A FIRE at an illegal dumping site in Ridgeview Gardens/Umkumbaan has sparked fresh concerns over air pollution and public health, with residents and environmental organisations calling for urgent intervention.

The fire started on August 8 and is believed to have been caused by spontaneous combustion within the waste, according to the Manor Gardens Residents and Ratepayers Association, Ridgeview Gardens Residents Association, Earthlife Africa Durban and groundWork Friends of the Earth SA.

The organisations said smoke and unpleasant odours from the blaze have affected communities in Ridgeview, Umkumbaan, Manor Gardens, Glenwood, Seaview and Bellair.

“Residents in neighbouring communities are being exposed to smoke, offensive odours and potentially harmful pollutants from burning waste, while the environmental impacts of the dumping itself have yet to be properly assessed and addressed,” said the organisation.

Also Read: Fears grow as new illegal dumpsite emerges near Cato Manor

A previous fire at a site in Umkumbaan burned for several months before being extinguished by the eThekwini Municipality in January. The organisations said that site remains unrehabilitated and continues to burn intermittently.

The latest dumping site is accessed through Sunderland Road, with dumping allegedly taking place on adjoining property on Redmore Road, which is understood to be municipal land.

The organisations claim the site is used by trucks to deposit mixed waste, including builders’ rubble, discarded paint, bark and wood waste. They also raised concerns about the presence of a weighbridge, which they said could indicate commercial waste-handling activities.

The groups are calling on the municipality and environmental authorities to investigate the legality of the dumping activities, determine whether the site has the necessary permits and assess possible environmental contamination.

Also Read: Umkhumbaan dumpsite identified as source of ‘toxic smell’

“It is particularly concerning that the dumping activities are taking place on land understood
to be owned by the municipality. Municipal land should be protected and managed in the public interest. It should not be allowed to become a commercial dumping ground where waste can be deposited without proper environmental controls.”

They are also demanding air-quality monitoring, the removal of illegally dumped waste, rehabilitation of the land and enforcement action against those responsible.

The organisations said communities have raised concerns about the site for years, including following the 2022 floods when material from the dumping area reportedly collapsed onto a road below.

“Prolonged illegal dumping in Umkumbaan is no longer simply a waste-management problem, it is becoming a serious health, environmental and community safety hazard,” the organisations said.

They called for a clear action plan from authorities, warning: “We cannot wait for another fire, another flood or another environmental incident before decisive action is taken.”

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