PHALABORWA: Landfill audit drops to a stinky 32%

AfriForum established an annual landfill audit campaign in 2014, which was again scheduled to take place in Phalaborwa on November 2.

The National Environmental Management Waste Act (Act No 59 of 2008), clearly states that a landfill site must adhere to certain requirements in order to meet the applicable legislation set by the law. These requirements include factors such as access control, illegal dumping, fire regulations, fencing and rehabilitation.

A landfill site must score at least 80% to adhere to this legislation.

The Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality scored 80% last year, which declined to 32% this year.

A source, who cannot be named, said that Landfill audit drops to a stinky 32% .

The reason why the statistics declined rapidly was that the depot’s machine, used to put soil on top of the waste (plastic, paper), was broken and a lot of work could not be done.

“All landfill sites that scored less than 80% will have to be brought up to standard and municipalities should take responsibility for waste management,” said AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Limpopo, Jaco Grobbelaar.

This is an indication that the Municipality has to work hard to maintain the dumping site so that it can meet the requirements.

Video:

“Landfill sites that are poorly managed have a very negative impact on the environment as well as the community. It is also the community’s responsibility to apply increasing pressure to municipalities in cases where landfill sites are not up to scratch,” continued Grobbelaar.

The municipality is urged to monitor the site regularly so that it can reclaim its good ratings in terms of meeting the requirements so that it can be used as an example to other communities.

Also read:

PHALABORWA: Angry residents block road to town

Phalaborwa SPCA shut down