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Polity
Published: 04 Sep 2009
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| SA: Reply by Bulyewa Sonjica, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, on Muncipalities State of Air (04/09/2009) | |
| 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. |
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