“The fact that certain cold meats may contain listeria
bacteria means that these food products are condemned
and should, therefore, be classified as infectious waste to
be disposed of responsibly. Simply discarding the food in the
waste bin will not solve the problem, as waste pickers could
go through the bags and bins to recover this waste before it
is collected and transported to the landfill site. Landfill waste
pickers, who recover recyclable material from landfills, are
also at risk,” says Professor Suzan Oelofse, past-president of
IWMSA.
The correct method to dispose of infectious food is to return
it to the store or manufacturer from which it was purchased for
responsible disposal through thermal treatment or lime-treated
trenching at licenced engineered landfills.
Consumers and businesses within the food and hospitality
industry can search www.allwastesolutions.co.za, the
buyer’s guide of the waste industry, for reputable treatment
and disposal facilities and services where these food items
can be safely managed. The website has been created in
collaboration with and is fully endorsed by IWMSA and its
members.
The IWMSA supports the Department of Health’s efforts
to educate and inform the public about this foodborne
disease. The department’s website (www.health.gov.za)
can be consulted for informative documents regarding
the listeriosis disease. u
The worst outbreak of listeriosis in the world is
presently underway in South Africa, where more than
100 people have already died from the disease.
Water Sewage & Effluent March/April 2018
5
Considering the latest updates regarding the listeria outbreak,
herewith a statement from the Institute of Waste Management
of Southern Africa (IWMSA) in which the organisation
highlights the correct method for consumers to dispose of food
that may be contaminated with the fatal bacterium.
The Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, announced that
notices of safe recall had been issued to Enterprise Foods
in Polokwane and Rainbow Chicken in Sasolburg owing to
traces of listeria being found at these production facilities.
The announcement has caused further public concern and
outcry over its announcement. IWMSA would like consumers
to be aware of the safe disposal method of food that may be
contaminated.
technology
Listeriosis advisory
Stellenbosch has
been developing its
water-conservation
plan over the past
three years, part of
which are several
containerised
borehole water
treatment plants.
mitigate the effects of the drought and push out the Day
Zero scenario even further.
The Stellenbosch Local Municipality is in the process of
installing smart meters and water-management devices to
reduce water losses and increase revenue collection. The
boreholes that are being installed and equipped will also be
monitored to ensure responsible aquifer management. u
As part of a R60-million emergency water-augmentation
project, the Stellenbosch Local Municipality has awarded
10 contractors — four drilling contractors, two civils, and
four mechanical contractors — contracts to drill up to 20
new boreholes and equip seven existing boreholes, as well
as develop at least eight new containerised borehole water-
treatment plants. The project aims to make Stellenbosch
independent from the City of Cape Town’s water supply
system by mid-2018.
S t e l l e n b o s c h h a s b e e n d e v e l o p i n g i t s w a t e r-
conservation plan over the past three years and has called
on the expertise and experience of Hatch to fine-tune a
Drought Response Plan for both the municipality and for
Stellenbosch University.
The Drought Response Plan involves the design and
implementation of several new boreholes and containerised
borehole water-treatment plants at the Tygerberg campus
and at the Bellville Business School campus. “We are in
the construction phase at present, with six new irrigation
boreholes for the Stellenbosch campus and five boreholes
for the Tygerberg campus,” Hatch’s Pieter de Kock explains.
Stellenbosch Mayor Gesie van Deventer explained to
Eyewitness News: “As we continue to connect the
boreholes to our main water-supply system, our water
dependence on the City of Cape Town will decrease
significantly.” It is expected that Klapmuts, Franschhoek,
Dwarsrivier, and Wemmershoek will be connected by the
end of Q1 2018.
Taking these areas off the City of Cape Town’s main
water-supply system will also assist the Mother City
Averting Day Zero