws Enforce by-laws
Develop a system for residents to report waste transgressions