By Sukuoluhle Ndlovu
Tongaat Hulett’s landfill project is set to be operational in August 2024. This came out during a tour of the landfill in Chiredzi’s section 17 organised by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
The landfill supports EMA’s zero tolerance to litter and adaption to recycling.
Project works commenced last November.
More than USD$100 000 was channeled towards this engineered landfill meant to save underground water and for recycling.
Tongaat Hulett Environmental and Services Manager, Bekithemba Ndlovu stated that they are doing away with their former dumpsite for this new project that covers 3 500square metres and a volume of 8 750 cubic metres.
The area is already cleared and compacted with trenches having already been dug.
“We want to make the landfill compatible so as to minimise filtration or leachate getting to the underground water because we want to prevent the water from being contaminated,” Ndlovu said.
While the landfill’s lifespan is 10-15 years, with sustained environmentanal management using the recycling methodology it can be longer.
“We are promoting waste recycling within the plant, within homes and we have a number of establishments. Since some people come and collect plastics for recycling, this will reduce the size of the landfill as well,” added Ndlovu.
EMA National Spokesperson Amkela Sidange said that waste management is central to climate change and sustainable waste management discussions.
“Waste management becomes centerpiece in climate change debate and this is where is where we get our ethane and its one biogas that contributes to climate change. So it is important that we zero down to adopting and adapting to sustainable waste management,” she said.
She applauded Tongaat Hullet for rehabilitating the land.
“Want to applaud them as they did not look for virgin land which shows there is no waste land. You can turn waste land into something productive. Encourage others to use land that has been used before.
We want to appreciate what is being done. This is the way to go and we cannot continue to have the old ways of disposing waste, rather we should contain it,” she said.
Waste generated through day to day living contributes to the pollution that the country faces, hence the need for sustainable wate management interventions.
Waste management refers to the collection, transportation, valorisation and disposal of various types of waste in a manner that does not jeopardize the environment, human health or future generations.
EMA promotes and equips organisations and the general public to practise sustainable waste management. It is mandated with protecting the environment and prevention pollution and land degradation.
