Burning dumps pose health hazard
Despite its contravention of numerous laws, as well as the obvious health hazards, the burning of St Lucia landfill site continues.
DESPITE the contravention of numerous laws, not to mention the potential health hazards, burning of the St Lucia landfill site at the hands of Mtubatuba Municipality continues unabated.
Perpetually smouldering, the toxic fumes from burning plastic, rubber and other general household waste permeates the homes of those living in close proximity to the landfill site.
It reached a peak in St Lucia this week when residents were awoken in the early hours of Monday morning with the smell of the toxic fumes, unable to breathe or go back to sleep because of the stench.
‘It was bad enough being woken up by the smell, but later in the morning when we returned home after an outing, we walked back into the house and it smelled like a rubbish dump,’ complained one resident.
Mdu Mahlinza, Mtubatuba Municipal spokesperson, said on Monday that burning of the landfill sites under the municipality’s control had stopped as of last week’s management meeting at which Green Scorpion representatives spoke about the dangers of burning household waste.
Cancer is one of the potential consequences of people continually breathing in the toxic fumes of a burning landfill site.
Despite this, St Lucia’s dump continues to burn and pollute the surrounding town and world heritage site.
Moreover, large amounts of wood lined the landfill site on Monday morning, as if getting ready to re-light the fire.
Mahlinza said he would inform the relevant manager who would put an immediate end to the burning.
Moreover, municipal-appointed security guards should be patrolling all landfill sites to ensure no untoward activity occurs.
@TamlynJolly
