Dear Editor,
I wish to table a very noteworthy environmental hazard that the residents of the New Eccles Housing scheme (Block EE) are being plagued with recurrently.
I have been residing in this area for a succinct period now spending some time by my grandson and observed that people are still incinerating compost even though regular services of this nature (garbage collection) are being provided by several prominent service providers. What protrudes with further incredulity is that these individuals seek to do this on weekends, especially during the early mornings when persons are in the process of completing their weekend clean up and laundry leaving the hanging clothes with a stench of burnt smoke and in most cases not even permitting residents to sit outside to enjoy a blast of Mother Nature’s fresh air since at this time it becomes too murky. Sometimes the perpetrators seek to do this on many occasions including during the afternoons within the week making it even more alarming.
Most recently an individual attempted to burn debris and almost caused an entire block to be engulfed with furious flames (16-10-2015), luckily some courageous construction workers who were in close proximity utilised their water pump to calm the flames until the fire brigade arrived.
Although the real cause of the fire was due to garbage and vegetation incineration such was not reported. This is just a typical example of what can result in this challenging weather pattern. Even worse the Haags-Bosch Landfill site is within close vicinity so this diminishes the challenges of eliminating our refuse.
Isn’t it illegal to burn garbage? Is it legal for persons to be subjected to such smoky conditions that bring hazardous conditions in multiple dimensions including health, social, economic, etc.? I would be paying ardent attention as to who is the pertinent body to respond to this menace and what should the perpetrators be subjected to by law.
Yours faithfully,
George Phillips
Retired public servant
