Steel
4 October 2007
Multi-day environmental compliance inspection by the Green Scorpions at
Highveld Steel's vanadium plant finds serious environmental problems. The
Operation Ferro compliance inspection conducted by Environmental Management
Inspectors (Green Scorpions) at the Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation's
vanadium plant Vanchem on 29 to 31 August 2007 revealed a series of
non-compliances with environmental legislation and permits.
These include:
* excessive emissions of sulphur dioxide from the plant's processes between
40 and 60 tonnes of SO2 are emitted by the plant every day
* serious exceedances of permit emissions limit for ammonia (up to 15 times the
limit) and particulates (dust) (up to 27 times the limit)
* Significant contamination of groundwater, linked to both the unlined and
un-permitted hazardous waste dump on site (hazardous primarily because it
contains the heavy metal vanadium) as well as the lack of separation of storm
and process water on site.
Vanchem has been given until 22 October 2007 to respond to the inspection
findings. In the interim, inspectors from the Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, the
Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs and various affected
municipalities are considering appropriate enforcement action, inter alia to
ensure that the ongoing environmental impacts are mitigated and existing damage
remediated.
The inspection findings in relation to the Vanchem Site follow similar
serious findings at Arcelor Mittal's Vereeniging plant and Assmang's Cato Ridge
plant in July 2007. At Arcelor Mittal's Vereeniging plant, Inspectors found
non-compliances which included:
* a series of activities without the required environmental
authorisations
* continued dumping of hazardous waste on an un-permitted site, despite
repeated instructions from authorities to cease such activity.
* particulate emissions to air that cause, have caused or may cause significant
and serious pollution of the environment
* significant and serious pollution of surface and groundwater with phenols,
iron, oil, fluoride and other hazardous substances
* failure to lodge audit reports.
Since then, both the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and the
Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment have issued
notices to Arcelor Mittal to give the company an opportunity to make
representations regarding various proposed improvements to be implemented on
the site. Final instructions will follow within the next few weeks. A criminal
investigation continues into the dumping of hazardous electric arc furnace dust
on an unlined waste site after authorities had instructed Arcelor Mittal to
stop. Management of Arcelor Mittal's Vereeniging plant has indicated to
authorities that it intends making dramatic changes to its plant to ensure
compliance.
At Assmang ferromanganese operation in Cato Ridge, Environmental Management
Inspectors found non-compliances that include:
* significant uncontrolled dust emissions, which contains the heavy metal
manganese
* serious non-compliance with a hazardous waste site permit
* at least one un-permitted hazardous waste site.
Appropriate enforcement action will be taken against Assmang to address
these non-compliances. Environmental Management Inspectors from the Department
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of
Agriculture and Environmental Affairs inspected Arcelor Mittal's Newcastle site
last week, and are heading to Samancor's Metalloys site in Vereeniging on 23
October 2007. Highveld Steel's steelworks in Witbank will follow in November
2007.
The inspection at Vanchem is part of the national environmental compliance
campaign in the iron and steel and ferroalloy industry, known as Operation
Ferro. Approximately 40 sites in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West, KwaZulu-Natal
and Western Cape will be inspected during the course of this multi-year
project.
Iron and steel and ferroalloy industries have been prioritised in this
environmental compliance campaign as their industrial processes may contribute
significantly to pollution if not mitigated and managed properly. Other key
industries will soon be subject to similar assessments.
The department is already leading a national environmental compliance and
enforcement project in relation to the six big oil refineries in the country.
"Although we expected to find some non-compliance at the sites we have
inspected thus far, we are taken aback at the levels of non-compliance we are
identifying in the iron and steel and ferroalloy industry sector. Many of the
operating companies are extremely profitable multinationals who have access to
all the information and resources they require to come into compliance with
environmental legislation. However, it appears that they have chosen to
disregard their obligations to the law and the environment and people affected
by their operations," said Mava Scott, the department's spokesperson.
Scott also noted that, although many of these companies have "environmental
improvement plans," these plans often do not address issues of non-compliance.
Plans also have long timeframes that tend to be postponed due to lack of
approval of the required capital expenditure. Arcelor Mittal's Vereeniging site
falls within the Vaal Triangle Air-shed Priority Area identified as an air
pollution hotspot by the Minister on 21 April 2006. The Highveld area is
currently under consideration for declaration as a priority air pollution area
in terms of the new Air Quality Act. This was recently gazetted for public
comment.
"The department is also concerned about the fact that so many of these
companies found to be in non-compliance continue to be certified in terms of
the International Standards Organisation's (ISO) 14 001 environmental standard.
This department has already approached the South African National Accreditation
System (Sanas) to discuss feedback to and co-operation with the accreditation
and certification bodies," added Scott.
Members of the public and stakeholders are urged to report environmental
transgressions to the 24 hour Environmental Crimes and Incident Hotline on 0800
205 005.
For media queries contact:
Mava Scott
Cell: 082 411 9821
To schedule interviews contact:
Roopa Singh
Cell: 082 225 3076
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
4 October 2007
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.deat.gov.za)
