World Environment Day celebrations, organised by the metro, took place at the Dinwiddie Community Hall, last Tuesday.
Leondale High School, Phumula Gardens High School, Jiyana Secondary School and Tembisa West Secondary School were among the schools represented at the World Environment Day Celebration Youth Conference.
Topics discussed included pollution, air quality and waste management.
“My presentation was about creating awareness of the health effects of air pollution and the role they (youth) can play in contributing towards cleaner air,” said the Gauteng provincial air quality officer, Jacob Legadima.
“I say cleaner air because you can’t have air without pollutants, which is also one of the reasons why we have standards that act as benchmarks.
“These benchmarks stipulate the level to which the air can still be considered healthy and once these levels are exceeded it becomes dangerous and starts accelerating effects.
“These effects affect infrastructure as they cause erosion of buildings and exposed pipes; they also accelerate respiratory illnesses such as asthma and pollute water resulting in acid water which endangers aquatic life.
“We have to limit, if not eliminate, all forms of pollution because we want a healthy environment for all.”
In an effort to curb pollution, Legadima said, industries have standards under which they operate.
“Industries must operate with a licence which sets out conditions and standards of operation and emissions to prevent pollution,” he said.
“There are tests conducted to check whether industries keep to those standards; if exceeded the metro will give the particular industry a time frame to initiate a reduction plan to reduce the emission to the fitting level.
“Isokinetic tests should be conducted by the industries to determine their emissions and they must report to the metro.
“The metro’s department of air quality also conducts tests on all diesel-driven vehicles, using BP Hatridge Smoke Meters to determine smoke density, and Ekurhuleni’s standard is 70 Hatridge Smoke Units (HSU).
“These tests are conducted by members of the EMPD and the department of air quality and if the smoke density exceeds 75HSU a fine will be issued to the motorist.
“To prevent the smoke density from exceeding the limit, motorists are encouraged to service their cars.”
During his presentation, Legadima advised the youngsters to use the Basa Nje Ngo Magogo (BNM) method when using a fire to cook or a stove that uses coal.
BNM means making fire like grandmother.
“Another challenge is residential emissions due to coal or use of dirty fuel, and I would like you to use the BNM method,” said Legadima during his presentation.
“In this method you put coal first, then you take wood and papers and make a fire on top of that coal and then once the fire has caught you take a handful of coal and put it on top of the fire.
“This method saves coal and it has less emissions.
“Use gas where possible, because gas has no emissions; solar panels are another way to prevent pollution and lesson global warming.”
Boitumelo Dlamini, deputy director of general waste at the Department of Environmental Affairs, also had her time on stage educating the Grade 10 and 11 pupils on waste management and recycling.
“Among other things, I addressed the impact of poor waste management, such as resource depletion, rodents in residential areas and streams being polluted,” she said.
“In order to help curb these challenges, people can affiliate themselves with the environmental education programme in the municipality.
“One can also get in touch with and help at community clean-up campaigns.
“Today, I realised that people are informed about waste management and others have already taken initiatives.
I believe we are getting to that paradigm shift where more people are aware of the impact improper waste management can have on the environment.”
