Illegal dumping worsens while legal dumps fill up
JOBURG – Landfill sites that are filling up and illegal dumping increases are concerning councillors on the Environmental Infrastructure Services committee.
Illegal dumping in the City of Johannesburg is out of control. This is what the MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Anthony Still, revealed at a council sitting on 24 November.
It was revealed that the City’s landfill sites have only about six to eight years left. Councillors on the Section 79 Committee for Environment and Infrastructure Services agreed that these sites are filling up and that measures need to be implemented.
Luyolo Mphithi, a member of the committee, said the City’s bylaws should be strongly enforced because of a 34.5 per cent increase in illegal dumping in the fourth quarter.
In the 2014/15 audited integrated annual report, Pikitup said it cleared a total of 276 000 tonnes of illegally dumped waste in open spaces across the City through a contracted service – a 21 per cent increase from the previous year.
The entity attributed the increase to the illegal and irresponsible disposal of waste, costing the City over R50 million.
According to the City’s waste management bylaws, all building waste must be disposed of at an appropriately licensed waste disposal facility. Unless the council has given consent for it to be used for land reclamation, the waste will be reused or recycled by an accredited service provider, or the building waste will be treated at a licensed waste treatment facility.
Ward 88 councillor, Nicholas Lorimer, said illegal dumping, especially building rubble, is visibly increasing in certain parts of Johannesburg. R1 500 is the maximum fine that can be issued for illegal dumping, but the waste management entity is still overwhelmed by the cleaning up thereof.
It costs the City about R170 million every year to clean up street litter and illegal dump sites, Pikitup said.
Details: If you suspect a vehicle is dumping illegally, contact 011 490 1630 or 011 375 5911 or take a photo of the vehicle and its number plate and send it to Metro police’s head of Bylaw Enforcement’s director Mathokoza Kgaswane at mathakozak@joburg.org.za
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