Battery company fined for environment lapse
LEADING battery manufacturer and distributor, First National Battery, has been fined R250 000 for contravening the National Environment Management Act.
The Eastern Cape department of environmental affairs said the East London-based company had embarked on an expansion project at its Woodbrook factory without an environmental authorisation in place.
The expansion and construction project was discovered last month by environmental affairs officials during a routine inspection.
Attempts to get comment from FNB managing director Russell Bezuidenhout were unsuccessful after his office said he would not speak on the matter.
However, a public notice placed in the Daily Dispatch stated that approximately 8 100 batteries would be produced following the proposed expansion.
The department of environmental affairs ordered the company to apply for authorisation and embark on stakeholder consultation before proceeding.
Environmental affairs spokesman Thobile Gowa said FNB did not submit an application for the authorisation of the stipulated activities.
“The expansion that the company has been found doing is subject to the EIA requirements since they are being done after EIA regulations have come into effect,” Gowa said.
“Furthermore the company has a valid Atmospheric Emission Licence [AEL], which requires that the department be consulted whenever any infrastructural changes that could affect the AEL requirements are made.”
FNB issued the public notice last week admitting the expansion and construction activities “commenced prior to the issue of an environmental authorisation in terms of the NEMA (National Environment Management Regulations) 2014”.
The company has also invited interested parties and affected parties to raise any concerns they might have with the company applying for an expansion.
It has already paid the fine and will know by December if its application has been approved.
The company supplies batteries, which are used in more than 40 countries, to major car manufacturers such as General Motors South Africa and Volkswagen SA.