sdcea presentation to parliament - feb, 2004 the struggle for clean air in south durban the struggle...

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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!


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


“ “When we breathe When we breathe the air of freedom we the air of freedom we do not wish to choke do not wish to choke on hidden fumes”on hidden fumes” Judge Judge Albie SachsAlbie Sachs

sdcea presentation to parliament - feb, 2004 the struggle for clean air in south durban the struggle...

Documents

sdcea presentation

south durban presentation

source slide

sapref pipeline leak

engen pipeline leak

illovo pipeline leak

safety system slide

durban harbour marine