The Durban health department intends taking Engen to court after sulphur-dioxide emissions at its Durban oil refinery were found to be ”excessive”.
Sulphur dioxide irritates the respiratory system and can aggravate asthma.
”We’ve served the necessary notices; we are moving ahead with the legal processes,” the deputy head of the department for subdistrict south, Selva Mudaly, said on Tuesday.
The oil refinery exceeded its sulphur-dioxide emissions 64 times in just more than a month, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report.
Mudaly said the decision came after an ”extensive process of auditing” and monitoring the air quality at the refinery.
An ”elaborate monitoring system” has been studying the plant’s emissions for the past two to three years.
Mudaly said the department is not charging the company under the Air Quality Act, but by using the city’s by-laws.
The refinery’s general manager, Wayne Hartmann, said the company is surprised the emissions exceeded permitted limits.
”Trying to understand what is behind it is a little problematic … it could be weather related.”
He said the new limits were introduced when the company adopted its new scheduled trade permit.
A sophisticated monitoring system measured the air quality every 10 minutes. An ”exceedence” was registered every time the sulphur dioxide in the air surpassed 191 parts per billion.
”The quality of the air here is close to WHO guidelines. It’s the difference between good and almost good, not between poor and shocking,” Hartmann said.
He said the matter has been blown out of proportion, given the refinery’s small number of ”exceedences”.
”In May, there were 17 total exceedences in the area, to which our contribution was nil.”
The plant’s total annual ”exceedences” number about 35, and its environmental standards are on a par with those worldwide.
”My refinery smells a hell of lot better than those do [in the United States].
”It’s my expectation that the city will take action against us,” he added.
The refinery manufactures diesel, fuel oils, gases, asphalt and kerosene. — Sapa