THE Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs inspectors have returned to office after a two week provincial tour of the Western Cape to inspect towns, in search of the 2010 Cleanest Town of the Year.
The Cleanest Town competition has been running since 2001 and supports the reduction of waste generation. Last year Drakenstein came 12th amongst 22 towns.
The main objective of the competition is to change behaviour, raise awareness and educate citizens towards sustainable management practices.
This includes creating community awareness about the benefits of a clean and healthy environment through effective management of pollution and waste practices.
The competition also serves as an opportunity to acknowledge ongoing improvements in waste management initiatives undertaken by municipalities.
This year, 19 of the 24 local municipalities in the Western Cape have entered the competition. The municipalities will be evaluated by a provincial adjudication panel composed of stakeholders from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, the national Department of Water and Environmental Affairs, and the provincial Department of Local Government.
The physical condition and general cleanliness of a town accounts for 40% while the support systems and municipal waste management initiatives account for 60% of the mark. The condition of townships and informal settlements, with regard to Integrated Waste Management, also forms an important part of the evaluation.
