The City has spent large amounts of money in clearing illegal dumping sites in Cape Town and has warned that the problem continues to escalate with 3 000 sites contributing to it.
According to IOL, over the past six months, the COCT has spent R52 million on clearing out illegal dumping sites as calls are being made for a solid solution to address the problem.
Three months ago, the City announced that it had used R200 million from its own coffers and the National Government Public Employment Programme would go towards the funding of the Rapid Response Programme (RPP) to address the matter.
The City budgets for R130 million to deal with clearing illegal dumping grounds. Mayco member for Urban Waste Management, Grant Twigg, told the Weekend Argus that the cost of clearing the illegal dumping sites has cost R52m in the past six months of 2021.
“Illegal dumping remains a huge problem city-wide. More than 180 000 tonnes of waste is cleared annually from illegal dumping hotspots. It stands in the way of the health and safety of our communities and the environments in which we live. The City has implemented a strategy to tackle this challenge, with the help of local residents assigned to the programme, through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP)”, he said according to IOL.
Meanwhile, the City of Cape Town has called on all communities to stop illegal dumping and to report anyone who engages in this act. Although there are a number of waste management strategies and services in place for dealing with all types of waste, the dumping problem in Cape Town remains an ongoing issue.
It is one of the biggest challenges the City faces. It is expensive, damages our environment and is harmful to ourselves and our animals.
Dumping on any public land is illegal and an offence. We work closely with SAPS in illegal dumping investigations. If you are found guilty of dumping illegally you could be fined between R500 and R10 000 and could get a prison sentence of 6 months to 2 years. ( is this a quote?)
It costs the City R350 million every year to clean up illegal dumping. Cleaning up illegally dumped waste is about 20 times more expensive than collecting it from individual wheelie bins, as specialised equipment, including front-end loaders, must be hired to remove the waste.
Rubbish from littering blocks drains and stormwater canals, pollutes our waterways and can contaminate our drinking water. Waste pollution also harms plant and animal life by damaging their natural environments.
Medical waste (also known as Healthcare Risk Waste) is a form of hazardous waste that can spread infections and disease, and illegally dumped toxic waste is a potentially lethal threat to our communities.
Each month, the City attends to numerous sewer and toilet blockages and clears illegally dumped materials from open spaces. On a daily basis, the City also attends to the unblocking of full-flush toilets in informal settlements. Toilet blockages are also a problem throughout the metro where there are public toilets.
Green waste bins have been placed near public toilets and toilets in informal settlements as part of an ongoing waste management effort so that residents can dispose of waste properly. Eventually, these bins will be placed in all informal settlements where they are legally able to be placed.
Play your part in preventing illegal dumping
- Dispose of your waste only in bins and at approved drop-offs or landfill sites
- Buy additional waste bins if you need them
- Make others aware of the importance of keeping our environment clean and litter-free
- Fence off your property to prevent others from dumping on it
- Read more about our Green Litter Bin Education and Awareness Project for Informal Settlements
Report illegal dumping
To report illegal dumping in your community, contact: City Call Centre 0860 103 089
If you have the culprit’s vehicle registration number and/or can identify him/her:
Telephone: 021 444 6231/ 021 444 6224 / 021 444 6223
Email: [email protected].
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Picture: Cape {town} Etc gallery