The Davos style panel discussion addressed the need to adopt a holistic view of waste management – considering the total waste system, and then discussed developing the most appropriate mix of infrastructure and services to manage the waste. The discussions focussed on incentives and policies required to help create an alternative to dumping of waste including introducing a landfill tax and eliminating illegal dumping/open burning of waste.

Technological solutions and how available funding resources can be leveraged for infrastructure projects was also debated as well as unlocking the economic potential of waste as it has been identified as a sector that can contribute to job creation and enterprise development in South Africa and Africa.