Rent-A-Drum to build Namibia’s first hazardous waste facility
Creating jobs and supporting development
Waste management company Rent-A-Drum has announced plans to construct Namibia’s first A-Class hazardous waste treatment and disposal facility near Arandis in the Erongo region.The facility, known as the Namwaste Management Facility, will cover 177 hectares and process at least 60 000 tonnes of waste annually. It will handle hazardous waste from mines, the oil and gas sector, as well as other industries. The facility is designed to accommodate all types of waste, including general waste, arsenic dust, drilling cuttings, oil and grease, autoclave waste and asbestos.Managing director Riaan Vermeulen said the project is a major step for Namibia’s waste management infrastructure and aligns with the environment ministry’s solid waste management strategy and the country’s Sixth National Development Plan.
The facility will follow international best practices and include state-of-the-art treatment and tracking systems to prevent air and underground pollution.
Waste will be treated to render it harmless before disposal, while disposal cells will be constructed with triple-layer geomembrane barriers and leak detection systems.Around 40 permanent jobs are expected to be created.
Rent-A-Drum, together with Orano Mining Namibia and the !Oë-#Gân Traditional Authority, will also fund local development projects. These include the Spitzkoppe borehole desalination plant, which the company will finance and operate for ten years.
Environmental commissioner Timoteus Mufeti said the project will protect public health and the environment, adding that it marks an important step for Namibia to meet global standards on waste regulation.
Chairman of Rent-A-Drum, Gys Louw, said the project combines Seché Environnement’s global expertise with local knowledge. “It is a great source of pride for Rent-A-Drum to develop such an innovative project for the country,” he said.