COASTWATCH KZN is ‘pleased’ with South32, formerly BHP Billiton Aluminium SA, for its work on decommissioning its Bayside aluminium smelter.
Since switching off the 43-year-old plant in July last year, the company has completed a Basic Assessment (BA) report to dismantle its carbon and reduction plants, as well as its ‘legacy’ landfill areas.
But what really got the tough-to-please watchdog’s stamp of approval was that the company is extending its studies to ensure the transition has minimal impact on the land’s soil and groundwater.
‘Although both the NEMA EA (National Environmental Management Act) and NEMWA WML (NEMA Waste Management License) application only require a Basic Assessment process to be followed, BHP Billiton has requested an upgrade to a Scoping and Environmental Impact Assessment process as input to the WML application,’ said Coastwatch KZN’s Carolyn Schwegman.
‘This is because of the hazardous nature of the contamination of soils and land on site, and to facilitate increased stakeholder participation.
‘Coastwatch is pleased that BHP Billiton will follow a comprehensive process for site closure.’
Schwegman advised the company to do additional investigations to properly characterise the landfills by carrying out excavation work, treating the plant, disposing of remaining waste or ‘capping’ the site using chemical stabilisation.
‘The existing landfills or waste disposal areas are unlicensed areas, although two areas have closure permits.
‘The lack of compliance with conditions of closure needs to be discussed from the point of view of reasons for non-compliance.’
However, the organisation stated it fully supports the wide array of specialist studies planned for the site.
These include air quality, noise and vibration, biodiversity, surface water and marine ecology, transport, heritage, socio-economic, ground water and land remediation assessments.
