Chantelle Benjamin

Johannesburg Metro Editor

THE dispute over the City of Johannesburg’s handling of a waste recycling tender has left some red faces, but it also highlighted a serious problem facing the city — most of its landfill sites have only 15 years left, and some even less.

Responding yesterday to a court decision to set aside the awarding of a tender to British company Thermsave, city manager Pascal Moloi was unrepentant about the city’s willingness to hear the company’s presentation in 2003, which promised to produce steam from waste to drive an electricity-generating steam turbine.

Moloi said the city would entertain any suggestions that would help the city manage its waste or extend the life of landfills.

"We are running into problems with landfills, most of which have only 15 years left and some, like Linbro Park, even less time. I would not say it’s a crisis yet but it’s of serious concern to the city," he said.

"Anyone who has a better idea of how we can reduce waste will always be met with interest by us."

The dilemma of what to do with the waste produced by the city’s inhabitants is not specific to Johannesburg — cities worldwide are grappling with the same problem.

Cape Town announced last month its six major landfill sites were expected to reach capacity in the next five years.

Johannesburg, home to 3,2-million people and growing at a rate of 4% a year, generates 1,4-million tons of waste annually. The bulk of this waste ends up in Pikitup’s five landfill sites located around the city.

Pikitup is the city’s waste management firm.

With the Linbro Park landfill, situated between Sandton and Alexandra, nearing the end of its lifespan, the city is faced with the dilemma of how to dispose of the 850 tons of waste deposited at the site a day.

Efforts to open a new landfill site between Dainfern and Diepsloot have been opposed by Fourways residents, who feel not enough consultation has taken place.

The site was first proposed in 1987, when Diepsloot was little more than a crossroad.

"No one wants to live near a landfill site," said Moloi.

"A site proposed near Lanseria airport, for example, is being objected to because it would attract birds, which pose a risk to aircraft."

Failure to create new landfills around the city has implications for ratepayers, who may have to foot the bill in the long term to transport waste over long distances.

Pikitup has prioritised waste minimisation and recycling in a bid to address the problem.

The city agreed to give the company R3,7m to rehabilitate six closed landfill sites in Johannesburg for the 2004-05 financial year, and in June urged its contract management unit to probe the possibility of alternate ways of funding the management of closed landfill sites.