Windhoek: Namibia's waste management efforts continue to face challenges due to the lack of dedicated waste management regulations, with responsibilities dispersed across over 450 pieces of legislation managed by various institutions.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Deputy Environmental Commissioner Caroline !Garus-Oas highlighted these issues during a stakeholder consultation on the proposed Waste Management Regulations under the Environmental Management Act of 2007 held in Swakopmund. !Garus-Oas emphasized that although the Act includes provisions related to waste management, it lacks sufficient detail on monitoring, regulation, and enforcement.
'The Environmental Management Act does not have waste management regulations. We have parts of the regulations that speak on waste management, but we are not very detailed on exactly what we have to police, regulate or monitor,' !Garus-Oas explained.
The fragmented legal framework divides different waste and pollution matters across separate ministries and laws, affecting areas such as wastewater, atmospheric pollution, radiation, asbestos, and maritime pollution. !Garus-Oas stated, 'Everything is fragmented. We have various Acts alongside various institutions, and when it comes to pollution and waste, the question is always: what is the environmental ministry doing?'
The proposed regulations aim to consolidate these requirements, recognizing the environmental ministry's primary role as a regulator, monitor, and advisor, rather than a constructor of waste facilities. Consultant Jonas Heita noted that the drafting team has consulted relevant ministries and stakeholders to identify overlapping areas and prevent duplication and over-regulation.
Heita remarked, 'We have more than 450 Acts, and each of those Acts have regulations and amendments along the way. I think we are really confusing ourselves.' He added that this situation could create uncertainty for businesses that must navigate multiple compliance requirements.
The proposed framework, which draws lessons from Australia, South Africa, and the European Union, is tailored to Namibia's economic context. It classifies waste into domestic, commercial and industrial, and construction and demolition streams, adopting a risk-based approach covering storage, handling, transportation, treatment, and disposal. Stakeholders are invited to submit their inputs on the draft regulations during August.