Johannesburg - With air pollution in the Vaal Triangle reaching alarming levels, pressure is mounting on Sasol to clean up its act.
According to government's 2009 Air Quality Management Plan, the maximum allowable levels for PM10 (inhalable particle pollutants of less than 10 microns in diameter) is 75µ/m³ over a 24-hour period, with an annual average of 40µ/m³.
According to the South African Air Quality Information System, the average PM10 concentration in the Vaal Triangle has so far this year exceeded 75µ/m³, reaching as high as 300µ/m³ in August/September.
Sasol's Sasolburg plant is seen as one of the top three polluters in the region.
Makoma Lekalakala, programme coordinator at environmental group Earthlife Africa's Johannesburg branch, said residents living and working near Sasol's Sasolburg plant are suffering from respiratory-related illnesses.
Local communities and environmental campaigners are increasing the pressure on Sasol, with more than 200 campaigners taking part in a "die-in" (protesters lie down, feigning death) at the firm's Sasolburg plant this week.
The protesters, members of Climate Justice Now! South Africa (CJN!SA) , are demanding that Sasol stop the "dirty business" of making synthetic fuels from coal.
In response, Sasol spokesperson Nothemba Noruwana said: "One must understand - the difficulty lies in our mandate to contribute to the country's energy security; if we are just to close up shop, we are putting many other people at risk."
Monitoring still in early stages
The campaigners also want Sasol to release its own pollution records, claiming the group is concealing information.
"We demand that all monitoring stations and the information to be made publicly available through the process of transparent access to all Sasol's air quality monitoring stations," said CJN!SA.
Sasol has five monitoring stations in the Vaal Triangle region, which measure the level and concentration of pollutants in the air.
Government has six monitoring stations, but only implemented emissions standards for monitoring and reporting in September 2009.
There is, therefore, little historic air quality monitoring data is available in the region, with air quality monitoring previously undertaken by the industries in the region (such as Sasol).
According to Caroline Ntaopane of the Sasolburg Air Quality Monitoring Committee, there has also been a "huge" discrepancy between Sasol's monitoring levels and those of government.
She said: "[In the past] Sasol was one of the companies that wouldn't even hesitate to give you the data." Now, according to her, Sasol has been reluctant to part with figures taken from its own monitoring stations.
The campaigners want government to intervene.
"Government needs to develop an independent intensive health study process in Zamdela [in the Vaal Triangle], investigating the pollution from Sasol and the health of the people," said CJN!SA.
The group said there has to be a better understanding of the impact of the pollution on present and past health issues.
- Fin24.com