It is becoming more difficult and time-consuming to develop new waste disposal facilities in the Durban Metropolitan Area (DMA) with stricter legal requirements for the establishment of landfill sites and growing public resistance to sites. Ideally the DMA should have a few (3 to 5) large sub-regional facilities with a lifespan of more than 100 years. These should achieve a high standard of operation and have a suitable setback buffer around the site. The Durban Metropolitan Council has, in close association with stakeholders, begun a five phase process to identify suitable landfill sites to meet the DMA's future waste disposal needs.

Phase 1: Identification of broad window areas for landfill sites
The first phase consisted of a desk top study, undertaken at a very coarse screening level, to identify broad 'window' areas within which potentially suitable landfill sites might be found. Nine window areas were initially identified as potentially suitable for landfill.

Phase 2: Site selection
The broad windows identified were investigated to determine whether they contained potential sites for landfills. Six potential sites have been identified. Key factors used for assessing the suitability of potential sites included:

Economic Criteria: Transport Size Accessibility Cover reserves Socio-economic factors Cost of engineering and operating site

Environmental Criteria: Distance to significant water bodies Importance of ground water Soil permeability Availability of suitable cover material Ecological factors Climatic factors

Public Acceptance Criteria: Proximity to residential areas Displacement of residents Visibility Prevailing wind direction Setback space / buffer Safety risk