Continue to submit reports as Shongweni stench lingers
Lauren Johnson, founding member of the UHA NPC has assured the public that the battle against the Shongweni Landfill stench is still ongoing, and the site has not been permanently closed.
THE Shongweni Landfill site is not closed, however the Upper Highway Air NPC is urging communities surrounding the landfill to continue reporting the awful stench that has invaded their homes and businesses.
Lauren Johnson, founding member of the UHA NPC said their organisation was granted interim relief by the Durban High Court in April which suspended operations pending the outcome of the UHA’s action alternatively the appeal, whichever occurred later.
However, despite the ongoing court battle, some members of the community feel that since operations have ceased, the landfill has been shut down permanently.
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“This is not true. The landfill is not closed and whether this relief [operations being suspended] remains in place will be determined when the application is finalised,” said Johnson.
She added that the UHA only got this far by the community standing and fighting together and reporting the smell each and every time.
“For those who are not sure, we suggest taking a drive past the Shongweni landfill to be 100 per cent sure in identifying that the smell they are smelling in the community is the same smell as the landfill. We are fighting for the right to an environment that is not harmful to human health or well-being (Section 24 (a)),” claimed Johnson.
Legal cases
There are three legal cases running concurrently against EnviroServ, the waste management company that operates the Shongweni Landfill:
– the Department of Environmental Affairs’ S56 decision to either suspend or revoke the Waste Management licence, submissions have closed for this and EnviroServ’s appeal against this decision is now to be determined by the Minister;
– the Green Scorpions criminal case against the company and staff, Dean Thomspon (chief executive officer), Esmé Gombault, Clive Kidd and Dr Johann Schoonraad (treatment and disposal specialist) face charges of contravening the National Environmental Air Quality Act and National Environmental Waste Act, in their personal capacities. This case has been postponed until 17 November;
– the UHA civil case against EnviroServ. The UHA NPC were granted interim relief in April 2017 and are awaiting a final date for hearing. There is also the UHA action. Preliminary skirmishes raised by EnviroServ have delayed this matter.- the UHA Equity Court papers filed against EnviroServ’s public affairs manager, Makgabo van Niekerk and Thabiso Taaka arising from the hate speech and intimidation. They have 10 days in which to respond from when it was served.
– the UHA and SDCEA application against EnviroServ and others relating to, among others, the unilateral dissolution by EnviroServ of the monitoring committee and the provision of information as well as compelling EnviroServ to make good on its undertaking to conduct a peer review of the Toxicology and associated Airshed reports.
ALSO READ: DEA suspends operations at Shongweni Landfill site
Independent specialists
The UHA NPC has hired its own specialists to conduct tests. Johnson said they are hoping the results will be ready in approximately fives weeks or so. They had experienced delays with additional sampling campaigns.
How to report the smell?
You can report the smell either through the UHA website, www.upperhighwayair.co.za or the Upper Highway Air apps for Android and iOS. Reports can be made for everyone you are with 14 years and over, at every location you smell it and if you are at one place and the smell lasts for a long period of time every hour.
EnviroServ responds
EnviroServ group spokesman Thabiso Taaka said they have completed their 180-day remedial plan at the Shongweni Landfill on schedule and are confident that the Odour and Landfill Gas Management Plan has achieved what they set out to do.
He said some of the successes, aimed at capturing fugitive gasses, include: capping the front face of the landfill site to reduce emissions from this area.
“We installed a gas extraction and capturing system together with a gas treatment system consisting of a bio-scrubber, chemical scrubber and a gas flare to treat the captured landfill gas.
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“All leachate storage tanks were covered and the emissions are collected and treated via a bio-scrubber. This has substantially reduced the release of hydrogen sulfide from the tank farm area.
“The stone drainage layer of the landfill was covered, linked to the gas collection network and treated via the gas scrubber and gas flare. The work-face of the landfill site continues to receive treatment with lime to assist in maintaining the raised pH and this supports the reduction of the emissions of hydrogen sulfide significantly,” said Taaka.
He added that while these remedial activities have been costly, they’ve substantially reduced hydrogen sulfide levels measured on site with real-time air quality monitors.
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