Question no: 1083
Mrs A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs:
(1) What are the names of the 17 municipalities whose air quality is expected not to meet the national criteria by 2014 as set out in the five-year environmental affairs strategic plan for 2009 to 2014?
(2) what are the (a) details and (b) health implications of non-compliance with national criteria;
(3) whether it is possible to ensure adherence to national criteria for ambient air; if not, why not; if so, (a) what action is being taken to ensure adherence and (b) what is the timeframe for such compliance?
The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs answers:
(1) Table 24 of the 2007 National Framework for Air Quality Management in the Republic of South Africa (the 2007 National Framework - Government Gazette No. 30057 of 11 September 2007, Notice No. 830) contains an indicative list of Metropolitan and District Municipalities with air quality rated as being Poor or Potentially Poor as follows –
Province: Northern Cape
Metropolitan or District Municipality: Kgalagadi DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Mining
Western Cape:
Metropolitan or District Municipality:
West Coast DM
Air Quality Rating: Poor
Reasoning: Industrial
City of Cape Town MM
Air Quality Rating: Poor
Reasoning: Urban
Cape Winelands DM
Air Quality Rating: Poor
Reasoning: Agriculture
Eden DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Urban and Industrial
Eastern Cape
Nelson Mandela MM
Air Quality Rating: Poor
Reasoning: Urban
Amatole DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Urban
KwaZulu Natal
Metropolitan or District Municipality
Ugu DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Urban and Agriculture
eThekwini MM
Air Quality Rating: Poor
Reasoning: Urban and Industrial
uMgungundlovu DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Urban and Agriculture
Uthukela DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Urban and Agriculture
iLembe DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Urban and Agriculture
Uthungulu DM
Air Quality Rating: Poor
Reasoning: Industrial and Agriculture
Amajuba DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Urban and Agriculture
Mpumalanga
Ehlanzeni DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Industrial
Gert Sibande DM
Air Quality Rating: Poor
Reasoning Industrial
Nkangala DM
Air Quality Rating Poor
Reasoning: Industrial
Gauteng
West Rand DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Urban and Mining
City of Johannesburg
Air Quality Rating: Poor
Reasoning: Urban
Sedibeng DM
Air Quality Rating: Poor
Reasoning: Urban and Industrial
Ekurhuleni DM
Air Quality Rating: Poor
Reasoning: Urban and Industrial
City of Tshwane
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Urban
Metsweding
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Mining
North West
Bojanala Platinum DM
Air Quality Rating: Poor
Reasoning: Mining
Southern DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Urban and Mining
Limpopo
Mopani DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Mining
Capricorn DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Urban and Mining
Waterberg DM
Air Quality Rating: Potentially Poor
Reasoning: Industrial
In the absence of a comprehensive national ambient air quality monitoring network, the assessment was based on readily available information to allow for an indicative assessment. The National Framework lists 6 metros and 22 districts, of which 12 are initially rated as having poor air quality and 16 are initially rated as having potentially poor air quality. Poor air quality is classified as the area having a greater than 75% probability that the ambient air quality standards will be exceeded, whereas potentially poor air quality is classified as the area having a 50% probability that the ambient air quality standards will be exceeded. As the national ambient air quality monitoring network is expanded over the coming years we will be in a better position to accurately assess the air pollution status of each of the areas identified in the original indicative assessment. By 2014 we are expecting that 75% of the poor air quality areas (9 areas) and 50% of the potentially poor areas (8 areas) will comprise the 17 municipalities detailed in the Department’s five-year strategic plan.
It must be noted that each of the individual municipalities are responsible for the development and implementation of air quality management plans to address air pollution in their jurisdictions. At this stage it is not possible to specify which of the municipalities will not comply by 2014, but based on international experience it will be difficult for all the metropolitan municipalities and some of the heavily industrialised district municipalities (i.e. Sedibeng, Gert Sibande and Bojanala Platinum District Municipalities) to achieve compliance in such a short time frame.
(2) the most common pollutants associated with air pollution in South Africa are particulate matter, sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen. The health implications of exposure to these pollutants vary depending on the sensitivity of the receptor. A detailed description of the health effects of specific air pollutants is provided in the 2005 State of Air Report which will be available shortly.
(3) Based on the 2000 Integrated Pollution and Waste Management Policy, ambient air quality standards are defined as targets for air quality management and establish the permissible amount or concentration of a particular substance in or property of discharges to air, based on what a particular receiving environment can tolerate without significant deterioration. The ambient air quality standards in South Africa have been set at levels that protect human health in line with the Constitutional right to an environment that is not harmful to health and well-being. The exceedence of an ambient standard is not considered an offence but is merely an indicator that the current air quality management strategies employed in an area are no longer effective and need to be revised to address changing economic, social and environmental conditions. A full and detailed account of the use of ambient air quality standards for air quality management in South Africa is provided in Section 5.4.3.4 of the 2007 National Framework.
Issued by: Department of Water and Environmental Affairs
4 September 2009
