The length of time waste within a landfill site takes to degrade depends on the type of waste, the moisture content within the landfill and other variables. Organic material generally biodegrades more quickly than inorganic compounds, but it is not uncommon to dig up disposed newspapers from 30 years ago and still find them intact and readable! Disposable nappies, however, will take more than 500 years to biodegrade. Currently the City of Cape Town has six landfill sites, of which only three are in operation and will reach capacity within the next five to 13 years.

Operational sites are Coastal Park, Vissershok and Bellville South and locations are being assessed for a new site to cope with the city’s growth. Sites that have ceased to accept waste for disposal are Swartklip, Brackenfell and Faure, as they are full.

The City actively recovers (salvages) at the operational landfills, in order to make more efficient use of available airspace. All three operational sites make use of a contractor who employs surrounding communities to salvage material from the landfill; however, the programme at Vissershok will be discontinued at the end of the current contract, as it is the only hazardous facility in the country that still allows salvaging.

No more than 40 people are allowed to salvage per facility. The City has also developed a materials recycling facility at the transfer station in Athlone, where waste will be sorted and streamed, in order to separate recyclables and organic waste from disposable waste component.

Landfill sites

Coastal Park

This site is off Baden Powell Drive in Strandfontein/Muizenberg. Its footprint is about 69 hectares, with a waste compaction of about 800 - 900 kg/m³. The final landform will be between 35 - 45m above ground level. Phase 1 of the Coastal Park site now needs capping, a cover and a liner, which will enable the landform to go up by another 15 m. Phase 2 is currently in operation and the landform can still go up by another 20m. This site will be operational until 2016 - 2022.

Vissershok

This site is off the N7 into Frankdale Rd, adjacent to Morningstar. It is about 117 hectares in size, and about 60m above ground level. One area (cell) of Vissershok has already reached capacity and has been capped, while other cells have reached more than half their capacity. New cells therefore need to be designed and constructed. As it is currently developed, Vissershok will remain operational until 2012; however, the whole of Vissershok North can still be developed, which will give Cape Town an extra 18 million m³ and about six to nine years of airspace.

Bellville South

Bellville South, which is located at Sacks Circle, Bellville South, adjacent to Cape Peninsula University of Technology, is approximately 60 hectares in size. Thirty hectares are already filled to capacity and the remaining airspace is filling up rapidly. There is a real risk that the site will be full by 2010/2011. Its current height is about 35m above ground level.