The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Buyelwa Sonjica today condemned the recently uncovered illegal dumping of healthcare risk waste (medical waste).
“The Department of Environmental Affairs views these illegal activities in a very serious light and the Environmental Management Inspectorate (Green Scorpions) will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that those found transgressing the environmental laws will face the full might of the law.”
The minister stressed that compliance with environmental laws was not negotiable and players in the health care risk waste sector must understand that. She went on to state that a zero tolerance approach would be adopted with the medical waste sector.
“The department cannot condone the deliberate disregard of strict laws aimed at ensuring that waste is correctly managed, especially when this disregard places our communities and environment at risk,” said Sonjica.
The illicit dumping are also of grave concern to the department as medical waste can pose a health and bio-hazard risk to the people that may come into contact with it. There is also a risk that significant harm may be caused to the environment such as pollution of soil and underground water and surface water resources.
The minister reiterated that the department is tightening the laws on environmental offences. In terms of recent amendments to environmental laws, the maximum penalties for committing these offences which contravene the National Environmental Management: Waste Act are R10 million or 10 years imprisonment or both.
The magnitude and severity of these recent crimes further reinforce the critical need for dedicated green courts to deal with these types of cases. The department believes that the re-establishment of dedicated green courts (including dedicated prosecutors) would have a profound impact on the fight against environmental crime.
To ensure that all avenues of investigation and prosecution for this case are followed we are working very closely with various law enforcement agencies including various divisions of SAPS, the National Prosecuting Authority, and the Asset Forfeiture unit.
“I would also like to commend the journalists who were involved in this process of uncovering these sites. The media play a significant role in conveying information to the public and raising awareness about such important issues,” she added.
"I want to urge members of the public to blow the whistle on such activities. Very often, it is you, the citizen that is in a position to provide information on such serious crimes, bearing in mind that this investigation was sparked through a tip off received by the department.
"The department has a 24 hour environmental crimes and incidents hotline which we urge you to use as it is you who can act as our eyes and ears on the ground."
The environmental crimes and incidents hotline number is 0800 205 005.
For media queries contact:
Sputnik Ratau
Cell: 082 874 2942
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
Issued by: Ministry of Water and Environmental Affairs
4 December 2009
