Inspectors have found that the giant Mittal Steel company contravenes environmental laws at their facilties in Vereeniging, the Environment Affairs and Tourism Department said on Thursday.
Spokesperson Mava Scott said some of the company’s activities had been taking place without proper environmental authorisation.
”This includes the dumping of hazardous waste on a site without a permit despite repeated instructions from authorities to stop, and emissions into the air that cause, have caused or may cause significant and serious pollution of the environment.”
The hazardous waste is dust generated by the furnaces at the site. Scott said inspectors also found pollution of surface and groundwater with phenols, iron, oil, fluoride and other hazardous substances from the plant.
He said authorities were taking the findings at Mittal very seriously as the site was situated within the Vaal Triangle Air-shed Priority Area. It was identified as an air-pollution hotspot by Environment Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk last year.
He said the department and authorities in Gauteng intended taking steps against Mittal to ensure environmental compliance.
Scott said this includes a possible criminal investigation into the dumping of hazardous waste, such as furnace dust.
Joanne Yawitch, a deputy director-general at the department, said although Mittal started applying an environmental master plan at the site earlier, this was not enough.
”It [Mittal] will have to spend time and capital to rectify the situation.”
Environmental management inspectors — commonly known as the Green Scorpions — conducted a compliance inspection at the Vereeniging site
on May 30. – Sapa