The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism on Tuesday called on Southern African Development Community countries to adopt a co-ordinated approach to phase out the use of leaded fuel.
The department’s director-general, Crispian Olver, said: ”Because of the close linkages between the petro-chemicals industry in the region, it is preferable that a coordinated approach across the region is adopted.”
He was speaking at the opening of a two-day workshop in Somerset West on the phase-out of leaded gasoline in Southern Africa. Olver said the vast majority of vehicles in South Africa and the region were manufactured before legislation limited emissions, and as a consequence they did not have emission control devices fitted and have unacceptably high emissions.
”The use of unleaded fuel is already widespread in the SADC region and it is relatively easy for SADC countries to now make the transition to completely phase out leaded fuel.
”This means that all cars can now have catalytic converters fitted, leading to a significant decrease in vehicle emissions,” he said.
Olver said studies indicated that lead can cause cardiovascular diseases, cancer and even death in adults, as well as neurological disorders in children.
”This is a good indicator that pollution from vehicles in an issue to be addressed aggressively and urgently,” he said.
The workshop aims to develop an action plan to phase out leaded gasoline in the SADC region and is attended by representatives from governments, the private sector and civil society.
Olver said South African government decided in 2002 to phase out the use of lead in petrol by 2006 and to make South Africa a lead-free gasoline region.
He added that South Africa’s view was that current knowledge on the safety of some lead substitutes, particularly heavy metal, was insufficient and therefore the country discourages their use.
”We believe that ultimately, the long-term resolution of this challenge lies in the re-configuration of refinery processes in order for the refineries to produce fuels of appropriate quality,” Olver said.
He said the governments of the region recognised the financial burden such a step could impose, particularly in the form of capital costs for the oil industry, and in response to this challenge, the South African government was investigating possible incentive packages and would make recommendations on ways of assisting the industry through the phase-out process. – Sapa