ENVIRONMENT IN FOCUS
EP3 Environmental
All access roads are governed by regulations under the National Environmental Management Act, 1998( Act No. 107 of 1998).
unreported because death takes a long time and may not be directly attributable to the right cause. Air quality monitoring should be undertaken on a regular basis to ensure compliance with national dust regulations. The purpose of the regulations is to prescribe general measures for the control of dust in all areas.
According to Van Schalkwyk,“ Any person who conducts any activity in such a way as to give rise to dust in meaningful quantities and concentrations must measure the dust content by means of an air-quality monitor.” The regulations are in terms of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act. Fine dust particles have a significant impact, as PM 2.5 can go straight into your bloodstream, while in agricultural areas it will stop cattle from feeding. Also controlled are air pollutants such as open fires and bitumen production plants, which have to be certified.
Biodiversity and water
Van Schalkwyk relates the example of one contractor fined for destroying protected trees without the necessary permit being in place from the Department of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries( DAFF). Like other aspects of environmental protection, the protection of South Africa’ s biodiversity is taken seriously.
Water is a nationalised commodity, and the taking of any water requires a permit, with different levels of authorisation. A farmer cannot authorise a contractor or quarry to use water on his or her farm without a Water Use License being issued by the Department of Water and Sanitation for the abstraction of such water to be used for construction. Disposing of water found underground requires a license— and then only if it is necessary for the efficient continuation of an activity or for the safety of people. This issue especially relates to mining and quarrying, but also buildings where basements are installed in areas with shallow groundwater tables, explains van Schalkwyk.
“ No access is allowed through a water course and no equipment can be washed, such as washing off paint and running it into stormwater. This in fact is common practice on construction and other projects. Wastewater on a site can only be used for dust suppression, but there are also standards which govern this use.
“ Contractors on a building site cannot simply pump out unwanted water. All water belongs to the Department of Water and Sanitation, and if you abstract it you need a s21 permit. This is not only limited to mining and quarrying. Contractors are often not aware of the restrictions relating to water, and when we audit a site it is often the first thing we ask for— and audits are compulsory for construction sites. This issue was highlighted by the water shortage in Cape Town, when people started selling water from a borehole or spring water. They were declared illegal by the City of Cape Town,” says van Schalkwyk. ■
EP3 Environmental is an environmental consultancy, specialising in environmental compliance monitoring and auditing; construction environmental management, and the compilation and review of environmental management programmes. Eben van Schalkwyk is the founder and a director of EP3, holding a master’ s degree in environmental management.
36 _ QUARRY SA | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018