Afriforum says just one of the seven landfill sites inspected by the organisation complies with national standards.
The organisation's spokesperson, Jaco Grobbelaar, says they had audited a total of 56 landfill sites across the country and found that only six were compliant with regulations.
He says their audit report highlights that 50 landfill sites are not up to standard and that they are a health hazard for the respective communities in which they are located.
Grobbelaar says they have sent letters of demand to the affected municipalities.
"We requested action plans and target dates that must be put in place to ensure that the refuse sites are managed in a legal and environmentally friendly manner. If the municipalities do not respond to AfriForum's request, further steps will be taken" he said.
AfriForum is concerned about the following:
- Medical waste is illegally dumped and can contaminate underground water.
- Families are living on the sites.
- Animals feed on refuse sites and eat waste.
- Animal carcasses and bones are illegally dumped and are not covered.
- No rehabilitation takes place and land is not compacted, with the result that refuse is blown around, polluting the environment
