Wasteman told to shut down
Tuesday, 22 June 2010 |   |  1 comment

A company accused of illegally dumping medical waste has been ordered to shut down its incinerator.Wasteman, the second-largest waste management company in South Africa, has until February 15 to stop operations at its Klerksdorp facility.The move follows a raid by the Department of Environmental Affairs' Green Scorpions last month, one of four raids at sites across the country.

Authorities found that permit conditions for the site had not been complied with.Wasteman is under investigation by the Green Scorpions for allegedly dumping hundreds of tons of raw healthcare waste in Welkom.The stash, which included thousands of used needles, bloody swabs and human tissue, was unearthed at a Welkom brick factory, the town's showgrounds and a nearby private game farm.More than 150 state and private hospitals have contracts with Wasteman.

The department this week confirmed it had served a final compliance notice on Wasteman on Christmas Eve, giving it 35 working days "to cease with all operations at the site".

Department spokesman Albi Modise said Wasteman had been given an opportunity to object to and ask for a suspension of the compliance notice. "The department has been advised that Wasteman is intending to submit such an objection," he said. Wasteman attorney Brad Thomas said the company "will continue to engage with the authorities in addressing the issues which have been raised".

Netcare's Jacques du Plessis said: "We have been assured by them that all these requirements have been met and that they are awaiting an inspection by the Department of Environmental Affairs during the first week of February 2010."

http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article264330.ece