SA Cotton’s Norman Wallis has raised concerns about the proposed construction of a new tank farm for the storage of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, at Rand Refinery, and the decommissioning of the existing tanks.
SA Cotton has a large retail operation selling cotton cloths, towels etc., to the public.
It is one of the retail operations located near Rand Refinery, and the proposed new site is located close to Refinery Road.
“Refinery Road is a busy commercial double lane road and the site is not suitable for a sevenfold increase in acid, with heavy tankers,” said Wallis.
“The proposed bulk tanker site is between a busy bridge and a major M2 on-ramp interchange, and direct access from Refinery Road is dangerous.”
Wallis has a number of concerns regarding the new site, among others, he is concerned that:
q traffic will be severely affected both during construction and thereafter, with heavy tankers;
q the closeness of such an enormous cache of hazardous materials to the public Victoria Lake is dangerous.
“Moving it closer to Refinery Road will also affect a major, busy retail and school recreational area; we would like Rand Refinery to consider moving it far away from this road,” he added.
Wallis is, however, not the only one who is worried, as Rand Refinery’s other neighbouring companies also have concerns about the site.
As a result, Wallis and representatives of neighbouring companies attended a meeting held by Rand Refinery, on June 26, to fully explain the new, proposed site and listen to the concerns raised.
“We have noted all the concerns raised; the plan for the new construction site for the tankers is still in its infant stage, it still has to go through a number of assessments and we will definitely consider all the matters raised by our neighbours,” said Rand Refinery’s executive ead: governance assurance, Raneeka Rampersadh.
