Request to the DEA for records relating to its inspection of the ArcelorMittal Vanderbijlpark works
21 October 2016
- Requestee:
- Department of Environmental Affairs
- Reference Number:
- CER-2016-DEA-0006 (AMSA)
- Status:
- Records received
- The records and/or report of the findings of the joint inspection of the ArcelorMittal (AMSA) Vanderbijlpark works (“the AMSA works”), conducted and led by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) along with the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD); the Sedibeng District Municipality; and the Emfuleni Local Municipality in July 2016;
- Records of all compliance monitoring and enforcement action taken and to be taken by DEA against AMSA from 2014 to date, particularly in respect of:
- AMSA’s long standing non-compliances with the requirements of the 2004 Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Conservation Record of Decision (ROD) for the Coke Oven Clean Gas and Water Project (COCGWP), specifically non-compliance with sections 3.2(g) and 3.2(h), as evidenced in the Zantow external audit reports on the COCGWP for 2015 and 2016 (copies of these reports are attached); and
- AMSA’s harmful air emissions in contravention of AMSA’s atmospheric emission licence (AEL) conditions, specifically: hydrogen sulphide (H2S) exceedances; abatement utilisation rate non-compliances; tar volatile organic compound (VOC) exceedances; emission rates exceedances at the Sinter Main stack; and the AMSA works’ fugitive emissions – as set out in the Zantow AEL external audit report for 2016 (a copy of this report is attached); and
- The emissions from the AMSA works’ slag heap in respect of which there have been complaints by community members; and
- In relation to an explosion, which occurred at the AMSA works on or around 14 August 2016, any notifications issued to the Director General in terms of section 30(3) of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (NEMA); reports submitted in terms of section 30(6) of NEMA to the Director General; records of any steps taken to remedy the damage, or any directives issued in terms of section 30(6) of NEMA; and/or any record whatsoever pertaining to the relevant incident.
For further information please email [email protected].