REQUEST FOR URGENT WITHDRAWAL OF THE PROVISION IN THE LIST OF ACTIVITIES REGARDING THE WEAKENING OF THE SULPHUR DIOXIDE NEW PLANT MINIMUM EMISSION STANDARDS FOR EXISTING PLANTS

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting on behalf of several environmental campaigns and alliances, requested that the South African Department of Environmental Affairs urgently withdraw a provision in the amended List of Activities published on 31 October 2018. The CER argues that this provision improperly weakens the sulphur dioxide (SO2) minimum emission standards (MES) for existing solid-fuel combustion plants without public consultation.

• The amended List of Activities published on 31 October 2018 contains a provision that doubles the permissible sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions for existing solid-fuel combustion installations, such as Sasol's coal-fired boilers and Eskom's coal-fired stations, increasing the limit from 500mg/Nm3 to 1000mg/Nm3.
• The CER asserts that the amendment was made without public consultation, violating the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 and the National Environmental Management Act, which require transparency and the opportunity for the public to submit meaningful representations or objections.
• The CER demanded the withdrawal of the specific section of the amendment relating to the weakening of the SO2 MES by 10 December 2018, threatening High Court litigation to review and set aside the amendment if the request is not met.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2018). REQUEST FOR URGENT WITHDRAWAL OF THE PROVISION IN THE LIST OF ACTIVITIES REGARDING THE WEAKENING OF THE SULPHUR DIOXIDE NEW PLANT MINIMUM EMISSION STANDARDS FOR EXISTING PLANTS. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/CER-letter-to-DEA-re-SO2-MES_8-Nov-2018.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. REQUEST FOR URGENT WITHDRAWAL OF THE PROVISION IN THE LIST OF ACTIVITIES REGARDING THE WEAKENING OF THE SULPHUR DIOXIDE NEW PLANT MINIMUM EMISSION STANDARDS FOR EXISTING PLANTS. 2018. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/CER-letter-to-DEA-re-SO2-MES_8-Nov-2018.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=REQUEST FOR URGENT WITHDRAWAL OF THE PROVISION IN THE LIST OF ACTIVITIES REGARDING THE WEAKENING OF THE SULPHUR DIOXIDE NEW PLANT MINIMUM EMISSION STANDARDS FOR EXISTING PLANTS |date=8 November 2018 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/CER-letter-to-DEA-re-SO2-MES_8-Nov-2018.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2018request, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{REQUEST FOR URGENT WITHDRAWAL OF THE PROVISION IN THE LIST OF ACTIVITIES REGARDING THE WEAKENING OF THE SULPHUR DIOXIDE NEW PLANT MINIMUM EMISSION STANDARDS FOR EXISTING PLANTS}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2018}, month = nov, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/CER-letter-to-DEA-re-SO2-MES_8-Nov-2018.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }