WITH thick plumes of smoke billowing from three burning wood chip piles at a plant in Richards Bay’s industrial area for more than a week, environmentalists are concerned about the impact this will have on people and the surroundings.
It's the high levels of particulates (particles of dust) in the air after the fire began at the NCT Forestry wood chip plant last Saturday that has them worried.
Depending on how the wind blew, clouds of smoke were carried beyond the city limits to neighbouring communities.
Local authorities have asked people with underlying conditions such as asthma to take precautions as exposure to the smoke will induce coughing and redness of the eyes. They were advised to stay indoors and to limit outdoor activity.
Sandy Camminga, the founding member and spokesperson for the Richards Bay Clean Air Association, said the incessant flow of smoke would impact people’s lives.
“We can’t shy away from the fact that air quality has been impacted.
“People who are vulnerable and have a predisposition to asthma and bronchitis will find it challenging. It is important to take preventative measures, especially if you are vulnerable.”
Camminga said she expected conditions to remain the same for at least a few more weeks, considering the volume of wood chips that were on fire.
She said a major concern was whether the fire would jump to a neighbouring chemical plant, Foskor, a producer of phosphates and phosphoric acid that had other hazardous chemicals on site.
Camminga was satisfied that Foskor had taken the necessary steps to reduce its stock levels and prevent catastrophic consequences if the fire should spread to their factory.
“Last Saturday was horrific for everyone, and it continued into Sunday. That’s when the fire jumped because of a south-westerly wind and spread towards a neighbouring community.
“It was chaos, but people rallied together. I live about six kilometres away and we found burnt embers in our pool.”
She said it was important to monitor the weather conditions.
“The wind will help carry the smoke to higher levels, but when you have calmer weather it becomes problematic because low-level smoke hangs.”
Camminga said they were monitoring conditions closely through their various air quality stations.
“The readings have clearly indicated very high levels of particulates (particles of dust) in the air.
“When you average it out, it might be within the guidelines, but the impact might be significant.
“The other situation we have in Richards Bay is our high levels of sulphur dioxide.”
Camminga said research showed the synergistic effects of the combination of the two compounds and the health effects that people would experience as a result.
“That is the unfortunate situation we find ourselves in because of the nature of the products that are burning.”
She said the World Health Organization had recorded on its websites that such occurrences had short and long-term effects.
Environmentalist Desmond D’Sa of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance was concerned about the content of the smoke emissions.
“Timber is usually treated and is likely to have chemicals in it, but nothing is being revealed.”
D’Sa said another concern was the lack of safety zones to isolate the fire.
“They don't have that and, from my own observation, there doesn’t seem to be an alarm system to alert nearby residents and others.
“Residents didn’t know much until the fire spread near their homes.”
He said the fires and the resulting hazards were not the first for Richards Bay.
“For a number of years people have picked up chronic asthma cases from industrial activity. I notice the authorities’ lack an understanding on how to deal with these issues and there was poor spatial planning, which is concerning considering the rapid rate at which Richards Bay is growing as an economic hub,” he said.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE