A review of efficiency measures in South Africa's municipal solid waste management

This paper reports the results of a survey of contemporary literature on waste management systems in order to assess the state of the use of efficiency measures in South Africa's municipal solid waste management. The methodology involved a classification of urban centres into three clusters and the choice of at least two cities in each of these clusters. A ground survey of waste facilities was carried out and results recorded on a structured observation schedule. Informal intervals were then conducted with officials of the waste directorate in each of these selected sites. A survey of literature followed in which the features of efficiency measurement approaches were extracted. A documentary analysis of local South African official sources on the measurement of MSW were then used to extract additional data. The data so collected were analysed using frequency distribution. The results indicated problems in the measurement of efficiency, an absence of a standard system of waste characterization, classification and reporting. These findings were then used as inputs into the design of an alternative scheme that integrates both process mapping and systems analysis. The limitations in the potential applications of the proposed scheme are acknowledged and implications thereof discussed.