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| addressing environmental concerns at our operations | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Targeting atmospheric pollutants | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total hydrogen sulphide emissions during the year amounted to
74,2 kilotonnes (kt), compared with 77,8 kt in the 2006 reporting
period. Our total emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides
(NOX) and particulates have remained at consistent levels. There
has been an increase in the reported emissions of non-methane
hydrocarbons (NMHC) from 209 kt in 2006 to 219 kt during the
2007 financial year. An important focus area this year has been the finalisation and approval by all business units of environmental improvement plans, including air pollution reduction plans, to ensure compliance with the Sasol SH&E minimum requirements that are based on internationally accepted environmental and health standards. Compliance with these requirements will result in the phasing out of continuous flaring practices in Sasol. The improvement plans of our South African facilities will be aligned with the requirements which will be provided in the National Environment Management: Air Quality Act. This new legislation stipulates new ambient air quality standards and will, in time, include emission regulations. In terms of the legislation, priority areas have been identified for those regions where air quality is a concern. In these areas stricter standards will be imposed than the general minimum standards. Our Sasolburg operations fall within the declared Vaal Triangle Priority Area, while Secunda is within the proposed Highveld Priority Area. To meet these requirements we have earmarked substantial investments at Sasolburg and Secunda for projects aimed at improving air quality over the next 10 years. We are working closely with government to assess and respond to this legislation, both directly and through business representative bodies. To ensure coordinated improvements in ambient air quality we are partnering with other industries, including most notably Eskom. |
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| At Secunda, managing our hydrogen sulphide emissions is a
particular priority. A new sulphuric acid plant is being built and an
emissions management plan has been put in place. Various projects
are also under way to reduce the levels of potentially hazardous
low-level hydrocarbon emissions by 50% on current levels by 2015.
Due to constraints internationally in the availability of the required
equipment and available skills, there have been delays in the
implementation of our emission reduction plans for this year. Our leak detection and repair programmes are ongoing at Sasolburg and Secunda. It is anticipated that these will result in significant reductions in factory and fence-line hydrocarbon levels. Major capital projects are envisaged to reduce emissions of particulates, sulphur dioxides and nitrous oxides from the boilers at Secunda and Sasolburg. We have continued to monitor ambient air quality in those regions potentially affected by our operations. Our most significant air quality monitoring programmes are at our Sasolburg and Secunda operations in South Africa, where we have commissioned monitoring stations in community areas and are undertaking continuing research of atmospheric chemistry. An important initiative this year has been the installation at Sasolburg of fence line monitoring for hydrocarbons and SO2 and NOX. We have continued to contribute to ambient air quality monitoring and research activities in South Africa, including our ongoing research partnership with Eskom aimed at jointly addressing air quality improvements. |
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| Internationally, Sasol's global status in terms of the Montreal Protocol (on ozone-depleting substances) has been established and quantified. The results indicated broad compliance with the protocol. The only significant inventory of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) is at Sasol Polymers in Sasolburg where it is used as a refrigerent and will be phased out by 2015, along with other ozone-depleting substances, in accordance with the requirements of the Montreal Protocol. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
