The Department of Environment Affairs has issued an instruction to Wasteman that the clean-up of the buried healthcare risk waste in Welkom must re-commence on Monday, 31 May 2010. Although clean up operations initially commenced on 2 March 2010, operations were stopped temporarily when it became clear that the volume of waste (healthcare risk waste plus contaminated soil) was almost double the initial estimates.
An independent geo-hydrologist was required to submit a full scope of works for consideration by the department setting out a programme for the clean-up and rehabilitation based on these new estimated volumes. This specialist together with the waste management company appointed to do the removal and transportation of the healthcare risk waste will form part of an independent team tasked to undertake the cleanup operations.
Having considered the report, the department has now issued a final instruction to Wasteman. The removal of the waste and rehabilitation of the maximus bricks site must be achieved by the end of July 2010 while Wasteman has until the end of September 2010 to clean up both the Welkom Showgrounds site and the Jonkersrus game farm.
Environmental management inspectors will be monitoring the operations closely. Failure to comply with these instructions, which form part of the compliance notice, will result in Wasteman committing an offence.
For media queries contact:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
Roopa Singh
Cell: 082 225 3076
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs
28 May 2010
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs (http://www.environment.gov.za)
