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- Elevated levels of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide are believed to have caused the stench in Mpumalanga and Gauteng.
- The government has launched an investigation into the cause of the stench.
- The probe findings will be available upon completion.
The government has promised to publish the findings in its investigation of the recent stench hovering between Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
The stench is believed to have been a combination of elevated levels of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide.
Officials from the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) and the Gert Sibande District Municipality in Mpumalanga visited the Sasol Secunda plant on February 18.
They went to check on operations believed to be the possible source of the sulfur stench experienced in parts of the two provinces.
DEFF Spokesperson, Albi Modise They said during their inspection, they found that the release of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from the Sasol plant was within the approved limits of the Atmospheric Emission License (AEL) issued by the municipality of Gert Sibanda on April 23, 2019. .
DEFF and the municipality were unable to definitively disclose the main source of air pollution.
“DEFF and Gert Sibanda Municipality suspect that the stench experienced in parts of Gauteng earlier this month may have been the result of the cumulative impact of various sources on the surrounding areas.
“While initial investigations have shown that sulfur dioxide levels met ambient air quality standards at all stations in the week of February 11-17, hydrogen sulfide levels were found to have risen. sometimes during the week in question. ” Modise said.
Extreme peaks were observed at the Lebohang and Springs monitoring stations.
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In Pretoria, hydrogen sulfide measurements at the South African Meteorological Service station in Irene, Centurion, showed that hydrogen sulfide exceeded the World Health Organization recommendation on February 12, 15 and through 17, with the highest peak of 61 parts per billion (ppb). on February 16 at 01:00.
“The measurements show that there were two typical periods during the day when hydrogen sulfide levels were most severe, around 1:00 AM and 11:00 AM. These peaks are typical of air transported with contamination from high-level sources like tall stacks, “Modise said.
Modise added that the WHO recommended that hydrogen sulfide concentrations should not exceed 5.02 ppb within an average period of 30 minutes to avoid substantial complaints about odor nuisance among the exposed population.
“There was also a low pressure system in the north of the Mozambique Channel that resulted in a rather unusual circulation pattern in the region. These conditions created prevailing winds from the southeast that allowed the transport of air pollution from the industrial region from Mpumalanga towards Gauteng, particularly over the cities of Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg and Pretoria.
“It was therefore recommended that other sources that might have contributed to the odor experienced in Gauteng be investigated as well. These include power plants and sewage works that also emit hydrogen sulfide. The findings from the probe will be available once are completed, “he added. Modise said.
