The construction of the first of nine new regional waste disposal facilities in the Western Cape has started in Mossel Bay.

The new facility will serve multiple municipalities along the Garden Route and is aimed at stimulating the waste economy, creating jobs and reducing the environmental impacts of waste management in the region.

The facility will provide landfill space to Bitou, Knysna, George and Mossel Bay for the next 30 years, and provision has been made to accommodate the Hessequa and Oudtshoorn Municipalities in future, Environmental Affairs MEC Anton Bredell said on Friday.

He said the initiative would create about 500 temporary and 60 permanent jobs during construction.

The department and district municipality underwent a consultation process with residents and municipalities for more than 10 years for the project to come to fruition, he added.