Probe into Cornubia chemical spill to be finalised in September

THE final report into the chemical spill at the United Phosphorus Limited (UPL) Warehouse in Cornubia is expected to be completed by the end of September 2021.

The incident, which took place in July, has had serious consequences for both people and the environment, including on the air, soil, freshwater and the ocean itself.

Addressing the National Assembly debate on the report by the Portfolio Committee of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries’ oversight visit following civil unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy said the government’s response has focused on three priority areas.

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“The first and most immediate was to ensure that further environmental and health risks were contained; the second is to oversee and guide the assessment, clean-up and remediation process and the third priority is to investigate the incident within the ambit of the regulatory environment applicable to such a facility,” the Minister said in a statement.

These three priorities align with the environmental principles clearly set out in the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA).

“Simply put, NEMA places people and their needs at the forefront of its concerns, it says that pollution of the environment must be avoided and where it cannot be avoided, it must be minimised and remedied. It states clearly that where there are adverse health effects and environmental damage, these must be paid for by those responsible. In addition, it emphasises that decisions must be taken in an open and transparent manner and access to information must be provided in accordance with the law,” Creecy said.

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The Minister said the multi-departmental investigative team which was set up to address the third priority has almost finalised a preliminary report which sets out the findings of the investigation, specifically into the regulatory environment in which the UPL warehouse was required to operate.

The investigation includes aspects related to environmental law, requirements for major hazard installations, relevant licensing requirements under the Hazardous Substances Act and the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies Act, as well as the various legal requirements set out in the local by-laws.

“The report will guide further actions that need to be taken by government to address any non-compliances detected, but also to implement proactive measures to strengthen the regulation of this sector,” she said.