A persistent, noxious odour has once again raised concern across parts of Newcastle, where residents in Arbor Park, KwaMathakuza and sections of Madadeni say deteriorating air quality is disrupting daily life and prompting fears over potential health risks.
At the centre of the complaints is a tyre-recycling facility located along Madadeni Road, in close proximity to the Newcastle Airport.
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While the business has operated for several years, converting used tyres into petroleum-related products, residents contend that emissions have become increasingly intrusive, particularly during the early hours of the morning and late in the evening.
For many, the issue is longstanding. Speaking to Newcastillian News, one Arbor Park resident explained;
“My family and I have been living in Arbor Park for just over four years, and it was a problem back then. The factory usually burns the tyres in the early hours of the morning, or late in the evening, but the smoke from the factory blows in Arbor Park, KwaMathakuza, and parts of Madadeni, as well as the Airport and it become incredibly difficult to breathe,” stressed the resident, adding that children, infants and the elderly are particularly affected.
Moreover, she indicated that concerns had previously been raised with authorities, yet little tangible progress had followed.
“It is truly horrible, and community members recently did a survey on the impacts it was having on people and how many residents it was impacting, and we have handed it over to the Newcastle Municipality.”
Similarly, another resident described the fumes as overwhelming on certain nights.
“Something needs to be done, as we do not know what we are breathing in and there is definitely a spike of people suddenly battling with asthma in the area,” he said.
These concerns are compounded by longstanding gaps in air quality monitoring across KwaZulu-Natal.
As previously reported by Newcastillian News in July 2025, none of the province’s six air-quality monitoring stations were operational at the time, with only partial remedial action planned for the following financial year.
Consequently, the lack of consistent monitoring has limited the availability of reliable data on environmental and public health impacts.
At the time, Hannah Lidgett, the Democratic Alliance’s provincial spokesperson on Environmental Affairs, raised concerns following responses to parliamentary questions directed at the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA).
She highlighted the department’s acknowledgement that no comprehensive data exists on the health implications of poor air quality in affected communities, attributing this to deficiencies under previous administrations.
“What is particularly disturbing is that many communities across KZN are at the brunt of poor air quality and report significant health impacts. It is deeply concerning that former governments did not address the issue,” Lidgett emphasised.
According to EDTEA, air-quality monitoring stations are located in Newcastle (Amcor Dam), iLembe (Stanger), King Cetshwayo (KZN Agriculture Extension Office), Ugu (Marburg Secondary School), Umgungundlovu (Northdale Hospital), and uThukela (Drakensberg Secondary School).
However, without full operational capacity, the province’s ability to effectively monitor pollution and enforce compliance remains constrained.
Nevertheless, following the submission of the community’s survey and supporting reports, Newcastle Municipality’s local councillor Alex Liu issued a statement addressing residents’ concerns.
“Following the report to the municipality and EDTEA (Department of Economic Development Tourism and Environmental Affairs), relevant officials had taken actions to address your concerns,” he stated.
He further indicated that EDTEA officials have engaged the facility on multiple occasions and held meetings with its management.
The operator has been instructed to implement corrective measures, failing which further action may follow. While the facility holds an operational contract until 2029, both the Newcastle Municipality and EDTEA have committed to ongoing monitoring and compliance oversight.
The focus now shifts squarely to enforcement, where stated commitments will be tested against measurable action.
As a result, both the operator and oversight authorities face a clear obligation to demonstrate compliance without delay or ambiguity.
Should corrective measures not be implemented, it will raise serious questions not only about the facility’s continued operation, but also about the effectiveness of regulatory enforcement in practice.
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For residents, however, the expectation remains firmly on immediate and verifiable improvements in air quality, rather than continued assurances. In this context, the outcome will serve as a clear indicator of whether environmental governance is capable of responding decisively and delivering results under sustained public pressure.
What are your thoughts on this? Has this affected you? Let us know below.
I am an environmental consultant. This tyre pyrolysis process is evil. The smoke carries small particles of rubber into the atmosphere and that may cause cancer. Stop this factory.
