UPDATE: Medical dumping shuts down Durban North beaches
The public has been advised to avoid the beaches as the illegally-dumped waste could pose a health risk.
SEVERAL beaches in Durban North have temporarily been closed as the municipality attempts to clean up medical waste that had been illegally dumped. The public has been advised to avoid the uMngeni/Mangrove, Beachwood, Virginia and Glenashley beaches as the waste could pose a health hazard to beach-goers.
The clean-up comes after Redhill resident, William Collingwood, discovered several loads of waste that had washed up along Beachwood on Saturday.
On Monday, Collingwood expressed outrage after he came across the medical waste during a casual walk along the beach. However, he said that this was not the first time that he had seen medical waste at the site.
According to the resident, male and female condoms, antiretroviral drugs as well as blood pressure and tuberculosis tablets had washed up along the shore. It is suspected that the waste had been dumped upstream.
In an official statement released an hour ago, the eThekwini Municipality said that it’s health unit would be investigating the source of the waste.
“Municipal officials are working around the clock to ensure that all the waste is removed from the beach. It is estimated that the clean-up operations will take up to two weeks to complete. In the interest of safety, all residents are advised to use alternative beaches until it is safe to use the affected beaches,” the statement read.
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