Grade 12 Consumer Studies: Waste Control and Appliances

Vocabulary flashcards covering the waste hierarchy, South African environmental legislation, e-waste statistics, and appliance lifecycle management for Grade 12 Consumer Studies.

Waste hierarchy

A tiered framework prioritizing waste management options from most desirable to least desirable: Reduce, Re-use, Recycle, Recover, and Landfill.

Reduce (Waste hierarchy)

The most desirable waste management tier, focused on avoiding or minimizing waste by using less material in design and manufacture, keeping products longer, and reducing consumerism.

Re-use / Repair

The second tier of the waste hierarchy, which extends the useful lifespan of goods through checking, cleaning, repairing, refurbishing, and servicing whole items or spare parts.

Recycle

The waste management tier involving turning discarded waste into a new substance or product to return materials to production, including composting if quality protocols are met.

Recover

The waste hierarchy tier that captures energy or materials prior to landfilling, including anaerobic digestion, gasification, pyrolysis, and incineration with energy recovery.

Landfill (Disposal)

The least desirable waste management option, consisting of disposal in landfill sites and incineration of waste without energy recovery.

National Environmental Management: Waste Act (2008)

The foundational statute of all South African waste law, establishing the legal framework for the waste hierarchy and the 'polluter pays' principle.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations

Legislation requiring producers and retailers to finance the collection and recycling of electrical and electronic appliances they place on the market, with compulsory DFFE registration since 5 November 2021.

National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS) (2020)

A South African policy strategy that embeds circular-economy thinking and mandates a target of $40\%$ waste diversion from landfills by 2025.

Compulsory Specification VC9008 / SANS 941

A mandatory technical standard enforced from 2014 to present requiring energy-efficiency labelling (rating classes from $A+++$ to $D$) on major household appliances like fridges, washers, air conditioners, ovens, and TVs.

e-Waste (Electronic waste)

Discarded electrical and electronic equipment; South Africa generates approximately $530\,000\,\text{t}$ annually ($\approx 8.8\,\text{kg}$ per capita), with only $7\text{--}12\%$ formally recycled.

Informal burning of e-waste

An unregulated disposal method that releases toxic heavy-metal fumes harmful to nearby communities and contaminates soil and water, increasing disease risks.

Right-to-Repair

A movement and workshop approach that empowers consumers to maintain and fix broken equipment—such as replacing toaster elements or washing machine seals—rather than discarding whole appliances.

Lifetime cost (Appliances)

The total economic cost evaluated before purchasing an appliance, calculated as the sum of initial purchase price, operational electricity consumption, and ongoing maintenance costs.

eWASA and E-Waste Recycling Authority

Accredited producer responsibility and recycling bodies in South Africa that establish and list drop-off bins located across national retail chains for end-of-life electronics.

Disposal certificate

An official confirmation issued by a certified recycler upon accepting end-of-life appliances, used by businesses to prove regulatory compliance.