FEIR for Boitshepi Landfill Site .pdf - Zitholele.co.za

128August 2010 8848• Ensure that the rehabilitated waste site is not used as grazing for the local livestock; and• Ensure that natural grasses are used as part of the site rehabilitation and closure phase.Residual ImpactThe residual impact will remain as assessed in the cumulative impact assessment for all thedevelopment phases. Even with the implementation of mitigation measures, the impactremains the same. The mitigation measure will however ensure that the impact is positive.Table 49: Impact Rating Matrix for Ecology for the Decommissioning Phase(Alternative 1-3).Impact Type Significance Spatial Temporal Probability RatingInitial HIGH Study site Long TermHas alreadyoccurred3.3 – HighAdditional MODERATE Study site Long Term Could Occur 1.8 – LowPositiveCumulative LOW Study site Long Term Could Occur 1.6 – LowPositiveResidual LOW Study site Long Term Could Occur 1.6 – LowPositive11.3.7 Visual ImpactWith the closure of the site, the visual impact will remain. The rehabilitation will howeverprovide a natural look to the waste body and to the uninformed by-passer to the site will notbe that obvious. However, due to the size and especially the height of the closed facility, thestructure will remain visible from the surrounding landscape as assessed for the expansion.This is however only relevant if the re-vegetation of the site is successful with no alieninvasive plants and no erosion visible on the site.The vegetation screen described will be firmly established and most of the trees will be ofmature height. Provided the screen is maintained and significant gaps are not allowed todevelop, any subsequent closure activities will be well screened.The progressive rehabilitation of waste sites by means of capping and the subsequentestablishment of vegetation is a Minimum Requirement. Capping will be implemented on allareas where no further waste deposition will take place, and re-vegetation should commenceas soon as possible. Screening berms are the first areas where vegetation must beestablished.Initial ImpactThe initial impact remains as assessed for the residual impact during the operational phase(Section 11.2.7), a High (Alternative 1) to Moderate (Alternative 2 and 3) impact.ZITHOLELE CONSULTING