Annual Review 2000-01: Environmental Quality and Protection

Annual Review 2000-01:
Environmental Quality and Protection - A Better Life for All

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This Chief Directorate constantly wrestles with the trade-offs between development and the right of all citizens to a clean and healthy environment.

In the past year, there have been a number of important developments in the fields of air pollution, waste minimisation and recycling.

AIR POLLUTION

The sulphur dioxide released from our coal as it is burned during power generation is a serious health hazard

Durban South. Durban has the second-largest industrial area in South Africa. It is one of Africa's major seaports, and many industries, notably the petrol refineries, have established themselves around the harbour and airport.

About 10% of the country's manufacturing jobs stem from activities in the basin, which in turn contribute almost 9% to South Africa's GDP.

Decades ago, as a result of inadequate planning, residential areas were also established within the industrial basin. The people living there are now suffering serious adverse health effects because of the air pollution from industries and vehicles, specifically fugitive emissions of volatile organic compounds, sulphur dioxide, and particulates.

In September 2000, Minister Valli Moosa and Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi visited the area with Minister of Trade and Industry Alec Erwin, and other dignitaries. They announced a multipoint plan to address the pollution problem and its health hazards.

It includes:

A study to determine the impacts of air pollution on human health in the area.
The phasing out of coal and heavy furnace oil usage by industry in the area.
The improvement of fugitive emission measurements and controls on oil storage tank farms.
A revision of ambient sulphur dioxide guidelines, using World Health Organisation standards.
The improvement of ambient and source monitoring of all polluting gases, including oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds.
The strengthening of air quality guidelines and legislation.
Better coordination between Government departments on a national, provincial and local level.
The reduction of pollution by vehicles.

DEAT has also initiated a process to develop a national standard for sulphur dioxide levels.

DEAT sees the Durban South pollution challenge as a test case. It will form a pilot project, and the lessons learnt from it will be used as a model for other air pollution hotspots like the Vaal Triangle and Cape Town.

OZONE-DEPLETING SUBSTANCES

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). South Africa has achieved much in phasing out ozone-depleting substances, even though its consumption of them was equal to many developed countries. We have completely phased out CFCs, halons, methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride.

A small amount of legal CFCs are still imported for inhalers used to combat asthma and chronic lung disease.

Air conditioners and fridges made before 1996 can be refilled using recovered or recycled CFCs. It is illegal to import virgin CFCs.

Meanwhile, South African industry has switched to HCFCs, which also deplete the ozone, but not as badly. These will be completely phased out by the year 2040.

The alternatives being worked on include ammonia, carbon dioxide and water.

Methyl bromide. This gas is used to fumigate the soil to eliminate pests like nematodes, mostly before strawberries and apple trees are planted.

It is toxic to humans and animals, and also has serious ozone-depleting potential. South Africa is the largest consumer of this gas in Africa, with over 1 007 tons used a year, mostly in the fruit-growing regions of the Western Cape, and for fumigating exported timber.

According to the Montreal Protocol, South Africa must stop using the substance by 2010.

This leaves South Africa in a challenging position. We were reclassified as a developing country in 1997 as a result of a complex formula involving kilograms of ozone-depleting substances used per capita. The deadlines are more lenient for developing countries,but South Africa is considered a special case, and has agreed not to ask for financial assistance in finding alternatives for ozone-depleting substances.

There are alternatives to methyl bromide being used in European countries, for example, warming the soil with the heat of the sun by spreading black plastic on tilled ground. Steam has also been used with some success, but the tanks and steam-making machinery are unwieldy.

Will these methods work in South Africa, which has very different soils, pests, and climate conditions? The export industry is very important, and South Africa has a unique problem, being the only known country with "apple replant disease". When apple trees are replanted, the existing nematodes in the soil stunt the growth of the young tree. If the soil is not fumigated, the apple tree hardly realises a quarter of the previous tree's fruit-producing potential.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Nine nations of the world account for nearly three-quarters of all global greenhouse gas emissions. They are: China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, Japan, South Africa and the European Union.

These countries are dubbed the E9 by the Worldwatch Institute, and are considered to be the world's most environmentally and economically influential nations.

The United States, under the leadership of President George W. Bush, withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol in March 2001. This left a number of countries around the world disappointed and various attempts are being made to get the Americans to reconsider their position.

In the past year, South Africa's first national communications document was completed. This information provides the Climate Change Secretariat with an overview of each country's special circumstances regarding the production of greenhouse gases, weather, types of industry, special vulnerabilities and mitigation measures.

A manager has been seconded from Eskom to DEAT to help devise realistic ways of cutting down greenhouse gas emissions.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT MANAGEMENT

The evaluation of many Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) takes place at provincial level. However, in terms of the EIA regulations issued in terms of the Environment Conservation Act, certain critical projects, cross-provincial or cross-boundary projects, or those relating to statutory bodies like the SA National Parks are dealt with at a national level.

The N3 Upgrade. The upgrading and widening of the national road between Johannesburg and Durban was an interesting case, as it had a large wetland known as Grootvlei in its way between Villiers and Heidelberg.

