Draft Air Quality Management Plan
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BOJANALA PLATINUM DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY DRAFT AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN May 2011 DRAFT 1 REPORT AUTHORS Nokulunga Ngcukana - Gondwana Environmental Solutions (Pty) Ltd Nicola Walton - Gondwana Environmental Solutions (Pty) Ltd Loren Webster - Gondwana Environmental Solutions (Pty) Ltd Roelof Burger - Climatology Research Group, Wits University Prof. Stuart Piketh - Climatology Research Group, Wits University Hazel Bomba - Gondwana Environmental Solutions (Pty) Ltd 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION The National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004 (AQA) requires Municipalities to introduce Air Quality Management Plans (AQMP) that set out what will be done to achieve the prescribed air quality standards. Municipalities are required to include an AQMP as part of its Integrated Development Plan. The AQA makes provision for the setting of ambient air quality standards and emission limits on National level, which provides a means evaluating air quality. Due to the implementation of the AQA, the philosophy of managing air quality in South Africa moved from a point source base approach to a more holistic approach based on the effects on the receiving environment (human, plant, animal and structure). The philosophy is based on pro-active planning (air quality management plans for all municipal areas), licensing of certain industrial processes (listed processes), and identifying priority areas where air quality does not meet the air quality standards for certain air pollutants (Engelbrecht, 2009). Air quality management is primarily the minimisation, management and prevention of air pollution, which aims to improve areas with poor air quality and maintain good air quality throughout. In light of this legal requirement, the Bojanala Platinum district municipality (BPDM) developed this AQMP. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The overall project objective is to develop an Air Quality Management Plan for BPDM in accordance with the provisions of the Air Quality Act. This Plan seeks to identify and reduce the negative impacts on human health and the environment; ultimately through vigorous implementation, the Air Quality Management Plan should efficiently and effectively drive activities that bring air quality in the District Municipality into sustainable compliance with National, Provincial and Local air quality standards within agreed timeframes. 3 POLICY AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004 The National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004 has shifted the approach of air quality management from source-based control to receptor-based control. The Act made provision for National ambient air quality standards, however it is generally accepted that more stringent standards can be established at the Provincial and Local levels. Emissions are controlled through the listing of activities that are sources of emission and the issuing of emission licences for these listed activities. Atmospheric emission standards have been established for each of these activities and an atmospheric licence is now required to operate. The issuing of emission licences for Listed Activities will be the responsibility of the Metropolitan and District Municipalities. Municipalities are required to ‘designate an air quality officer to be responsible for co- ordinating matters pertaining to air quality management in the Municipality’. The appointed Air Quality Officer will be responsible for the issuing of atmospheric emission licences or the Air Quality Officer could delegate the responsibility to the Director of community environmental services. Legislation for Local Government The Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000, together with the Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998, establishes local government as an autonomous sphere of government with specific powers and functions as defined by the Constitution. Section 155 of the Constitution provides for the establishment of Category A, B and C municipalities each having different levels of municipal executive and legislative authorities. According to Section 156(1) of the Constitution, a municipality has the executive authority in respect of, and has the right to, administer the local government matters (listed in Part B of Schedule 4 and Part B of Schedule 5) that deal with air pollution. Local Air Quality By-Laws There are no air quality by-laws being enforced within the BPDM at the district level. At the local level, Rustenburg is the only Local Municipality enforcing air quality by-laws. The Department of Environmental Affairs has developed a draft generic air pollution 4 control by-law for Municipalities. It is proposed that this model created by the Department