Highveld sulphur dioxide emissions may cause fatalities

NKANGALA – More than 3000 people living in the Highveld area are expected to die as a result of increased sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions from coal-fired power plants.

From 1 April coal-fired power plants like Eskom and SASOL and other industrial sources of SO2 have had to comply with new emission standards twice as weak from the original. The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, amended the minimum emissions standards (MES) from the original 500 mg/Nm3 to 1000 mg/Nm3.

A study by environmental lobby group, Greenpeace, shows that doubling of the emission standards will have deadly impacts, especially on the people living in the Highveld area.  It says that 3,300 premature deaths would be caused by doubling the SO2 standard just for Eskom’s coal-fired power stations, as a result of increased risk of lower respiratory infections, increased risk of stroke, and increased risk of death from diabetes. The impacts will be on the children, the elderly, pregnant women and those already suffering from asthma, heart and lung disease.

The Highveld area which covers 31000 square kilometres includes the Mpumalanga province and some parts of Gauteng, was declared a High Priority Area (HPA) in 2007 by the then Minister of Environmental Affairs due to poor air quality. Thomas Mnguni of the Highveld Environmental Justice Network (HEJN) said that the department has itself acknowledged that, since the publication of the MES in 2010, sufficient time has been afforded to industry, including Eskom and Sasol, to achieve compliance with the various limits taking effect in April 2020.

“Our objections also demonstrate that the technology to ensure compliance is readily available. What this means is that these facilities must prepare to comply with the current SO2 MES that apply from April 2020, or be decommissioned in a lawful, just and inclusive manner,” Mnguni said. Director of GroundWork, Bobby Peek, said that air pollution from coal mining and power already kills thousands of people every year. “Instead of enforcing compliance with our already-weak standards, government has effectively legalised these deaths,” he said.

“The department says that it did not want to undermine the viability of key industries. The question is how viable these industries can be when this amendment means that their pollution will be responsible for the premature deaths of thousands of people?” Mnguni asked.