Grootvlei used to be a seasonal pan, but for the past eight years it has retained its water and became an important bird habitat. Due to road safety limitations, however, it was not possible to completely avoid the pan.

The road was accordingly constructed through a very small portion of the wetland, and specially stabilised at the edges to limit any further impact on Grootvlei. The road agency has now bought the land and undertook to manage it in accordance with an environmental management plan that will enhance its importance as a bird habitat.

Braamhoek Pump Storage Scheme. South Africa's rivers don't run deep or fast enough to create any significant hydro-electric power schemes. But Eskom has identified a site not far from Van Reenen's Pass, where the escarpment drops down sharply from the Free State into KwaZulu-Natal.

One dam will be built at the top and another at the bottom, with a tunnel linking the two. The idea is to pump water to the top during off-peak times, and to allow it to fall through, spinning the turbines and sending additional power to the national grid during peak demand.

The top dam on the Free State side will submerge a small portion of a pristine wetland. A detailed environmental plan was requested to ensure that the proposed mitigation measures be strictly implemented to limit any negative impacts on the wetland.

Aspects like the increased cumulative impact of the building of the De Beers Pass nearby were also assessed.

Telkom Reflector. Telkom erected a 48-square-metre reflector screen in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. This structure created a major negative visual impact on the sandstone cliffs and mountains for which Golden Gate is famous.

The Department directed Telkom to complete an EIA for this development, during which it became obvious that the structure violated all visual criteria. We instructed Telkom to remove the structure from the mountain crest and rehabilitate the area.

CHEMICALS

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Over 130 nations met in Johannesburg in December 2000.They successfully negotiated an international settlement (to be named the Stockholm Protocol) that set in motion the banning of 12 Persistent Organic Pollutants, nicknamed the dirty dozen.

These include the pesticides DDT, dieldrin, aldrin, chlordane, endrin, heptachlor, mirex, toxaphene, the industrial chemicals hexachlorobenzene and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as well as the unintended byproducts of combustion, dioxins and furans.

South Africa negotiated the continued use of DDT, as it has proved critical in the fight against malaria. And PCBs will be phased out as the electrical capacitators that contain them become obsolete. The country will be signing and adopting this Convention.

WASTE

Hazardous Waste. South Africa is a party to the Basel Convention on the transboundary movement of hazardous waste.

Highlights over the past year include the opening of the Regional Basel Training Centre for English-speaking African countries, hosted at Vista University on behalf of the Government. The Danish government, through the donor agency DANIDA, enabled this project to go ahead.

In September 2000, the Deputy Minister of DEAT, Rejoice Mabudafhasi, opened a course on the implementation of the Basel Convention, attended by representatives from close to 90%of the English-speaking African countries.

In her opening address, the Deputy Minister stressed that the centre was not only for South Africa, but the entire Anglophone Africa.

On the international front, we are assisting SADC countries to manage waste in an environmentally sound manner. South Africa imports waste from developing countries for recycling, including lead acid batteries and used oils.

Over the past year, we also imported hazardous waste from Australia for research purposes. The residue and contaminants generated during the study were sent back to Australia.

South Africa exported tons of hazardous waste to Finland and United Kingdom for incineration. This waste included, among others, PCBs and obsolete pesticides. This was a very expensive exercise because of the potential impact by these contaminants on the environment.

Medical Waste. DEAT and the Department of Health are working closely on a pilot project to resolve the problem of the proper disposal of medical waste. Non-medical waste is often mixed up with it, making the incineration process needlessly expensive. The training of nurses is a priority.

We are also talking to the Medical and Dental Council with the aim of including a brief course on medical waste management in the seven-year medical course for doctors.

Waste Information System. Following the publication of the White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste Management, the national waste management strategy (NWMS) was identified as a priority. It calls for the development of a Waste Information System (WIS).

This will include information on:

General waste collection.

Waste treatment and disposal.

Waste minimisation and recycling.

Cleaner production.

Efforts to assist exporters to meet standards that could be used as unfair trade barriers against South Africa.

Decisions on remediation and pollution.

Pollution hotspots.

Compliance with national laws and international treaties.

A unit addressing the WIS has been established internally and is addressing all policy issues related to the implementation of this project.

Old tyres could soon become a significant source of fuel for the cement industry

Tyre Recycling. Old tyres are a problem all over the world, and South Africa is no exception. There are millions of tyres in the veld, creating a fire hazard and a safe haven for mosquitoes and rats.

Poor people often burn tyres to retrieve the steel wire in them, to sell for scrap. But this exposes them to deadly dioxins contained in the fumes.

Because of this, DEAT has entered into an Environmental Management Cooperative Agreement with a company called the SA Tyre Recycling Project.

The idea is that all tyre users will pay a voluntary levy, which will enable the Project to collect old tyres from retailers. They will then supply these tyres to users of recycled rubber.

One of the major users will be the cement industry. Tyres can safely be burnt in cement kilns because they burn at such high temperatures (1 600°C) for a long period. All the fumes are clean burnt, and the metal is included into the klinker residues.

