The Environmental Management Inspectorate (Green Scorpions) yesterday, 9 December 2009, conducted a search in the Free State, at an unused Harmony Gold mine on the outskirts of Welkom.
Additional information gathered during the ongoing investigation led the Green Scorpions to this premises where it was confirmed that approximately 20 tons of healthcare risk waste (medical waste) has been buried at this site instead of being treated and disposed of as required by law. Harmony Gold cooperated fully in allowing access to the property.
The approximately 20 tons of buried waste, included sharps, pharmaceuticals, viles, syringes, drips, dirty bandages and general medical waste. To date, this is the smallest area found in the region that has been used for the illegal burial of such waste. The area is not located near to any communities or sensitive environmental areas and Harmony Gold has taken responsibility for ensuring that the area is secured and cannot be accessed by the public.
This follows on from last week, when the Department executed search warrants at two premises in the Free State, the Welkom Showgrounds and a farm 25 kilometres outside of Welkom. The department is investigating links between the burial of medical waste at the other three Welkom sites and this latest one.
This is in contravention of a number of provisions of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act which came into effect on 3 July 2009. The maximum penalties for committing these offences are R10 million or 10 years imprisonment or both.
Compliance notices have been served in relation to the sites discovered last week in order to ensure the clean up and rehabilitation of these sites. A similar notice will be issued in relation to this newly discovered site.
In relation to the first site where medical waste was discovered at Maximus Bricks, a service provider has been appointed and the Department received the final risk assessment and clean up report yesterday. The department is urgently reviewing the methodology for the removal and disposal of the waste which needs to be approved by the Department before any work can commence.
In relation to the incinerator operated by Wasteman in Klerksdorp, the department agreed to an extension of time until Friday this week for Wasteman to provide reasons why a final notice should not be issued, which could result in the closure of the facility. In the event that a decision is reached to close the incinerator, waste will need to be diverted to other facilities. A number of these other waste facilities have indicated that they have some capacity to receive such waste and it is important that the generators of this waste, at least, make contingency plans in order to be prepared.
The investigating team will meet with prosecutors today to discuss the broader investigation in addition to mapping the way forward in order to ensure the case related to illegal burying of medical waste in Welkom is prioritised.
For media queries contact:
Jay Singh
Cell: 082 654 4699
Roopa Singh
Cell: 082 225 3076
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs
10 December 2009
