Integrated Waste Management Planning is a basic requirement of all waste management activities in terms of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008) (NEMWA) for government. The Waste Act requires that the development of an IWMP must follow a public participation and consultation process.

These guidelines have been written to follow the waste handling process in accordance with the waste management hierarchy. This implies that waste management officials should include all aspects of the waste management hierarchy in their planning efforts. These guidelines provide a background for the compilation of Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP). It includes a short historical overview of IWMP’s to date and a basic description of the legal framework pertaining to IWMP.