Durban - Sappi Saiccor – the world’s biggest producer of dissolving wood pulp – has been accused of “dumping tons” of potentially toxic ash that was allegedly seeping into the river systems south of Durban and possibly threatening the environmentally sensitive Aliwal Shoal off the coast.
Sappi denies the allegations of “dumping” and says that it delivers the ash free of charge to an estimated 40 small block yard operations in the area.
It is used to make blocks.
The ash, according to environmentalists, was heaped in sites near the rivers where it’s used to make cement blocks and bricks.
Environmentalists say the ash is however placed at the block yards that are located close to rivers and residential areas where winds blow it into people’s homes and rains wash it into the river.
“Our major concern is that we just do not know what is in this ash and whether or not it contains any heavy metals which is harmful to the environment,” said Laura Taylor, chairwoman of Toti Conservancy.
The company admits that a report indicated the chance of “potential health issues” for the people who use it to make blocks.
Les Spence, a community activist who lives near the Sappi factory, is concerned that this is being done without the proper environmental precautions taken.
The ash is a by-product of the coal Sappi uses to fire up its furnaces and is meant to be disposed of in an environmentally safe way, he told the Daily News.
He accused the company of trying to save costs by not transporting it to a safe site 40km away at NPC Cement.
Regional spokeswoman Zelda Schwalbach said that after meeting with Spence this week they had undertaken to investigate the claims, but would halt its supply of ash in the meantime.
Schwalbach said an investigation had also been launched into allegations that the ash posed an environmental threat by seeping into the Umkomaas River.
She denied allegations that Sappi was disposing of its ash irresponsibly or to save costs, adding that the easiest solution for Sappi to dispose of its ash would be to do so in its entirety to the NPC factory.
“The reason that Sappi has not chosen this path, is to try and assist local community members who have a beneficial use for the ash by supplying it free of charge to local block-makers.
“Following lengthy discussions held with various role-players in the community, the local traditional leadership, local political leadership, provincial and national government including the Minister of Environmental Affairs’ office, Sappi was able to obtain a way forward with respect to providing these block-makers with the ash, in order to meet a commitment to the socio-economic well-being of the community,” Schwalbach said.
Sappi produces 800 000 tons a year of dissolving wood pulp. It delivered the ash to block yards across Umkomaas, Umgababa, Inknagala, Magabeni and Mfune.
On Monday, Taylor met with representatives of Sappi where her concerns were raised.
She requested Sappi provide her organisation with test results it had conducted around the sites where the ash was being delivered and its chemical contents.
Taylor also wants for Sappi to test the rivers and streams near where they deliver their products to gauge if the results meet the requirements of the South African Water Quality Guidelines for Freshwater.
Spence claimed that in addition to the block yards, Sappi had dumped “a mountain” of ash near the river system and had been delivering gypsum – used as fertiliser – to a farm in Umkomaas. He claimed the product contained ash.
“Gypsum is white, but this here is black.”
However, Schwalbach said that only gypsum along with bark (including wood chips) was being provided to the local sugar cane farmer at his request.
Spence also met Sappi representatives on Monday where he told them that trucks transporting the ash out of the Sappi factory carried loads that were unsecured, which was against road and environmental laws.
“As a result there is ash covered on roads all around here. Everywhere you go there is ash.”
Spence said Sappi representatives assured him after Monday’s meeting that all loads out the factory would be covered. However, on Wednesday the Daily News photographed a load leaving the factory unsecured.
“A big company like that which claims to be green and eco friendly is flouting numerous laws and potentially harming the environment.
“The ash is getting into the river systems and sooner rather than later we are going to see its harmful effects,” Spence said.
“There are numerous rivers and estuaries where this ash is getting into and we do not know yet what the effects will be.”
Willie Beetge of AfriForum eManzimtoti said his organisation was concerned and planned to conduct its own independent tests of the rivers and streams around where the ash was being left.
“It is our duty to ensure that budget cuts do not lead to environmental damage and an increased footprint on our heritage... It is therefore important to us that this matter is resolved as quickly as possible,” he said.
“Our advice would be that the company stops gathering and distributing ash and gypsum until they can furbish us with environmental approved test results as promised.”
Taylor said, however, that she understood that Sappi had a fine balancing act to perform, as many of the block yards were dependent on the ash for their business.
“Many of their livelihoods depend on the ash. If the ash is harmless then it is great for everyone. But if it is hazardous then it needs to be treated properly.”
Schwalbach could not say what was contained in the ash but said a report compiled in 2012 by independent consultants into the use the ash for brick making found that it had “all poly-aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds and semi volatile organic compounds”.
Concentrations were recorded below laboratory detection limit and were therefore not considered to be of concern, she said.
The report did however note that “potential health issue(s) are expected to arise during the occupational phase (block making phase) rather than during the re-use phase/s of the blocks”.
However, in light of the serious allegations, Schwalbach said Sappi had decided to stop supplying the block makers with ash.
“This will be communicated to them at a public meeting on Friday.”
Daily News