Residents say no to proposed recycling plant

Residents of Great Brak River are up in arms over a proposed tyre and plastic recycling plant in the area.

The proposal is for a pilot depolymerization plant to be built close to the Reebok brickyard on the Mobi Cast site on Sorgfontein Road. Homeowners and the ratepayers' association are challenging the proposal.

Chair of the Great Brak River Ratepayers' Association, Ronald Hacquebord, says as a unified body, various organisations and homeowners are investigating the pros and cons of the proposal made by a local company, Rooikat Recycling (Pty) Ltd.

"Does a facility that melts old tyres and plastic belong in our picturesque village?" This is the main question Hacquebord says is being asked. He says people are questioning the logic behind the proposed location.

"The plant could run for as long as 10 years or more. If it proves successful a larger plant will be built.

“The recycling of waste is a positive objective but this type of industrial facility presents a risky scenario."

Hacquebord says people are concerned about pollution to the air, water and ground, in what he describes as an extremely sensitive biosphere.

"The communities in Wolwedans, Greenhaven and Avondans, particularly, would all be exposed to the health threats this could pose."

The unified body says there is a far safer and more suitable site at the PetroSA complex.

Rooikat Recycling (Pty) Ltd confirmed it is busy with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.

The company said it would have a feedback session soon and that it was aware of the complaints. It did not wish to comment further, but said it was following procedures.

Mossel Bay municipal spokesperson Nickey le Roux said the municipality was aware of the proposal, but that the project was for Portion 21 of Farm 142, which was currently zoned as industrial and that it was not a municipal project.

"Any air emission hazards would require an application to the Garden Route District Municipality for an air emission licence, and the district municipality will consider the application according to the existing protocols."

Hacquebord says people support recycling of human waste. "But it must be done in a way that does not simply create new problems. It would be a serious error to locate the proposed plant in the Great Brak River area."

‘Does a facility that melts old tyres and plastic belong in our picturesque village?’