sdcea presentation to parliament - feb, 2004 the struggle for clean air in south durban the struggle...
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SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
The struggle for clean The struggle for clean air in South Durbanair in South Durban
Presentation to Parliament February 2004Presentation to Parliament February 2004 By By SDCEASDCEA
South Durban Community Environmental South Durban Community Environmental AllianceAlliance
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
Community under siegeCommunity under siege – –
high levels of cancer and respiratory diseasehigh levels of cancer and respiratory disease
Leukaemia and respiratory illnessesLeukaemia and respiratory illnesses
Health Study at Settlers Primary School in Health Study at Settlers Primary School in
MerebankMerebank
acute effects of benzene and toluene poisoningacute effects of benzene and toluene poisoning
leukaemia rate was 24 times higherleukaemia rate was 24 times higher
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
Recent IncidentsRecent Incidents
January 2004 – January 2004 – SAPREF Pipeline leak into Durban SAPREF Pipeline leak into Durban Harbour (Marine Fuel Oil)Harbour (Marine Fuel Oil)
December 2003 – December 2003 – SAPREF Pipeline leak into SAPREF Pipeline leak into Durban Harbour (Marine Fuel Oil)Durban Harbour (Marine Fuel Oil)
October 2003 – October 2003 – SAPREF Pipeline Leak into Durban SAPREF Pipeline Leak into Durban Harbour (Diesel)Harbour (Diesel)
July 2003 – IllovoJuly 2003 – Illovo Pipeline leak into Umlaas Canal Pipeline leak into Umlaas Canal
March 2003 – March 2003 – ENGEN Pipeline Leak into Stanvac ENGEN Pipeline Leak into Stanvac Canal (Marine Fuel Oil)Canal (Marine Fuel Oil)
Month Monitor Station
Date Time Number of exceedences10 min. SO2
Max.SO2 conc. ppb
Wind direction 24 hour exceedences
September 2003
Southworks 5 All day Many Near 190 SW-SWW
Southworks 8 Morning -evening
7 280 S-SSW-SW Yes 47%
Southworks 10 Noon-evening
2 210 S-SSW 10%10%
Southworks 111) Noon 1 230 NE 20%20%
Southworks 13 Morning 2 210 SSW-SW 10%10%
Settlers 14 Morning 1 240 SWW-W 26%26%
Settlers 15 Morning-noon 10 610 N-NNE Yes 219%
Settlers 16 Morning-noon 3 250 N-NNE-E 31%31%
Settlers 17 Morning 5 240 NNE Yes 26%
Settlers 222) Morning 1 230 SWW 20%20%
Southworks 24 Evening 1 190 SSW 5%5%
Southworks 27 Midnight 1 205 SSW 7%7%
Settlers 27 Evening 1 195 NNE-NE 2%2%
Settlers 30 Midnight-morning
2 250 N-NNE 31%31%
Comments1)Exceptional exceedences at Southworks but the wind direction is more to the east than normal pointing at Engen as the source2)Exceptional exceedences at Settlers but the wind direction is further to the west than normal pointing at Mondi as the source
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
Problems with FlariProblems with Flaringng No in-stack monitoring!No in-stack monitoring! Laws Laws never enforcednever enforced Planned shuts and start ups are not included Planned shuts and start ups are not included
in overall emissionin overall emission calculations calculations In Denmark there are only four flares per year – In Denmark there are only four flares per year –
in South Durban there are often seven per in South Durban there are often seven per week at each refineryweek at each refinery
Failure of refineries in responding Failure of refineries in responding Communities breathing particulatesCommunities breathing particulates Refineries claim to be on a learning curve yet Refineries claim to be on a learning curve yet
they’ve been operating for 50 yearsthey’ve been operating for 50 years Refineries design and capability Refineries design and capability Flares as a safety systemFlares as a safety system
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
Ruptures and Leaks Ruptures and Leaks Replacement of pipelinesReplacement of pipelines Pipeline legislationPipeline legislation Disclosure of informationDisclosure of information No compensation to victims of pipeline leaksNo compensation to victims of pipeline leaks Lack of transparency and bullyingLack of transparency and bullying Role of parastatal Role of parastatal
Emissions from valves & pump Emissions from valves & pump stations ignoredstations ignored
Problems with PipelinesProblems with Pipelines
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
Weak or unenforceable legislationWeak or unenforceable legislation
Insignificant penaltiesInsignificant penalties
No legislated standards, only ‘guidelines’No legislated standards, only ‘guidelines’
Corporate capture Corporate capture
Preoccupation with nuisance issuesPreoccupation with nuisance issues
VERY poor response time to pollution VERY poor response time to pollution
incidentsincidents
Ineffective control strategies Ineffective control strategies Log system for complaints faultyLog system for complaints faulty
Problems with local authorityProblems with local authority
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
Outdated refining processes and Outdated refining processes and ageing equipment and plant ageing equipment and plant
Profits before preventative Profits before preventative technologiestechnologies
Refineries effectively self Refineries effectively self regulatingregulating
Problems with RefineriesProblems with Refineries
Vacuum exists at National
Inspectorate (DEAT) level
Understating emissions
Corrosive effects of humidity,
salinity and high
water table on plant equipment
No in stack monitoring
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
National Key Points ActNational Key Points Act (1963) (1963) being unlawfully being unlawfully
• Negative Implications for Good Neighbour Negative Implications for Good Neighbour relationsrelations
• Information = power Information = power
• Apartheid law Apartheid law
• Human Health Risk Assessments withheldHuman Health Risk Assessments withheld
Unco-operative local authorityUnco-operative local authority
Poor past record of information sharingPoor past record of information sharing
No information for community!No information for community!