of Environmental Affairs be used as a structure to create a by-law for the BPDM by adapting the model by-law to be applicable to the BPDM. Ambient Air Quality Guidelines and Standards Guidelines provide a basis for protecting public health from adverse effects of air pollution and for eliminating, or reducing to a minimum, those contaminants of air that are known or likely to be hazardous to human health and well-being (WHO, 2000). Once the guidelines are adopted as standards, they become legally enforceable. The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), in collaboration with DEA, established ambient air quality standards for criteria pollutants as listed in the table 1-1 below. Table 1-1: Ambient Air Quality Limits for Common Pollutants 10-min 1-hr average 8-hr average 24-hr average annual average Pollutant average (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (µg/m3) (µg/m3) Sulphur Dioxide 500 350 - 125 50 SO2 Nitrogen dioxide - 200 - - 40 NO2 Carbon monoxide - 30 000 10 000 - - CO Ozone - 200 120 - - O3 Particulate Matter - - - 75 40 PM10 Lead - - - - 0.5 Pb Benzene - - - - 5 C6H6 AIR QUALITY SITUATION ASSESSMENT FOR THE BOJANALA PLATINUM DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY The Bojanala Platinum District Municipality (BPDM) is located in the North West Province in South Africa. It covers an area of approximately 18 333 km2 and is 5 comprised of five Local Municipalities; Kgetlengrivier, Madibeng, Moretele, Moses Kotane and Rustenburg District Management Area. The National Framework for Air Quality Management in the Republic of South Africa (2007) has identified Rustenburg as an area with poor air quality within the district. The baseline report agrees with that assessment, and further adds the industrialized area of Brits as another region of poor air quality. The main area of pollution impact extends from the Rustenburg area eastwards towards Brits and up the eastern boundary of BPDM, corresponding with the main industrial and domestic fuel burning areas. The rest of the municipality has relatively low pollution loads. Baseline Emissions Inventory For the BPDM AQMP an emissions inventory was compiled for air pollution sources in the District with specific focus on quantifiable sources such as industries, vehicles and domestic fuel burning. Information regarding the scheduled process for industries within the district was provided by NAPCoF. In addition, North West Provincial Government had an emissions inventory compiled and this was made available to ensure that all major sources of air pollution emissions were accounted for in the district municipality. Potential air pollution sources in the BPDM, their emissions, and the areas mostly impacted have been identified and summarized in table 1-2. 6 Table 1_2: summary of pollution sources, emissions and impacted areas within the BPDM. Pollution source Main Pollutant(s) generated Key impacted areas Most of the industries in the district Industrial operations: mainly are located in Rustenburg and emissions from small boiler sources Madibeng. These two and larger industry such as steel PM10, PM2.5, CO, NOx, SO , Pb 2 Municipalities account for over 90% processing and cement of all reported industrial emissions manufacturing. in the BPDM. Agriculture is a dominant land-use within many areas of the BPDM, Agricultural activities: PM10, PM2.5 with subsistence farming occurring in the Moses Kotane and Moretele Local Municipalities. BPDM is home to the two largest platinum producing mines in the world, with most the mines in the district being located in the Mining Activities: PM10, PM2.5 Rustenburg and Madibeng local municipalities. Mines are also located in the Kgetlengrivier local municipality. Good estimates of veld fire emissions are provided in the provincial emissions inventory; PM10, PM2.5, CO, NOx, SO these show Moses Kotane to be Biomass burning (veld fires) 2 the greatest contributor of veld fire emissions, followed closely by the Rustenburg local municipality. Use of fuels such as coal, wood and paraffin for cooking and space heating purposes, occurs mainly within rural, informal, low-income and densely populated settlements. Domestic fuel burning PM10, PM2.5, CO, NOx, SO2 Informal settlements in the district are mostly situated around larger cities i.e. Rustenburg and Brits, while the local municipality of Moretele is considered as a rural settlement The main area of concern in the district is along the N4 highway. Rustenburg and Madibeng local Vehicle tailpipe emissions NOx, CO, CO2, SO2, VOC,s Municipalities, as the most industrialized municipalities within the district; produce the most vehicle emissions. Waste Treatment and Disposal: Heavy metal, dioxin and furan Several landfill sites are in emissions from waste incineration emissions operation in the BPDM and other related activities. This is a challenging issue facing authorities responsible