Residents complain of stench
THE COMMUNITY of Eldorado Park Extension 2 is up in arms over the landfill in the area which has become a dump site for what seems to be animal carcasses.
For the past two weeks, the residents say they have experienced many negative effects from living across from the landfill on Union Road. One of these is the foul smell of “rotting animal”, which they think comes from a dead dog.
However, a resident took the initiative to find what was the cause of the smell and found animal carcasses dumped in the veld next to the landfill.
Stephanie Duiker said that two months ago, the culprits who used to dump on the site were caught and told to remove the carcasses, which they did.
She says the dumping stopped for a while but two weeks ago, she started smelling the stench and has had to contend with many flies in her home.
“I suspect that the dumped carcasses are done by a slaughterhouse for the residents who live in the informal settlement next to the landfill which is known by locals as Lapland. The veld is filled with animal bones, skin, jaws, and skulls.”
She said the rotting carcasses had become a health hazard to the residents.
Duiker said she owned a takeaway store in Extension 2, and since the discovery of the carcasses at the dump site she has had to use poison to protect her store from rats and the infestation of flies.
“At the moment we don’t know who to complain to about the carcasses. We don’t have a councillor as yet until after the elections. Our municipality has failed us, which leaves us, the residents, forced to take matters into our own hands once again,” said Duiker.
According to the Commission of Environmental Quality, the disposal of dead animals should always be carried out in a manner that protects public health and safety, does not create a nuisance, prevents the spread of disease, and prevents adverse effects on water quality.
Furthermore, the commission states that the options for disposing of carcasses are on-site burial, composting, or sending the carcass to a municipal solid waste landfill, renderer, or commercial waste incinerator. Animals must not be disposed of in any wastewater system.
The Star has been unsuccessful in obtaining comment from Pikitup. This after trying several times to reach its spokesperson.