16 Dec 2015

Pilane landfill, which was commissioned in 1995 has surpassed its life span by five years.

Kgatleng District Council chairperson, Mr Mpho Morolong said “the landfill is full and the situation is worsened by residents of Gaborone who transport waste to the site for disposal.”

He told a full council session recently that initially the landfill was to receive waste from Mochudi, Rasesa, Pilane, Morwa, Malotwana and Bokaa villages.   

Mr Morolong further said it was difficult to achieve operational standards and the management plan that was initially set due to several challenges.

Waste carriers struggled to access the tipping face due to its steepness, which resulted in waste being tipped off outside the cells, he said.

The chairperson said the landfill had become a an eyesore to the public using the A1 road.

“The operation of the landfill fails to satisfy set standards (guidelines for disposal of waste by landfill) and this has attracted criticism from the public and other stakeholders,” said Mr Morolong.

He said the closing of the landfill has become inevitable, adding that there was land measuring 2.5 hectares adjacent to the site which could be used for expansion purposes.

“Our efforts to develop the expansion site have been hampered by lack of funding. As a matter of urgency a technical team has been appointed to work on this,” he said. Ends