Briefings and public hearings within the environmental sub-sector focused on chemicals and waste management, and the findings showed that these sectors are extremely under-capacitated, particularly in municipalities. This results in poor waste and chemicals management, which has serious impacts on the well-being and health of South Africans. The Department argued that priorities within the medium-term in this area are to improve the provision of quality waste management hierarchy. This hierarchy includes waste minimisation, recycling, transport, storage and disposal as well as developing new industries based on specific waste streams, such as tyres, health risk and hazardous chemical waste. These benefits will be achieved through the formulation and facilitation of the implementation and enforcement of strategies, norms, standards, and regulations to fully give effect to the national Environmental Management: Waste Act (2008) and building capacities, particularly at local government level.