Waste in South Africa’s protected areas is more than a litter problem. Poor waste practices in South Africa’s protected areas threaten biodiversity, pollute sensitive habitats and weaken conservation efforts. New research shows that better planning, infrastructure and human behaviour can turn the situation around.
Prof. Claudine Alberts from the subject group Geography and Environmental Sciences at the North-West University (NWU) argues that protected areas need waste systems designed for their unique conditions. Her research found that many national park management plans still give limited attention to responsible waste management. 

She shared these findings during her inaugural lecture, “The Dirty Dozen, the Three Rs and the Big Five: Reflections on pollution, waste and protected areas”, held on 6 August 2026 at the NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus. 

The Dirty Dozen are persistent organic pollutants. The Three Rs refer to reduce, reuse and recycle. The Big Five are South Africa’s most iconic wild animals and the protected landscapes they represent. 

Prof. Alberts outlined how her early work had shaped her work today. 

She started out investigating persistent organic pollutants in South Africa’s water environment through the study of sediments, soil, fish tissue and wild bird eggs. This helped establish evidence on the occurrence, distribution and ecological risks of these pollutants. 

This research later shifted to waste management and the role people play in its success.

Biggest barrier

Challenging behaviour emerged as the biggest barrier, reported by 90% of participants in one study. This included negative attitudes, resistance to changing practices and poor stakeholder buy-in. 

Remote locations, limited funding and inadequate capacity also made waste management harder. 

Yet Prof. Alberts’ research also found opportunities. Better waste management can create local jobs, build skills and improve livelihoods. Education and mentoring can also change behaviour among staff and communities. 
Her work proposes six principles for responsible waste management in protected areas. These include protecting biodiversity, preventing pollution, following the waste hierarchy and providing suitable infrastructure. The principles also call for partnerships and opportunities for education, employment and skills development. 

However, an evaluation of the 21 South African National Parks’ management plans found gaps. Most focused on basic litter control instead of linking waste management to clear objectives, actions, indicators and budgets. 

Biodiversity protection was also rarely connected directly to waste management. 

Prof. Alberts said the future remains open to change.  “The future will be shaped by the decisions we make today,” she said. 

Her research is now looking beyond South Africa’s borders, asking how responsible waste management can be better understood and supported across southern Africa’s protected areas. 

Prof. Claudine Alberts