The Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries on February 8 received an update on the July 2021 arson attack on chemical company UPL’s leased Cornubia warehouse, which led to a chemical spill.

The specialist team appointed by UPL to manage the clean-up of the spill, has been working with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and has provided the department with extensive information on the progress of the clean-up, remediation, rehabilitation and monitoring efforts to date, UPL notes in a statement.

It says it is pleased that the current data presented to the department shows that its extensive clean-up and rehabilitation operations are showing success in many areas.

UPL notes that new information based on the results of monitoring efforts by the independent experts shows improvements in terms of possible issues that would be of concern at present versus when the incident happened.

It highlights that these positive outcomes are notable for the beaches and sea water, the estuary, the Ohlanga river, the warehouse platform and the pollution control dam. Another positive aspect mentioned is the rapid fall in the concentration of detected pesticides.

Also, independent experts have been monitoring for possible acute and chronic public health risks associated with the spill. Analysis from November 2021 showed there were no reports of acute or chronic public health issues from surrounding communities.

Experts are also awaiting the outcomes of a broader health risk assessment, and monitoring in terms of human health will continue, UPL states.

It says these monitoring efforts and associated results have also helped it to pinpoint areas that need continued remediation work, as well as to determine the most appropriate courses of action in this regard.

To date, UPL notes that it has spent over R300-million to mitigate the impact of the chemical spill that resulted from the warehouse being set alight during the unrest last year.

These efforts have included the appointment of numerous leading independent experts and specialists, as well as two spill response teams. During the first two-and-a-half months following the incident, there were about 130 people working at the spill site 24 hours a day and seven days a week, UPL highlights.

It says the teams have removed significant volumes of contaminated sediment and water in the Ohlanga tributary and its banks.

The operation has also included reworking the tributary channel in some areas and the formation of sinuous channel sections to accelerate the natural breakdown of any remaining residual products.

Further soil samples were taken on February 2 with the aim of assessing the best way forward in terms of revegetation. Trials are being established to assess the best plants to use in the initial vegetation rehabilitation and the independent experts are aiming to set up a nursery on site, which will allow for the propagation of plants indigenous to the area, UPL notes.

It says that, encouragingly, sampling from nearby sugarcane fields has shown that all detected pesticide levels were below the applicable maximum residue levels – mindful that of the detected pesticides, some are already used as part of the normal agricultural process. Further sampling will be undertaken before the 2022 crop harvesting begins.

“The public can be assured that these broader assessment processes, undertaken by UPL’s team of independent experts, which includes the monitoring of any potential human health impacts, will remain ongoing, as will water and sediment sampling and monitoring continue over the coming months.

“Critically, the results of the ongoing monitoring are proving to be very useful in driving remediation and rehabilitation actions, to which UPL is committed over the longer term.

“UPL’s team of experts will also continue engaging with the relevant government authorities and provide regular reports on the work being done,” UPL says.