The National Waste Information Regulation 2012, published in Gazette No. 35583, became effective on 1 January 2013. The new act states that all companies must apply to the Department of Environmental Affairs to be registered on the South African Waste Information System (SAWIS). All registered members will be required to report waste management information to the SAWIS on a quarterly basis, and must keep records of all waste management information submitted for a period of at least 5 years.

The waste management information must include, amongst others: information on the category and a source of the waste as well as the quantities of the waste in tonnes. All information submitted to SAWIS will – where necessary – be subjected to verification.

A person or company failing to comply with the national waste information regulations is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 15 years, an appropriate fine or both a fine and imprisonment.

Environmental pressure on corporate and JSE listed companies with relevant consequences has become more obvious in the past few years and will become ever more important with years to come. The National Waste Information Regulation 2012 in Gazette No. 35583 became effective on 1 January 2013, certainly emphasis the above statement.

New Regualation

The new act states that all companies must apply to the Department of Environmental Affairs to be registered on the South African Waste Information System. (SAWIS) A registered person will be required to report waste management information to the SAWIS on a quarterly basis, and must keep record of all waste management information submitted to the SAWIS or the Department for a period of at least 5 years. The waste management information must include, amongst others, information on the category and source of the waste as well as the quantities of the waste in tonnes. All information submitted to SAWIS will, when necessary be subjected to verification. A person failing to comply with the national waste information regulations is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 15 years, an appropriate fine or both a fine and imprisonment.

Johannesburg Stock Exchange

Furthermore the Johannesburg Stock Exchange also has a regulation that requires all companies listed with them to report on a triple bottom line. The Second King Report on Corporate Governance urges companies to embrace the triple bottom line reporting as a method of doing business. The criteria retains the triple bottom line philosophy, but the indicators are structured along ESG lines (Environment, Social and Governance), in keeping with the framework promoted by the UN Principles for Responsible Investment.

The National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act no 59 of 2008) Introduction to Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Index Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Criteria