The only reason tyres have not been used more regularly as cement kiln feedstock is because of irregular supply, but tyres can replace 20% of the traditional fuel (oil).

Similar plans are being made to recycle rubble and plastics.

Waste Management and Community Programmes. The 2000 "Clean Up South Africa Week" was celebrated between 11 and 17 September at various venues throughout the country, with the support and participation of business, industry, NGOs and local authorities.

The purpose was to highlight the importance of appropriate waste management practices through a number of activities. These included a clean-up competition for schools sponsored by Pick 'n Pay, and coastal and country-wide clean-ups.

Poverty Relief. The waste management campaign was initiated with 14 projects and a total budget of R15 million. The main focus of the programme was waste minimisation at source, re-use and recycling, and the central objective was sustainable utilisation combined with job creation.

The projects ranged from waste collection, recycling, re-use, composting, and the establishments of community gardens and parks. The production of artefacts from waste is another sector being embarked upon.

The programme has created more than 700 permanent jobs in eight provinces around the country.

ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE

Thor Chemicals. This British company imported thousands of tons of mercury-laden toxic waste from overseas, and also used South African-generated waste from companies like Polifin during the 1980s and 1990s. It treated the waste, but the processes polluted nearby water streams. A number of workers and residents died or were maimed for life from mercury poisoning.

DEAT has initiated a process to dispose of the mercury waste and rehabilitate the site. A letter has been written to Thor Chemicals detailing the level of clean-up required from them.

The Department is also conducting health risk assessments, a dispersion model and further toxicological studies. A comprehensive strategy for dispersing the waste is also being compiled.

Over the past year, DEAT held meetings with the community living near Thor's plant at Cato Ridge in KwaZulu-Natal and worked closely with the Departments of Labour, Health, and Water Affairs and Forestry.

The US Environmental Protection Agency is assisting DEAT with literature on the effects of mercury, particularly on the environmental risk assessment, as well as a project on the sampling protocol. They also looked at the extent of the damage.

CLIMATE CHANGE: DID YOU KNOW?

Carbon dioxide makes up just 0,03% of the atmosphere's volume (compared to 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen).

Like a one-way filter, carbon dioxide lets energy from the sun pass through it, but traps the longer wavelength radiation emitted back by the Earth's surface. More carbon dioxide in the atmosphere results in more heat.
Scientists at the Worldwatch Institute predict that the Earth's climate may change more during our children's lives than it has in the last 15 000 years.
In South Africa, over 300 000 people depend on wine-making for a living. But vines are extremely sensitive to climate change.
If the Kyoto Protocol is implemented by Europe, it could lead to a drop or collapse of our lucrative coal exports to that continent.
The University of Natal has found that the daily rainfall on the East Coast has increased by 50% over the past century.
Deforestation, which releases carbon from trees, accounts for 20%of the human-caused carbon emissions that spur global climate change.
Individuals can limit their contribution towards global warming by cutting down on electricity use, walking or using a bicycle for short trips instead of a car, and eating less meat (cows generate large amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas).
In January 2001, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projected a "potentially devastating" global warming of 1,4º to 5,8º Celsius over the coming century.
The IPCC also predicts that melting ice caps could raise global sea levels by close to a metre over the coming century. More extreme predictions have mentioned a figure of six metres. All areas at sea level, including coastal towns, islands and countries like the Netherlands and Bangladesh, are threatened.
At least one-third of the massive ice-field on Mount Kilimanjaro has disappeared in the last twenty years, and about 80% has been lost since the mountain was first mapped in 1912.
The weather is expected to get more extreme: greater heat, greater cold, longer droughts, more damaging floods.
Other potential effects include decreased crop yields, the increase of tropical diseases, the extinction of many species, desertification, and more extreme weather.
America produces over 25% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions, yet has only 4% of the world's population.
South Africa produces the sixth most carbon dioxide per capita in the world. Ahead of us are the US, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Russian Federation and the UK. Trailing behind South Africa are Italy, Spain, France and China.

PLASTIC BAG REGULATIONS

A fine crop of plastic bags desecrate the tourist route between Worcester and Villiers in the Western Cape

There's an old joke about South Africa's national flower - it's not a protea but a plastic bag. In May 2000, Minister Valli Moosa proposed plastic bag regulations to discourage littering.

The idea is to move away from the thin plastic bags (17 microns) to thicker ones of 80 microns, which can be re-used many times and which have a higher value for recycling.

There was protest from the plastics industry, and concerns were raised about job losses.

On this basis DEAT initiated a review of the implications in June 2000.

Estimates of the impacts had to be made, and more data sought from the plastic bag industry so that a proper review could be undertaken.

The projected benefits include a cleaner environment, the possibility of eventually recycling the bags into other forms like pipes and plastic "timber", and a potential increase in total employment from the existing 3 800 jobs.

Since only SASOL manufactures the quantities of low-density polyethylene needed, this means that there could be an economic opportunity to increase domestic production capacity.

A thorough investigation of the socio-economic impacts of the regulations has been initiated within the framework of Nedlac to provide objective, independently verifiable information to guide the implementation of the regulations.