Sasol battles emissions
CHEMICAL GIANT PLEDGES UP TO R100M IN BID FOR CLEAN AIR Bigger problem is high concentration of coarse dust particles.
Sasol admits it is battling to reduce emissions from its major plants in South Africa to comply with air quality regulations. At an environmental roundtable discussion in Sandton yesterday, the corporation acknowledged it was struggling to meet the requirements of the Air Quality Act of 2015, which issued a clean-air deadline of 2018.
Sasol admitted to struggling to remove two gases from its emissions at its Sasol, Natref and Secunda operations.
The gases are sulphur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulphide (H2S), although Sasol says they do not pose health risks.
Bernard Klingenberg, Sasol’s executive vice-president of operations, said there was no solution available to remove these two gases from emissions.
However, Sasol has pledged between R50 million and R100 million towards research aimed at developing a technological solution to this problem.
Although Sasol will focus on solving the problem within eight years, the company can’t confirm that a solution will be in place by 2025.
Klingenberg said the environment and health of its communities were of significant importance to Sasol, which was one of the reasons the company decided to speak up about the gas emission issue.
The company plans to apply to the department of environmental affairs to have the compliance deadline for air quality postponed for a further five years from 2018. These postponements are an important regulatory mechanism to transition from existing plants to new plant standards.
Klingenberg said Sasol was aware of the impact of its operations in the Vaal Triangle and Secunda areas.
The two highest concentrations of SO2 were measured at Laerskool AJ Jacobs in Sasolburg and at Bosjesspruit in Secunda, which is about 9km from the plant.
Of greater concern to Sasol was the high concentration of coarse dust particles – known scientifically as PM10 – that residents of Secunda and the Vaal Triangle inhale daily.
However, these particles don’t come only from Sasol’s plant, they also originate from coal-fired power stations and from veld fires. PM10 particles are less than 10 micrometres in size but can nevertheless be injurious to human health.
The highest concentrations were measured at Sharpeville, Zamdela, Leitrim and Drie Riviere, and at Langverwacht and the Sasol Club in Secunda. – Caxton News Service