STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES
AND THREATS OF AIR POLLUTION IN GREATER JOHANNESBURG (Walmsley, 1997).
| STRENGTHS |
WEAKNESSES |
- The Department of Health has issued recommended 24hr air
quality constituent guidelines
|
- The greatest sources of air pollution in GJ are coal and
wood burning fires, the illegal burning of waste, veld fires, industry and private
transport
- Exposed mine dumps also provide a source of air pollution in
GJ
- The climate of the GJ area is a disadvantage for air
pollution concentrations, as temperature inversions experienced in winter keep air
pollution close to the ground
- Standards are not strictly nor legally enforced
- Air pollution has negative impacts on soil and water as it
results in the contamination of these resources
- Health impacts of air pollution mainly involve upper and
lower respiratory ilnesses, eye infections and heavy metal poisoning in animals resulting
in diarrhoea and anaemia
- Air pollution results in acid rain
- Air pollution can also result in an acceleration in the
corrosion rate of many metals
|
| OPPORTUNITIES |
THREATS |
- Electrification of certain areas will help to reduce the
amount of air pollution caused by coal and wood burning fires. Densification of the city
will allow for cheaper electricity
- Stricter enforcement of legislation is essential to pin-
point main culprits of air pollution generation and to control emissions
- A move towards intensive use of public transport will aid in
the reduction of motor vehicle emissions
- Government incentives to reduce emissions will provide
motivation for action
- The wide use of unleaded petrol will reduce lead emissions
from motor vehicles
|
- An uncontrolled increase in industry could result in more
dangerous air emissions
- An increase in the use of private transport will result in
more vehicle air emissions
- An increase in poverty will result in an increase in
emissions from coal and wood burning fires
|
INDUSTRY
Inadequate information exists regarding the current status of un-scheduled industries
within the Greater Johannesburg metropolitan area.
Gaps
- Audit of each industry to establish processes, air pollution
levels and minimum criteria
- Environmental Management strategy to be developed with
industries to reduce emissions as well as energy saving.
- Air quality objectives to reflect industries
- Estimating pollution loads
TRANSPORTATION
Objectives identified during LDO process (1997)
- Introduction of unleaded fuel in motor cars, although South
Africa is the only country not to have made use of catalytic converters with introduction
of unleaded fuel. Some vehicles do have catalytic converters.
- Increased production of diesel engines anticipated
- An improved public transport system should be developed.
- To promote the use of public transport over private car
travel, with the goal of achieving a ratio of 80:20 between public transport and private
car usage
- To improve accessibility and mobility, limiting walking
distances to less than about one kilometer in urban areas
- To ensure that public transport is affordable, with
commuters spending less than about 10 % of disposable income on transport
- Promotion of cycling and cycling paths.
Gaps
- Currently only a small portion of the metropolitan area is
subject to control of air pollution by fumes emitted by vehicles, while the rest of
Greater Johannesburg is uncontrolled. People should take a stand
on this issue.
- Accreditation of air quality monitoring programmes, which
make the current monitoring void for comparison to research studies
- Limited monitoring within the Soweto Air monitoring
Programme based on PM excluding other parameters such as ozone, oxides of nitrogen and
lead.
- Public transport is not co-ordinated and does not cover all
parts of the metropolitan area
- Development corridors must be identified to support
sustainable public transport
- The use of public transport across all areas is not actively
promoted
- Focus areas identified without adequate data to support such
focus areas
- Focus areas lack long term and integrated development
strategies
- Projection studies on the impact of transportation based on
emissions
FOSSIL FUEL FOR HEATING AND
COOKING IN TOWNSHIPS AND CBD
Conventional standards are not always appropriate or affordable and one would need to
assess various technical options has been suggested through the Land Development
Objectives (LDO WMLC: 1997) for example:
Hierarchy of service provision in relation to power
provision
SECTOR |
OBJECTIVES |
INCREASING SERVICES THROUGH UPGRADING |
| Power |
Economic power
consumption; future power line installation |
Allowance for
improved cooking stoves; Clearance maintained between
plot boundaries and access routes for overhead lines |
Security street
lighting; One amp semiconductor fuses |
Household energy
meters |
- A key factor in combating air pollution from household use
of fossil fuels would need a comprehensive environmental and health promotion strategy
focussing on:
Proposed strategy for an Air pollution
education programme
Objective |
Action |
Appropriate
planning |
· Knowledge and Behavioural participatory study to inform
programme
· Applying adult education principles
|
Increase in
knowledge |
· Mass awareness strategy to precede an educational
programme or parallel implementation
· Ongoing participatory education campaign
|
Behaviour
change |
· Usage of improved fuels
· Technical support, demonstrations & info kiosks
· Adequate combustion of coal stoves and braziers
|
Enabling
factors |
· Availability of low-smoke coal
· Economic viability of cleaner fuels
· Gas and paraffin prices to be reduced through better
regulation and improved infrastructure.
|
Upgrading of
services |
· Strengthening of electricity networks
· Increased electrification of townships coupled with an
education strategy based on culture and behavioural studies.
|
- Upgrading and installation of street and area lights in the
southern areas
- Installation of lighting throughout the area
MINING
- Reduction of dust from mines is possible through the
stabilisation of ground and improved mine dump management.
