The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) has confirmed that there is an investigation into Interwaste for illegal dumping.

This follows a statement release by the waste management company saying that it was not under investigation. The company has been accused of dumping more than 100 tonnes of hazardous waste, from Mozambique and Japan, a month in non-designated landfill sites across South Africa.

However, DEA spokesperson Albi Modise told Business Day that, “We stand by our statement that there is an investigation against Interwaste.”

Interwaste CEO Alan Willcocks has denied the accusations, saying that, while the company does import hazardous waste from Mozambique and Swaziland, it does not import waste from Japan. He also stated that all imports are executed in compliance with the Basel Convention authorisations, which are waste-type specific and detail the waste management facility in South Africa to which they are authorised.