Ekurhuleni’s landfill sites set example

The civil rights organisation AfriForum audited the landfill sites in the East Rand in May 2018 as part of their national project to measure the quality of landfill sites in South Africa.

This audit forms part of an annual national campaign during which landfill sites in towns with established AfriForum branches are measured at the hand of 32 questions. Landfill sites must obtain 80% to comply with the set standards and all the landfill sites in the East Rand have accomplished this.

According to applicable legislation and regulations, among others the National Environmental Management Act: Waste, 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008), a landfill site must comply with applicable requirements. This includes factors such as access control, illegal dumping, fire regulations, fencing and rehabilitation.

In 2017 AfriForum audited approximately 120 landfill sites in areas with established AfriForum branches. These results will be compiled in a report and submitted to the Department of Environmental Affairs. “We are grateful for the Department’s cooperation and that the provincial waste management officers made their audits available to us,” says Chris Boshoff, AfriForum’s Coordinator for Environmental Affairs.

Here are the landfill sites compared:

“The large landfill sites are managed exceptionally, and we are delighted to see at what high standards these sites are maintained. We will now shift our focus and place it on the management of the smaller sites and transfer stations in the East Rand,” says Marie Naude, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Gauteng South.

After the conclusion of this project AfriForum, in conjunction with a waste-to-energy company, will announce an alternative plan for landfill sites in South Africa. Similar projects are extremely successful in other countries. AfriForum will continually monitor the process to ensure that landfill sites that fall short are brought up to standard.

Join AfriForum today: SMS “Vullis” to 45342 (R1).