Landfill site still stirs up outrage

The clock is ticking on the proposed rubbish dump (landfill) at Greenwich Farm.

A public meeting was held by GCS Water and Environmental Consultants last week, during which facts were laid bare and tabled for discussion.

Land owner, Craig Petersen was among attendees and during the presentation, raised several matters with GCS representatives and municipal officials, which he believed were serious oversights by both.

His questions reflected the concerns of many farmers towards Normandien.

Petersen was quick to question the readiness of the municipality to operate the ‘highly technical’ landfill site at Greenwich Farm, and said the regulations in this regard were hefty.

According to the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), the landfill would comprise cells designed to contain waste, and underlain by a containment barrier system.

“This will be an engineered site, meaning it’s technical to operate and needs management and competent people.”

Foremost among concerns however was the potential economic impact of the landfill site, as Petersen believed figures were well underestimated.

Based on a provided figure of 64 trips per day by refuse trucks during operations, over an approximate 15 kilometres, and calculated at a cost of R10/km, amounted to an expense of R19 200 alone.

Using an annual cycle of 260 days over the 42-year life of the landfill site, he provided an expense for Newcastle Municipality of about R209-million.

“The amount per kilometre will increase due to an elevation gain of 455 metres vertically.”

In addition to further expenses related to blasting through a dolerite rock layer and building an access road from the N11, Petersen said consultants failed to realise Greenwich Farm was atop a hill.

The area has also been undermined from previous mining operations.

“I also raised the point of the report not including some of the surrounding dams in the area.”

Petersen admitted establishing a new landfill was in the public interest.

However, he said each ratepayer needed to understand the situation, and expressed concern the municipality’s dire financial state would worsen if the project went ahead.

“The municipality said it will use grant funding but the ongoing costs will be borne by the ratepayer.”

Shortly before going to print, the municipality provided formal response.

However, that response stated the ‘process of determining the suitability of the Farm Greenwich has not been completed’, therefore questions being raised were premature.

“However, once the process has been completed; communication will be dispatched to the public. An Environmental Impact Assessment Report is being developed for submission to the relevant department,” officials concluded.