Abrams said, “Seeing rubbish dumped in the stream has upset and scared me.”
Abrams explained that she would take walks in the area and find cardboard packing cases, bits of polystyrene, boxes, old shoes, broken brooms and other debris on the bank of the river.
She added, “We must cherish the waterways we have, and that sort of disregard for… the environment and the people who live here is not acceptable.”
Abrams said she had requested assistance from City Parks a number of times.
“It is unsightly and… against all we believe in about keeping our suburbs clean,” she said.
“This has been reported to City Parks before, and it was attended to, but it is worse than ever. We really need to keep control of this deteriorating situation.”
City Parks spokesperson, Jenny Moodley said they receive a number of reports of sporadic dumping along secluded areas in the city. “Reports indicate that this is due to… residents and businesses that are clearly unaware of the monetary value and negative environmental impact of their actions,” she said.
Moodley added that City Parks has found that small-scale recyclers collect household waste and then use secluded spots along water ways, as well as undeveloped open spaces, to sort the waste, taking items of value and disposing of the rest at the site.
She said residents have a critical role to play in curbing dumping which is impacting on the health and environment of their suburbs. She called on residents to do their own recycling.
“We appeal to residents to take the time to sort out waste, utilise companies such as Mondi and Collect-a-Can, create a food garden from household waste, and develop a more healthy and livable lifestyle in the City of Joburg,” she added.
Moodley said City Parks has requested that the relevant depot clean the site along Helen Road. She added, “The sad reality is that if we, as residents, do not adopt better waste management processes, this form of illegal dumping will continue to be any eyesore and a health hazard in our cities.”
Do you agree or disagree with City Parks’ spokesperson Jenny Moodley that residents also have a critical role to play in curbing dumping? How can residents assist City Parks in keeping our environment clean? Tell us on our Facebook page.
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