Stellenbosch Municipality opened a new cell of its local landfill on Tuesday (4 February), but the excitement comes with a warning as it’s the last available space at the facility.
According to Clayton Hendricks, senior manager of waste management, the lifetime of cells at landfills has shortened over time. “The aim is to have a cell last as long as possible, but the reality is that the time frame for each cell keeps getting shorter. We need the community’s help to look at minimising the waste brought to the landfill,” he explained.
Cell 1, 2 and 3 of the landfill on the corner of Adams Tas and Vredenburg roads is already at capacity. The first waste cell reached capacity around 1996. By 2013, cell 2 had reached full capacity, prompting the construction of cell 3. When cell 3 reached its limit in 2019, planning and development for cell 4 immediately commenced.
A 2017 feasibility study indicated that unlocking additional landfill space within Stellenbosch would save the municipality an estimated R1,5 billion in external disposal costs, which is equivalent to about R2,1 billion today.
The new cell officially opened by executive mayor Jeremy Fasser this week is already in use and will provide 1,1 million cubic metres of air space for waste disposal. This will not only save residents and the municipality from having to transport waste to the Vissershok landfill close to Table View, but the almost R110 million investment in the Devon Valley landfill is only the beginning of what needs to be a greener and more sustainable waste management plan. Municipal manager Geraldine Mettler said there is no other municipal land to create a landfill on.
All waste, from garden cuttings to e-waste, can be disposed of at the Devon Valley site with specialist areas on site to accommodate each type of waste. The hope is the new waste cell will operate for the next two decades.
According to the municipality, beyond cost savings, having a well-managed local disposal site presents additional advantages like curbing illegal dumping. “By making disposal more accessible and affordable for residents, waste can be properly managed, preventing pollution of rivers, parks and public spaces,” the municipality said.
Council will now look at interventions to help prolong the lifetime of the cell with source sorting – having residents sort their recyclable waste before municipal pick up – and turning waste into a saleable commodity to become an income stream for the municipality.
Fasser congratulated Hendricks and the waste management team for their work and commitment in completing the project despite challenges.
