The fire at a Durban chemicals warehouse during last month’s unrest has raised alarm bells among environmental activists who fear it might not be an isolated case of undisclosed hazardous materials being stored close to residential areas.
The South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) is pushing for tighter restrictions on companies that could be harbouring harmful chemicals like those believed to have been found at the United Phosphorous Ltd (UPL) facility in Cornubia.
The fire at the warehouse sent clouds of noxious smoke over communities in the area and caused a chemical spill that poisoned a river and wetland.
UPL, whose headquarters is in India, is refusing to disclose what substances were stored at the facility, prompting a group of 11 concerned stakeholders to file an application under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).
Another fire broke out this week at KZN Resins, south of Durban, prompting a warning from eThekwini municipality to residents in the nearby suburbs of Wentworth, Merebank, Clairwood, Montclair, Bluff and Mobeni about the risk of inhaling toxic smoke.
Barbara Creecy, the minister of forestry, fisheries & environmental affairs, told parliament this week that a final report into the UPL disaster is expected next month.
“The report will guide further actions that need to be taken by government to address any noncompliances detected, but also to implement proactive measures to strengthen the regulation of this sector,” she said.
UPL, whose products include agricultural fertiliser, did not respond to queries from the Sunday Times.
Desmond D’Sa, co-ordinator of the SDCEA, said the UPL fire had highlighted “how difficult it is to obtain even basic information about the dangers to communities who live close to hazardous firms, storage sites and transport systems”.
“We are disappointed that nasty chemicals banned in many countries still arrive on our shores undetected by our government, in spite of the risk to our environment, people, homes and communities,” said D’Sa.
He said the resin factory fire caused “major alarm” among residents.
“I live close by and the smoke and fumes were debilitating. The fire in Cornubia has rightly received a lot of media attention given the adverse effects experienced by people and … fish and river life.
“But this disaster is one of many explosions and fires in the chemical and petro-chemical industries experienced across the city over the last few decades.”
D’Sa said the lack of transparency about the storage and transport of hazardous products means many unsuspecting people “will bear the costs of accidents with our health and environmental destruction”.
The SDCEA has appealed to the government to keep an inventory of all ships, aircraft and trucks “that bring in goods representing potential dangers”.
The tourism and subsistence fishing industries along the north coast have also been hit by the UPL disaster.
Heather Hunter, chair of Umhlanga Tourism, said the sector was already reeling from the pandemic before the chemical spill forced the closure of beaches. “Of course this disaster has affected our businesses badly. I have spoken to a number of guesthouse owners who say people don’t want to come to the north coast because they can’t swim in the sea.”
Local angler Jace Govender said the UPL fire had affected the livelihoods of more than 1,000 subsistence fishermen operating along the affected 40km stretch of coastline.
“In terms of them putting food on the table it has been a problem,” Govender said.
A UPL spokesman said the crisis response was handled as per legal protocol, overseen by government authorities. “All the information requested by the authorities has been shared with them, including the inventory of products stored at the warehouse.”
The chemical company said it was considering the PAIA request, adding it had established a communication protocol and would respond to all public and stakeholder queries.
UPL said it was “too early to make a determination on the full cost of the fire and environmental damage”.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.