Air quality deadline \'delayed\' for SA firms

The biggest polluters in South Africa (SA) may be able to postpone reporting to the country’s government about how they are cleaning up their act.

New environmental legislation, drawn up under the Air Quality Act, sets legal limits on the amount of harmful gas companies can emit.

However, the SA Times reports that individual companies can apply for a postponement of the clean air deadlines which are set for each industry.

Rico Euripidou, a health scientist with non-governmental organisation Groundwork, told the news provider: "What it means is that companies can start negotiations with the regulator as to why they shouldn’t have to meet these emission limits ... from the outset you are undermining your whole approach to air pollution. "

He went on to say that in his view the postponements are unconstitutional.

The SA government’s chief director for air pollution Peter Lukey defended the move on the grounds that it is unreasonable to ask firms to close down factories and rebuild them completely.

In addition to determining companies’ pollution levels, the Air Quality Act requires regular reporting on air quality and encourages public participation in air monitoring initiatives.

Written by Joseph Hutton