The ”Green Scorpions” begin an inspection of Mittal Steel’s Vereeniging plant on Tuesday, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism said.
Departmental spokesperson Melissa Fourie said the environmental-management inspectors (nicknamed the Green Scorpions) will be joined by officials from the Water Affairs and Forestry Department and the Sedibeng municipality.
They are to check whether the steel company complies with environmental legislation at its Vaal Triangle plant.
The inspection, to last several days, marks the launch of a national environmental compliance campaign in the iron, steel and ferro-alloy industry, Fourie said.
During the campaign, dubbed ”Operation Ferro”, the Green Scorpions will inspect about 40 sites in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
Ensuring environmental compliance in this sector has been prioritised by the government, as industrial processes may contribute significantly to pollution if not managed appropriately.
The results of the Mittal Steel inspection is expected to take a few weeks to be finalised, Fourie said. — Sapa