Durban - Ecologists have been asked to assess the impact of the detergent spilled into the uMkhomazi estuary early on Tuesday.
The spill caused a thick, soapy layer of white foam to form on top of the river and blanketed the beach at the river mouth, on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.
The leak occurred at the Sappi Saiccor plant, upstream of the river mouth. The company said it did not “anticipate any ecological impacts”.
Andre Beetge, an eThekwini ward councillor, said: “Environmental groups succeeded in obtaining separate samples to determine toxicity as other officials on site were rather of the opinion that it is a re-occurring matter as opposed to an isolated incident.”
eThekwini Municipality spokeswoman Tozi Mthethwa said the detergent was not toxic.
“City officials are investigating the matter before the applicable contravention notice or fine can be served,” she said.
In an incident report seen by the Daily News, Sappi Saiccor stated that a mixture of detergent and water from the mill entered a collector and found its way into the river at 8am.
The release of detergent occurred at the detergent storage tanks at the chemical plant and went into a collector.
The report said that the collector was pumped into the main effluent pipeline and it did not overflow, but a gate valve was found to be leaking, allowing detergent to get into the backwash water stream.
“Upon checking the levels of the detergent in the storage tanks it was found that the quantity of detergent lost is not significant, but detergent itself has a high propensity to foam,” the report said.
Ecological specialists have been commissioned by Sappi Saiccor to assess the impact of the spill in the estuary.
An official company spokesman could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.
Mick Clarke, the owner of Umkomaas Guest House, said he first saw the white foam floating along the uMkhomazi River and then out to sea.
“There was no odour and I would say the foam was about 1.5m above the water. It was an incredible sight,” Clarke said.
He said the shoreline was also blanketed in foam.