Background

The Vaal Triangle and surrounding areas has been declared a national air pollution hotspot (or priority area) in terms of Section 18 (1) of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 2004 (Act No. 39 of 2004) (AQA). This area, known as the “Vaal Triangle Airshed Priority Area” is the first such identified area in South Africa.

Special interventions are now being made by the National Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) to improve the air quality in the Vaal Triangle Airshed Priority Area. These interventions include the development of a Priority Area Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) that will be developed in accordance with the provisions of the AQA. Once the plan is developed and implemented, air quality in the area should efficiently and effectively be brought into sustainable compliance with national ambient air quality standards within agreed timeframes.

Which Areas are Part of the Vaal Triangle Priority Area?

Boundaries of the Vaal Triangle Air-shed Priority Area in terms of Section 18 (1) includes the areas contained within the boundaries of

The Emfuleni Local Municipality (Sedibeng) in Gauteng Province,
The Midvaal Local Municipality (Sedibeng) in Gauteng Province,
The administrative regions of Doornkop and Soweto, Diepkoof and Meadowlands and Ennerdale and Orange Farm within the City of Johannesburg in Gauteng,
The Metsimaholo Municipality in the North Free State, Free State Province.

The area comprises of heavy industrial activities, one power station, several commercial operations, millions of people using motor vehicles as well as many households utilising coal as an energy source.

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What is a Priority Area?

In terms of section 18 (1) of the AQA, the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism may, by notice in the Gazette, declare an area as a priority area if the Minister reasonably believes that

Aambient air quality standards are being, or may be, exceeded in the area, or any other situation exists which is causing, or may cause, a significant negative impact on air quality in the area; and
The area requires specific air quality management action to rectify the situation.

Why was the Vaal Triangle selected as a Priority Area?

The Vaal Triangle, in particular, suffers extremely poor air quality and people living in the area do not enjoy air quality that is not harmful to their health and well-being. Respiratory ailments and diseases, including early morning coughing, wheezing and asthma are common irritations that people in the area suffer. Several studies have been conducted that found that the air quality in the area is indeed extremely poor and has a direct negative impact on the health and well-being of the people living there.
Enough evidence existed for the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism to declare the area a priority area since the proposed ambient air quality standards were, and are, being exceeded in the Vaal Triangle and that a situation existed which was, and is, causing a significant negative impact on air quality in the area.
Sufficient evidence existed for the Minister to reasonable believes that the Vaal Triangle required specific air quality management action to rectify the situation, and the Vaal Triangle extends beyond the provincial boundaries.
Thus the Minister was fully empowered to declare the Vaal Triangle as a Priority Area that adequately meets the legal tests for such a declaration. After the intent to declare the area a Priority Area no comments were received on the gazetted notice objecting to his intentions. The Minister formally declared the Vaal Triangle Air-Shed Priority Area on 21 April 2006.

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Project Objective

The main aim of developing the Vaal Triangle Airshed Priority Area Air Quality Management Plan is to do it in accordance to the requirements of the Air Quality Act and once implemented, to efficiently and affectively bring air quality in the area into sustainable compliance with national air quality standards within agreed timeframes.

Project Aims

Develop a priority area air quality management plan for the Vaal Triangle Airshed Priority Area.
Ensure improvement of air quality within the Vaal Triangle Airshed Priority Area.
Reduce environmental and human health risks.
Reduce emissions in an equitable & cost-effective way.
Empower local municipalities, provincial government and national government to meet its obligations as outlined in the Air Quality Act.