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
Industry Resistance to phase-out dirty fuels. Industry Resistance to phase-out dirty fuels.
Examples Examples No scrubbersNo scrubbers
• New Coal burning appliancesNew Coal burning appliances
• Tim Knight Report (June 2002)Tim Knight Report (June 2002)
Inadequate or absent scrubbers Inadequate or absent scrubbers Dumping of toxic ash wasteDumping of toxic ash waste Secondary sealsSecondary seals Several tanks overfilling and ruptures Several tanks overfilling and ruptures Pricing of SASOL gasPricing of SASOL gas
Entrenched resistance to Entrenched resistance to Clean Air initiatives Clean Air initiatives
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
Assessment of Basin pollution load Assessment of Basin pollution load
10 000 Job loses10 000 Job loses
No emergency plansNo emergency plans
Problems with Production IncreasesProblems with Production Increases
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
International phase outInternational phase out
Stockholm Convention Stockholm Convention
Umlazi toxic ash landfill siteUmlazi toxic ash landfill site
Resources for dioxin testing!Resources for dioxin testing!
Dioxin and furan = CANCERDioxin and furan = CANCER
Problem of IncineratorsProblem of Incinerators
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
Boilers are venting steam at nightBoilers are venting steam at night
Tank cleaning operations - emissions and Tank cleaning operations - emissions and noisenoise
Stack/soot blowing Stack/soot blowing
High levels of VOC’sHigh levels of VOC’s
Noise from industry operationsNoise from industry operations
Other Pollution Issues Other Pollution Issues
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
DAEA supportive of industrial expansion DAEA supportive of industrial expansion
Are not made accountable for their decisions – Foskor Are not made accountable for their decisions – Foskor / Sasol / Sapref/ Sasol / Sapref
Do not interact with affected or receiving community Do not interact with affected or receiving community
No interaction or co-ordination between different No interaction or co-ordination between different provincial departments and to the national provincial departments and to the national departments departments
Environmental Impact AssessmentsEnvironmental Impact Assessments Under resourced and prone to political interferenceUnder resourced and prone to political interference No enforcement of the law – BIG PROBLEM!No enforcement of the law – BIG PROBLEM! Continuous gassing communities by industryContinuous gassing communities by industry Correspondence and complaints are not answeredCorrespondence and complaints are not answered
The Role of Provincial DepartmentThe Role of Provincial Department
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
Bucket brigade Bucket brigade
records of decisionrecords of decision
Input to policy Input to policy
Multi-Point Plan Multi-Point Plan Toxic tours Toxic tours
PartnershipsPartnerships
Support of scientists and public interest Support of scientists and public interest GIS map with data from 1998GIS map with data from 1998
Comparative Study of Refineries Comparative Study of Refineries in South Durban and Denmarkin South Durban and Denmark
Community ResponsesCommunity Responses
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
1.1. Suspect and ageing tanks Suspect and ageing tanks
and pipelines to be and pipelines to be
immediately replacedimmediately replaced
1.1. Expansion of industry Expansion of industry
to be curtailed to be curtailed
1.1. International standards,International standards,
best practice best practice
Community RecommendationsCommunity Recommendations
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
5.5. burden of proof to be on polluter burden of proof to be on polluter
6.6. Best available technologyBest available technology
7.7. no ad hoc EIA’sno ad hoc EIA’s
8.8. Peer review of emission assessments and Peer review of emission assessments and modellingmodelling
9.9. The regulator must be allowed to act free of The regulator must be allowed to act free of political intervention.political intervention.
Community RecommendationsCommunity Recommendations
SDCEA Presentation to ParliamenSDCEA Presentation to Parliament - Feb, 2004t - Feb, 2004
What the South Durban What the South Durban Communities would like to see in Communities would like to see in
the AQMB the AQMB REVSION 4REVSION 4
Strong Sanctions for polluting the airStrong Sanctions for polluting the air Nothing specific in BillNothing specific in Bill Strong enforcement is desperately needed Strong enforcement is desperately needed National standardsNational standards Stringent standards Stringent standards