Many residents in Tshwane are facing health risks emanating from illegal dumping sites, which are breeding grounds for rats and mosquitoes and could potentially cause respiratory problems.
This was a warning issued by the City of Tshwane’s MMC for Health, Rina Marx, who highlighted the health impact of illegal dumping.
On several occasions the City has gone to great lengths by embarking on the campaign called #Rekaofela to raise awareness and encourage residents to actively participate in preventing and reporting illegal dumping.
The public has also been mobilised to adopt open spaces which are increasingly becoming hot spots for illegal dumping.
However, such initiatives seemed to have yielded little or no results as the City continues to grapple with the problem of illegal dumping.
This was despite the City’s threats to also impose heavy fines on individuals or businesses caught in the act of littering as part of fighting against the scourge.
This week, the municipality roped in its health department to spread a message about the danger of disposing of waste in prohibited spaces.
Different types of waste often found at illegal dumping sites include, among others, household waste, garden waste, discarded rubber tyres, chemical or medical waste, industrial waste and building rubble.
Marx said waste materials discarded in the open exposed people to health dangers such respiratory problems, which are caused by air pollution, especially if illegal dump sites are set alight.
She warned that people can catch diseases spread through contaminated waste, adding that illegal dumping sites also attract vermin such as rats and mosquitoes.
Sharp objects, she said, can harm people and especially children playing near illegal dumping sites.
Illegal dumping is also harmful to the environment and can lead to pollution of soil and water, Marx said.
“Apart from the health burden, illegal dumping results in the City of Tshwane having to incur additional costs to clear illegal dumping sites and divert resources for additional vector control. The dumping of waste material is currently regulated by various pieces of legislation in South Africa, including the National Health Act, 2003 (Act 61 of 2003),” she said.
She reiterated that residents can incur heavy fines for illegal dumping and called on them to act responsibly and not dump waste illegally.
“The impact is far beyond one’s immediate environment with potentially long-term health implications. If you are concerned about illegal dumping, please report it at wastemanagement@tshwane.gov.za,” she said.
Pretoria News
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za