I’m one of Arbor Park community members who has been affected by this air pollution. This has caused me and my family to have asthma. We are relying on health supplements to survive this air pollution in our lives. We are using asthma pumps. I have also decided to purchase a nebulizer machine which we use during night times to support our breathing because of this bad odour. Also I’m using air humidifier machine to diffuse smoke that is coming inside the house. For really our health is in big risk with this burning of tyres in our area. Besides asthma me and my family we will end up having a throat cancer Because every time when you’re sleeping abd the house is full of smoke. You start by coughing. Then you barely to breath, then the problem start, you run around getting up and plug in your humidifier machine. Plug your nebulizer machine then rest. The whole night you are repeating the same process till that company stops burning tyres then you sleep in the morning around 5h00 or 6h000 am. This is a painful situation we face in our daily lives and it is really bad trying to breathe and the smoke get into your lungs and you can’t breathe. I’m so disappointed with our local municipality is failing us, by not resolving this issue of burning tyres. We reported this problem but no one is willing to listen to us. From the beginning why they brought this kind of business close to community residential area?. They don’t care with the lives of the people. If any one from my family dies or diagnosed with lung or throat cancer because of this. They will see their mother’s ass.
Guys I know this is affecting , but we need to recycle as old tyres are a major pollution source, they become breeding grounds for mosquitos and other insects when not disposed properly, they must move the factory but keep on recycling the tyres away from people’s houses if possiblt
I completely agree, stock pilled tyres lead to all sorts of environmental and health issues. However, the cruel irony of this unmanaged situation is that average people are buying cars and paying a carbon admissions tax to fund the government’s ability to enforce laws to protect South African’s from large-scale air pollution like this. The double irony in that statement is both laughable and deeply disheartening. I hope the municipality sorts this out as the health studies around such admissions show definitive findings on its toxicity.
If they dont want to stop then we can approach the legal sector for class action claim. I will go on Monday to see someone.
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5 Responses
I am an environmental consultant. This tyre pyrolysis process is evil. The smoke carries small particles of rubber into the atmosphere and that may cause cancer. Stop this factory.
I’m one of Arbor Park community members who has been affected by this air pollution. This has caused me and my family to have asthma. We are relying on health supplements to survive this air pollution in our lives. We are using asthma pumps. I have also decided to purchase a nebulizer machine which we use during night times to support our breathing because of this bad odour. Also I’m using air humidifier machine to diffuse smoke that is coming inside the house. For really our health is in big risk with this burning of tyres in our area. Besides asthma me and my family we will end up having a throat cancer Because every time when you’re sleeping abd the house is full of smoke. You start by coughing. Then you barely to breath, then the problem start, you run around getting up and plug in your humidifier machine. Plug your nebulizer machine then rest. The whole night you are repeating the same process till that company stops burning tyres then you sleep in the morning around 5h00 or 6h000 am. This is a painful situation we face in our daily lives and it is really bad trying to breathe and the smoke get into your lungs and you can’t breathe. I’m so disappointed with our local municipality is failing us, by not resolving this issue of burning tyres. We reported this problem but no one is willing to listen to us. From the beginning why they brought this kind of business close to community residential area?. They don’t care with the lives of the people. If any one from my family dies or diagnosed with lung or throat cancer because of this. They will see their mother’s ass.
Guys I know this is affecting , but we need to recycle as old tyres are a major pollution source, they become breeding grounds for mosquitos and other insects when not disposed properly, they must move the factory but keep on recycling the tyres away from people’s houses if possiblt
I completely agree, stock pilled tyres lead to all sorts of environmental and health issues. However, the cruel irony of this unmanaged situation is that average people are buying cars and paying a carbon admissions tax to fund the government’s ability to enforce laws to protect South African’s from large-scale air pollution like this. The double irony in that statement is both laughable and deeply disheartening. I hope the municipality sorts this out as the health studies around such admissions show definitive findings on its toxicity.
If they dont want to stop then we can approach the legal sector for class action claim. I will go on Monday to see someone.