The Durban Metropolitan Council is actively involved in promoting integrated waste management for the metropolitan area. This includes promoting recycling and waste minimisation, identifying safe sites for future land disposal and improving management of existing landfill sites. The new Durban Metropolitan Environmental Policy sets out a range of objectives to address the city's waste management issues in the future. This is supported by new national and provincial policies which promote an integrated approach to waste management.

Promoting integrated waste management
Durban Solid Waste has established a Waste Minimisation and Recycling Division to promote integrated waste management for the Durban Metropolitan Area (DMA). Integrated waste management techniques promoted by the Council include waste minimisation, composting, recycling and disposal (incineration and landfill). The Keep Durban Beautiful Association is involved in a number of educational programmes aimed at reducing dumping.

Activities of the Waste Minimisation and Recycling Division
Practical pamphlets A library/ resource centre Secretariat, newsletter editor and Membership Secretary for the KZN Waste Minimisation Recycling and Reuse Forum Let's Reduce and Recycle Manual for Solid Waste Awareness English/Zulu monthly newsletter to schools A2 size Integrated Waste Management colour-in poster Poster-making workshops Landfill site visits	Development of a landfill site monitoring kit Community environmental education expos and road shows A Waste Minimisation/Cleaner Technology Interest Group Business and industry waste management training programme Database of recyclers and collectors in Durban Pilot studies on the feasibility of recycling schemes and composting plants Supporting buy-back centres

Identification of future landfill sites
The Durban Metropolitan Council is currently working with stakeholders to select future landfill sites for the DMA. Stakeholders have been briefed on the various options and a representative site evaluation committee has been formed for each of the three zones being investigated (north, south and west). Six possible sites have been identified; three of these are undergoing detailed investigation.

Improving management of existing landfill sites
Many of the DMA's older sites were not developed to meet strict environmental controls. They are now being managed and monitored to minimise impacts on the environment and surrounding communities.

Production of '20 Questions' Booklet
This is a user friendly booklet produced by Durban Solid Waste to inform stakeholders about waste management in the DMA. It outlines waste disposal, recycling and reuse, future disposal facilities and the role of stakeholders in the selection of future landfill sites.

Development of new national and provincial waste management policy
At a national level, new policy in the form of the Draft White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste Management for South Africa (August 1998) has been developed to provide for a more integrated approach to waste management. A National Waste Management Strategy is also currently being finalised. At a provincial level, the KwaZulu-Natal Draft Policy on Waste Management has been developed to support implementation of the national legislation within the province. These initiatives are likely to provide further support for integrated waste management strategies in Durban.

Durban Metropolitan Environmental Management Policy
One of the six goals (Goal D) of the Durban Metropolitan Environmental Policy focusses on pollution and waste management.