Sidewalk dumping raises a stink
Councillor Nicole Graham urges residents to report illegal dumping.
WARD councillor, Nicole Graham, has raised concerns regarding the increase in residents who put out their garbage out on non-collection days, and those who do not use the approved refuse bags.
According to Graham, her attention has recently been brought to a problem in Umbilo where a resident was placing refuse bags out on the pavement any day of the week. He was also not using the correct bags. The problem, said Graham, was that dumped rubbish were torn open by dogs and the wind blew it all over the road. Rubbish left lying around also attracted rats which were drawn to it.
Neighbours were also fed up and said the garbage was not being collected by DSW because it was placed in the incorrect bags. Often, the bags were left for up to two weeks, before eventually being removed. The problem was compounded when others dumped their rubbish on top of the mess. According to neighbours, old broken mattresses and toilet pans had also been dumped on the pile of garbage bags which just encouraged more people to get rid of their rubbish and add to the pile.
Councillor Graham said she had made DSW aware of the problem.
“If people see this in their neighbourhood, they are to take photos and put together an affidavit to send to the Health Department, which will then be able to proceed with enforcement. I have seen this repeatedly done in the area and it is a big problem at the moment. Residents must pay more attention to this so it can be reported to the illegal dumping line and the Health Department for action,” she said.
She said enforcement was the only way to get this issue to stop.
eThekwini head of communications, Tozi Mthethwa, said: “Residents are advised to leave out the refuse on the predetermined collection day. Refuse needs to be left on the verge by 7am. If residents miss their collection day they need to take it back into their property and leave it out on their next collection day, alternatively they can take it to a landfill site for disposal. Refuse needs to be disposed of in the correct bags or it will not be collected.”
She said the black bags were for domestic refuse, the blue bags are for garden refuse and the orange bags are for the recycling of plastic paper, polystyrene, tetra-pak and cardboard.
To report illegal dumping, contact 031 311 8804.
