Planned drop off facility in the Helderberg aims to reduce dumping

24 July 2022

A new drop-off site is being designed for the Helderberg Region which will provide a safe and legal option for residents to dispose of waste that is not allowed in wheelie bins, and hopefully curb illegal dumping in the surrounding communities.

The City of Cape Town is pleased to announce that a new drop-off facility for the Helderberg region was approved as part of the City of Cape Town 2022/23 budget’s multi-year capital allocations.

This facility will provide valuable extra capacity to the region after the unfortunate closure of the Macassar drop-off due to security concerns. The site will be located along Main Road in Firgrove, and will provide a more convenient option for residents in the Western Part of Somerset West and Macassar who wish to dispose of unwanted recyclables, garage waste, builders’ rubble or garden greens. In general, the City aims to establish a drop-off site within 7km of any resident.

Approximately R65 million has been budgeted for the project, and in future the site will be further developed to include the construction of a refuse transfer station to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of refuse collection. As custom in City construction projects, provision will be made for the employment of residents from nearby marginalised communities.

The current targeted completion date for the drop-off component of the project is August 2025.

‘Drop-off sites are one of Cape Town’s tools for reducing illegal dumping. Any resident can drop up to three 1,5 ton loads every day for free. To all those who dump on the nearest open land, and degrade our community spaces, I call on you to please rather make use of our drop-off sites.

‘Residents should also take a tough stance on dumping in their community by reporting offenders to the City. Dumping attracts crime and anti-social behaviour, and creates a breeding ground for pests, lowering property values in the area. There are safe, legal and free options for residents to use instead of dumping and those who dump must be encouraged to make use of these options, possibly with a fine,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Alderman Grant Twigg.

To report illegal dumping and/or if you have the culprit's vehicle registration number and/or can identify him/her please contact the following channels.

Telephone: 021 444 6231/ 021 444 6224 / 021 444 6223
Email: solidwaste.bylaw@capetown.gov.za.

To notify the City about dumping that needs to be cleared please, call 0860 103 089.

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office

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