Assessing waste management practices among manufacturing companies in KwaZulu-Natal

This paper assesses waste manufacturing practices among manufacturing companies in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). A survey questionnaire was used to collect the data from 288 manufacturing companies within KZN province. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Excel were used in this research to modify, process, manipulate, test, and interpret data. The study findings indicate that industrial waste constitutes 66.7% of the total waste generated, while municipal waste accounts for 34.7%. Despite the significant waste output from manufacturing activities, only 30.9% of companies implement recycling practices. Additionally, approximately 35% of the sampled companies dispose of waste without employing any measures to prevent or minimise waste generation. Financial constraints, limited knowledge, lack of government support, limited space, inadequate infrastructure, and uncertainty of returns were among the challenges mentioned by the surveyed companies that they are facing in discovering and implementing waste management solutions. This research underscores the importance of fostering a culture of appropriate handling of waste within manufacturing companies as a strategic imperative for sustainable development and long-term viability in an increasingly resource-constrained world. The findings of this research are useful for policymakers and stakeholders to develop practices that promote environmental sustainability.