uMhlanga resident calls for transparency over Cornubia chemical spill

AN uMhlanga resident has asked for more transparency over the chemical spill at the United Phosphorus Limited (UPL) Warehouse in Cornubia more than month ago. 

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.

Izinga Ridge resident, Jeffrey Naidoo, who spoke to Northglen News last week said he believed the reality of what was going on on the ground was being sugar coated.

Related story: Probe into Cornubia chemical spill to be finalised in September

Naidoo said several residents in Prestondale, Izinga and the Blackburn Village Informal Settlement felt short-term effects which included shortness of breath and intermittent asthma.

“I’ve read UPL’s statement but having seen the colour of the stream running into the Ohlanga River and the workers in hazmat suits taking soil samples almost daily, our concern is that this is all being sugar-coated. The pressing concern for me is the potential long-term impact on the lives of people living in the vicinity of the warehouse. We feel there hasn’t been enough communication and openness about what chemicals were stored in the warehouse at the time of the fire. So much of what we know is being reported in the papers but not being communicated with residents. We feel more transparency is needed from UPL and the eThekwini Municipality as they also have a role to play in this instant,” Naidoo said.

Speaking on the water quality, UPL said specialist teams of environmental engineers, hydrologists and aquatic ecologists have formulated a risk mitigation strategy to remove the bulk of contaminated water and sediments from the stream to the confluence with the Ohlanga River.

Related story: Concerns over potential chronic conditions after burning of Cornubia warehouse

“Wetlands are widely recognised for their ability to break down pollutants, including some of the most complex chemical compounds. Ultimately, the environmental team supporting UPL in this incident is intending to rehabilitate the river and wetland systems to a fully functional and healthy habitat.

“On-going water quality and toxicity monitoring is going hand-in-hand with the clean-up process to ensure that the worst of the pollution is removed and/or remediated. Reporting on this is formally and independently being undertaken by the various scientists on the team and these results are going to the various provincial and national authorities for their scrutiny and review,” the statement read.