George is tired of illegal dumping and is pulling the gloves out to fight back. Here’s the city’s epic plan of action:
George, South Africa (08 January 2025) — Like many cities in South Africa, George is no stranger to illegal dumping.
The act of disposing large quantities of waste materials into areas where waste shouldn’t be, illegal dumping can cause a platter of problems both for the environment as well as for the health and wellbeing of community members. If littering is a problem, illegal dumping is the final boss.
On 13 December, the George Municipality rolled out a detailed business plan to defeat the persistent challenge illegal dumping has become in the city.
Founded on principles of sustainability and consistent effort over ad-hoc interventions, the local government hope the plan of action will intersect all the points where illegal dumping tends to slip through the cracks!
The George Community Needs to Be Informed
At a grassroots level, education and awareness are cornerstones of the action plan. Illegal dumping, like so many matters related to the environment, often stems from misinformation and behaviour challenges. So, to tackle this head-on, George is determined to reach the areas where illegal dumping is most common and intervene by educating people on proper waste disposal.
Bringing in the Big Guns
310 EPWP workers have been employed, along with 14 coordinators. Strategically deployed across 12 blocks in the municipality, their responsibilities include daily waste removal, street sweeping, sidewalk cleaning and breaking down bulky waste in open spaces.
A Place for Waste
To provide accessible waste disposal points for residents, skips are set to be placed in critical wards across George from March onwards. Yellow plant machinery like TLBS and tipper trucks are also part of the plan to help clean-up operations and waste management for builders’ rubble and garden refuge.
As for households, residents are set to receive a quarterly supply of green refuse bags to encourage proper disposal!
Teaming up With Waste Pickers
As in Bellville, waste pickers are being taken more seriously in the role they play for environmental goodness.
While plans to potentially establish more buy-back centres are an option, waste pickers are being incorporated into the team against illegal dumping with the aim of supporting them with their own trolleys and protective gear.
The plan of action has seen a budget of R16.34 million allocated to the efforts, and the George community are hoping that with these measures in place, their home will be cleaner, greener and more cared for. But, the responsibility also falls on them.
“Illegal dumping is a community issue, not just an environmental one,” says MMC for Community Services Marchell Kleynhans. “Sustained enforcement alongside public participation is essential for the campaign’s success. We need every resident to contribute to a cleaner George.
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