Residents living near the Shongweni landfill site claim they are still “suffering” with the toxic smell from the facility despite claims from waste management company, EnviroServ, that remedial action was taken to attend to the odour.

The Highway Mail reported on Tuesday that the Upper Highway Air NPC received 55 588 complaints from May to 16 October 2017, with 10 515 since the completion of the EnviroServ remedial measures (September to 16 October).

According to Lauren Johnson, founder of the UHA NPC this is a clear indicator that the remedial measures taken by EnviroServ have not worked and that the waste management company may need to regroup and try again.

EnviroServ satisfied with remedial measures

EnviroServ’s spokesman, Thabiso Taaka told the Highway Mail the company had completed its 180-remedial plan and is extremely satisfied with the outcome.

Commenting on the remedial measures he said: “While these remedial activities have been costly, they’ve substantially reduced hydrogen sulfide levels measured on site with real-time air quality monitors.”

However, Neville Kaiser, one of the directors of UHA NPC told the Highway Mail that the gas at the landfill site at present is not only H2s but a cocktail of gasses which is alarming as EnviroServ may be overlooking this.

The UHA NPC has called an urgent public meeting to update the community on their progress in dealing with the matter thus far and to decide on a way forward. The meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 24 October.