Study Scope

1 The Participation Objective

Integrated and inter-governmental management and communication is critical for the successful implementation of the Priority Area Air Quality Management Plan in the Vaal Triangle. A priority area Air Quality Officers Forum (AQOF) and Multi Stakeholder Reference Group (MSRG) have been established to ensure that the project objectives are met. The AQOF will act as the steering committee of the project and that their role will both be in an advisory capacity but also to develop skills and capacity during the duration of the project. The MSRG will not only comprise of people with the technical know-how but also of people directly affected by the impacts from air quality. The MSRG comprises of technical people represented from industry, NGO’s with the role to provide an objective and feasible approach to the specification of the Air Quality Management Plan. In addition, the general public will be involved through the public participation process running in parallel to the technical development of the plan.

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2 The Planning Objective

The first step in the plan development will be to establish a problem analysis. This comprise of a baseline characterisation to understand the current state of air quality within the area and assess compliance with ambient air quality standards. Subsequently this provides an understanding of the potential risk for health impacts and environmental degradation. The baseline characterisation will provide the foundation for the development of the Air Quality Management Plan which informs the detailed strategies and procedures of the set clean air objectives within a specific timeframe. It also provides the basis for emission reduction strategy assessment and to determine the implications of such measures. As part of the baseline assessment the capacity within the various spheres of government will also be assessed.

The strategy analysis and intervention descriptions will follow the findings of the baseline assessment. The aim of the problem identification and goal setting is to develop strategies in order to achieve the various goals and the interventions underpin the set out strategies (procedures of how to and when to and what are needed to achieve these objectives). The air quality management plan will comprise of the various immediate objectives of the study stipulating regulations and requirements to ensure the successful and timely implementation of the plan.

3 The Capacity Development Objective

An implementation manual will outline the methodology and strategies adopted during the development of the Vaal Triangle Priority Area Air Quality Management Plan.

What are the Next Steps?

From the date that an area is declared a Priority Area, the following actions must take place:

The National Air Quality Officer must consult the air quality officers of the affected provinces and municipalities and thereafter, prepare a Priority Area Air Quality Management Plan for the area and
This plan must be submitted to the Minister within six months of the declaration of the area, or such longer period as the Minister may specify. In this specific case, the minister allowed another six months for the finalisation of the plan.

In terms of Section 19 (4), before approving a Priority Area Air Quality Management Plan, the Minister must follow the prescribed consultative process and may require the air quality officer to amend the plan within a determined period. Once the Minister has approved the plan, in accordance with Section 19(5), the Minister must publish the approved plan in the Gazette within 90 days of approval and the approved plan take effect from the date of its publication.
Gondwana Environmental Solutions in association with Airshed Planning Professionals and Zitholele Consulting were appointed to develop a Priority Area Air Quality Management Plan for the Vaal Triangle Air-shed Priority Area. The companies are specifically supported by the following participatory structures established by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism:

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a) Multi Stakeholder Reference Group

The Air Quality Management Act requires that a Priority Area Air Quality Management Plan must provide for the implementation of the plan by a committee representing relevant stakeholders. Although this requirement only relates to the implementation of the plan, this group will already be an active part of the public participation process in the development of the air quality management plan. An invitation for membership was advertised and the following organisations responded to the invitation:

Vaal University of Technology
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Sasolburg Air Quality Monitoring committee (SAQMC)
Boipatong Environmental Working Group (BEWG)
Friends of Steel Valley
Legal Resource Centre
Eskom
South African Iron and Steel Institute
SASOL
Omnia Fertilizers
SAPIA
South African Chemical Workers Union

The objectives of this group is to:

Inform the National Air Quality Officer of the views of stakeholders regarding the proposed ways and means to bring air quality into compliance with National ambient air quality standards
Advise the National Air Quality Officer of any matter concerning air quality management and governance and specifically the setting and achievement of objectives and priorities for air quality governance; and
Advise the National air Quality Officer on appropriate methods of monitoring compliance with the proposed plan

b) The Priority Area Air Quality Officer’s Forum

This forum will involve all affected air quality officers and other interested and affected government departments. The aim of the forum is to ensure efficient and effective intergovernmental coordination and cooperation in the development and implementation of the required Priority Area Air Quality Management Plan.

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