PRESS RELEASE -22 May 2001
Will SA violate new UN Convention on POPs?
22 May 2001 - This week the South
African government takes a bold and courageous step in joining countries
around the world in signing a new United Nations convention to eliminate
certain harmful chemicals. However, the South African government appears
to be already considering flouting this agreement by apparently supporting
the construction of a POPs incinerator in Sasolburg.
This week in Stockholm, Sweden, the Deputy Minister of Environmental
Affairs, Rejoice Mabudafhasi is joining diplomats from countries around
the world in signing the United Nations Convention on Persistent Organic
Pollutants. The Convention also requires that governments actively identify
POPs stockpiles in their countries and then decontaminate and dispose
of these chemicals in an environmentally safe and sustainable manner.
The United Nations Convention on Persistent
Organic Pollutants initially focuses on 12 pollutants – referred to
as the “dirty dozen” but additional pollutants will be continuously
added to the initial list.
The initial 12 pollutants are: DDT, Mirex, Dieldrin, chlordane, heptachlor,
toxaphene, aldrin, and endrin (all pesticides), hexachlorobenzene (HCB
– a pesticide and an industrial chemical), dioxins and furans (both
useless by-products of certain industrial processes) and PCBs, which
are used in electric transformers. All of these chemicals have been
linked to very serious impacts on wildlife populations and human health,
and several of them are known or probable carcinogens.
While with one hand the SA government
is signing this treaty in front of the international world, with the
other hand the SA government is apparently considering contravening
this treaty by apparently giving the thumbs up to a proposal to incinerate
tens of thousands of POPs in Sasolburg. From documents at our disposal
we have learnt that a South African company called Peacock Bay Environmental
Services (PBES) is presently undertaking an EIA for the construction
of a new incinerator in Sasolburg which will be used to burn stockpiled
hazardous waste, a large percentage of which is POPs. A senior government
official has informed us that he is both aware and approving of this
proposal.
Such a project is in direct contravention
of the Stockholm Convention:
1. The proposed incinerator will emit dioxins and furans, which are
2 of the initial 12 chemicals identified in the treaty for elimination.
All signatories of the Stockholm Convention will be required to work
towards the eventual elimination of all new sources of dioxins and furans.
Such a commitment entails of necessity the phasing out of all incinerators.
2. The proposed method of treating existing POPs stockpiles flies in
the face of existing alternative non-incineration technologies for the
safe decontamination and disposal of POPs stockpiles. SA has recourse
to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for financial and scientific
assistance in the safe decontamination and disposal of POPs.
The presence of stockpiled POPs is a serious
threat to the environment and health of South Africans, and as such
the SA government should take the lead in ensuring the safe treatment
and disposal of these POPs. The SA government is abdicating its constitutional
responsibilities to its citizens, as well as its international responsibilities
by allowing the private sector to take the lead on this project in the
pursuit of financial gain at the expense of human health and the environment.
This week groundWork, together
with several international organisations, will be sending a letter to
Minister Valli Moosa, drawing his attention to the Sasolburg proposal
and requesting his direct intervention in halting the project.
The signing of this treaty has other immediate
implications for South Africa government policy and practises.
Pesticides: South Africa has banned
the use of 8 of the pesticides, but continues to condone the controlled
use of DDT for malaria control. It is also highly likely that several
of these pesticides continue to be used illegally in rural areas in
SA. As a signatory South Africa will now be required to implement existing
alternative methods for malaria control, instead of depending on DDT.
The government will also be required to clamp down on the illegal distribution
and use of banned pesticides, and identify pesticide stockpiles requiring
decontamination and disposal.
Dioxins and Furans: The lax environmental
standards in South Africa allow for the uncontrolled and excessive production
of dioxins and furans. Both these chemicals are carcinogens and are
created by incinerators, pulp and paper manufacturing and refinery processes.
As a signatory South Africa will be required to impose a moratorium
on all new waste incinerators, and phase out existing incinerators,
as well as place stricter pollution control requirements on all dioxin-
and furan-producing industrial activities.
PCBs: While PCBs are no longer used
in new electrical transformers, they are present in older transformers.
In addition there are stockpiles of PCBs, which need to be identified,
decontaminated and safely disposed of.
For information on the health impacts of POPs see the attached
document.
For more information contact:
groundWork: Linda Ambler or Bobby
Peek on tel: 033-342 5662 or team@groundwork.org.za
International POPs Elimination Network:
Karen Perry on kperry@igc.org
For more information on safe destruction
technologies for POPs see:
Greenpeace: http://www.greenpeace.org/~toxics/reports/alttech2.pdf
World Health Organisation: http://www.who.int/ifcs/isg3/d98-17b.htm
USEPA:http://www.clu-in.com/download/techdrct/tdACWAtechreport.pdf
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