- Grassing of mine dumps, as well as council contributions for
grassing where the owner could not be held responsible.
- The impact of mining on water and air pollution must be
minimised without it being uneconomical.
BURNING OF WASTE
The burning of tyres for heating during
winter months as well as the burning of waste in the absence of waste services are major
air pollution sources. Information on the status quo thereof is however not available in
relation to response.
MANAGEMENT OF
AIR QUALITY
Air quality management capability is the capacity to generate and utilize appropriate air
quality information within a coherent administrative and legislative framework: to enable
the rational management of air quality. The components of air quality management
capability are therefore: the human, technical and financial resources required to provide
useful information on the sources, current concentrations, impacts and trends of ambient
air pollution; and the regulatory and administrative framework required to formulate,
implement and enforce emission controls. It is therefore the process by which air quality
is assessed and response strategies developed and introduced. (UNEP, 1996)
LEGISLATION
- Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act (Act 45 of 1965)
- No national air quality standards exist in South Africa.
Only national guidelines have been issued by the Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism’s Atmospheric Pollution Control Directorate. The WHO and EPA standards and
guidelines are used.
- The Department of Environmental affairs and Tourism is
responsible for issuing permits and monitoring Scheduled Industries.
- The Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs (Government
Mining Engineer) is responsible for the control and monitoring of dust from mining
operations, including mine tailings.
- Local Government is responsible for the control of air
pollution from combustion processes (other than Scheduled Industries), diesel vehicle
emissions and dust (other than from mining)
UNSUSTAINABLE ENERGY USE PATTERNS
- To adopt an energy and environment policy, and prepare an
energy and environment plan
- Measuring current energy consumption needs
- Energy management of council buildings
- Insulation of housing stock
- Solar energy sources to be promoted
- Energy policy to focus on the needs of energy users within a
socio-economic framework and in terms of environmental sustainability principles.
- Energy efficiency and conservation to be a cornerstone of
energy policies.
Gaps
- Gross lack of decision making information for energy
conservation
- Comprehensive awareness strategy with incentives
POPULATION GROWTH / URBANISATION
Rapid urbanisation is placing pressure on low cost housing,
which could aggravate air pollution unless electrification and education programmes keep
pace
Gaps
Integrated development planning with Local Economic
Development and health focussing on economic factors, the upliftment of women and
education.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
The current status on the level of knowledge, attitudes and
behaviour regarding air pollution is unknown, as one of the major gaps within
environmental education is a thorough quantitative as well as qualitative study to
determine the forgoing environmental education objectives.
Behaviour and attitude change requires time and effort,
which demands at least a five-year education strategy with integration into the
curriculum.
To be added
- Impacts on soil and water for Integrated Environmental
Management
- Cross analysis (population figures, industries, socio-
economic factors)
- Projections (population, industry, energy consumption,
transportation)
- Indoor air pollution (illustrations, levels)
- Impact of air pollution on plants as well as threshold
limits
- List of industries and type of industry
- List of scheduled industries
- Impact on vegetation and threshold limits
- Air quality management indicators to assess effectiveness of
system
- Industrial pollution projection system to establish the
level of pollution per industry
- Global climate issues
ACTION PLANS FOR AIR POLLUTION PREVENTION
- Control air pollution from factories and industries
- Encourage public transport
- Grassing of mine dumps
- Control veld fires
- Prevent the burning of tyres
- Prevent indoor air pollution
- Promote good solid waste services that will prevent the
burning if refuse
- Ensure adequate ventilation
- Encourage the upside down packaging of the imbawula (Step1, Step2, Step3, Step4)
- Ensure correct combustion and packing of coal stoves
- Encourage the tarring of tar roads
- If possible use solar energy
- Participate in and encourage education
- Use energy wisely and
- Ensure adequate and appropriate legislation.
REFERENCES
Chenje, M. & Johnson, P.1994: State of
the Environment in Southern Africa. Creda: Gauteng.
GJMC 1997: Land Development Objectives.
Grange, G. 1991: The more important sources of
air pollution in the Republic of South Africa and the most recent control policies adopted
by the authorities.Tydskrif vir Skoon Lug, 8: 4.
Lee, J.A.1985: The Environment, Public
Health and Human Ecology. International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development.
Miller, G.T. 1994: Living in the
Environment.Wadsworth:California.
UNEP 1996: Air Quality Management and
Assessment Capabilities in 20 Major Cities. UNEP: London.
Walmsley Environmental Consultants 1997: GJTMC
Integrated Metropolitan Development Plan - Report No. W262. WEC: Rivonia.
WMLC 1997: Land Development Objective.
WMLC: Roodepoort. |
