Waste disposal at Ramatex under fire in NA

THE disposal of waste products from the Ramatex Textile Factory was heavily criticised by a DTA MP in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Johan de Waal posed several questions to the Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing, Joel Kaapanda, related to alleged violations of a service agreement the factory entered into with the Windhoek Municipality in 2001. According to De Waal, the Malaysian-run outfit has still not completed the industrial effluent treatment plant it pledged to build.He said waste water being stored in ponds behind the factory had overflowed on several occasions and hazardous chemicals had seeped into the city’s ground water.Waste water, he added, was also simply being discarded on the premises further threatening contamination of Windhoek’s underground sources.De Waal said the testing of boreholes in the area had already indicated that some contamination had taken place.Ramatex is accused of building a fence across a pipeline servitude in the area, preventing city officials from monitoring the boreholes and of refusing them access to the premises – in violation of their service agreement.The City of Windhoek has apparently also been prohibited from removing all waste from the premises.Instead the factory has hired a private company to remove its hazardous waste, stockpiled as sludge on the premises.As a result, the municipality is unable to control where the waste is being dumped.”Why is the Ramatex Factory allowed, year in and year out, to pollute our underground water, to act contrary to signed agreements and in general to act as if they are a government above the Namibian Government?” De Waal asked Kaapanda.The Minister is expected to give feedback by September 23.According to De Waal, the Malaysian-run outfit has still not completed the industrial effluent treatment plant it pledged to build.He said waste water being stored in ponds behind the factory had overflowed on several occasions and hazardous chemicals had seeped into the city’s ground water.Waste water, he added, was also simply being discarded on the premises further threatening contamination of Windhoek’s underground sources.De Waal said the testing of boreholes in the area had already indicated that some contamination had taken place.Ramatex is accused of building a fence across a pipeline servitude in the area, preventing city officials from monitoring the boreholes and of refusing them access to the premises – in violation of their service agreement.The City of Windhoek has apparently also been prohibited from removing all waste from the premises.Instead the factory has hired a private company to remove its hazardous waste, stockpiled as sludge on the premises.As a result, the municipality is unable to control where the waste is being dumped.”Why is the Ramatex Factory allowed, year in and year out, to pollute our underground water, to act contrary to signed agreements and in general to act as if they are a government above the Namibian Government?” De Waal asked Kaapanda.The Minister is expected to give feedback by September 23.