HOW TO ORGANISE SITE CLEARING OPERATIONS

Site clearance operations are one of the first aspects prioritised in an early stage of construction projects. Sites must be swept and cleaned before any construction or landscaping can take place.

The magnitude of site clearance is different in each case depending on the purpose of the clearance or the physical size of the plot. The nature of the waste also differs in each project, for example, clearing building debris for the purpose of building a new shopping centre will require different equipment than clearing vegetation to prepare land for farming.

WHAT IS THE PROCESS, GENERALLY?

All debris and unwanted plants must be removed. The amount of vegetation depends on the density thereof, and on the physical size of the plot. Next, the surface soil layer is removed. In some cases underground infrastructure must also be removed and discarded. This is not necessarily a time-consuming process but it must be executed responsibly and in accordance with South African law.

WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY REGARDING SITE CLEARANCE?

The National Environmental Management Act section 26(1) stipulates that no person may dispose of waste, knowingly or negligently cause or permit waste to be disposed of, in or on any land, waterbody or at any facility unless the disposal of that waste is authorised by law. It also states that no person may dispose waste in a manner that is likely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to health and well-being.

There may be large heaps of rubble, but executing proper site clearance is not a hassle. The key is to appoint a reliable service provider to dispose of this rubble ethically and cost effectively.