Scorpions probe illegal waste dumping
1 December 2009
Vincent Charnley, the president of the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA), stepped down on Monday until investigations into the illegal dumping of raw medical waste in Welkom were completed.
His decision came after the Green Scorpions, South Africa's environmental inspection managers, found tons of raw medical waste dumped in and around Welkom in the Free State during raids last week.
Charnley was implicated in the recent medical waste investigation conducted by the Green Scorpions, IWMSA said in a statement.
"Wasteman Group, a patron member of the IWMSA, is also under investigation ...[it] has also been suspended by the IWMSA until the investigation has been concluded. This is in line with IWMSA policies and code of ethics," the statement read.
Support
Stan Jewaskiewitz, vice president of IWMSA, said the Green Scorpions had the institute's support in their investigations.
"We will support them with any assistance that they may require so that the matter can be resolved speedily, and to bring any guilty parties to book," Jewaskiewitz said.
"We deplore this kind of behaviour and will not tolerate it from any of our members. It is our duty to society to look after and protect them from organisations that will put their health at risk through negligent and criminal behaviour."
A total of 150 hospitals and clinics were raided by the Green Scorpions.
Search warrants
Search warrants were obtained to access Wasteman's head office in Johannesburg, its incinerator at Klerksdorp, the Durban treatment facility and Maximus Bricks in Welkom Industria.
It was found that hundreds of tons of waste were being taken from the two facilities in KwaZulu-Natal and the North West to the Maximus Bricks site, to be illegally buried.
On Sunday the Environmental Department said this poses a significant health risk to the businesses and communities and that significant harm may be caused to the environment, including the pollution of soil and underground water resources.
The waste found included anatomical waste - amputated legs, arms, placentas, and foetuses.
It also included pharmaceutical waste such as old tablets and medicines, and other general medical waste including syringes, used medical gloves, blood-stained clothes, and blood samples.
Sapa
