Renthia Kaimbi
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has condemned the burning of tyres at the Walvis Bay landfill.
Environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti said the ministry is taking steps to address the situation.
“The reported burning of tyres at the landfill is a regrettable incident that the ministry strongly condemns,” he said on Wednesday.
“Such activity releases dangerous pollutants into the air, posing serious health risks to both people and animals, while significantly compromising air quality.”
Mufeti said burning tyres near towns is not allowed under environmental laws and warned that such practices cannot continue.
The response follows complaints from residents in Walvis Bay, where more than 4 500 people signed a petition calling for urgent action.
Residents said waste burning at the landfill has become common.
“The municipality’s practice of burning rubbish at the dump produces toxic plumes of smoke that pollute the air, harm residents’ health and create unbearable living conditions in surrounding areas,” the petition states.
The ministry also raised concern about people living near the landfill.
“Living near landfill sites is strongly discouraged, as exposure to smoke, odours and other pollutants can have harmful effects on human health,” Mufeti said.
Mufeti said the landfill falls outside the control of the Walvis Bay municipality, which cannot remove people living there.
Part of the site is inside the Dorob National Park, which places it under national government control.
He added that it has issued a compliance order to stop further dumping at the site.
The ministry is also working to de-proclaim the section within the national park, thereby granting full control to the municipality.
The ministry said it will continue working with stakeholders to resolve the issue.
Residents said broader service delivery issues remain. They pointed to poor sanitation, damaged roads and irregular waste collection.
“We call for accountability and a commitment to restoring Walvis Bay as a clean, safe, and healthy town,” the petition reads.
The municipality had not responded to the petition at the time of publication.
