REQUEST FOR REVIEW AND STRENGHENING OF THE NATIONAL DUST CONTROL REGULATIONS

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing various non-governmental and community organisations, submitted a request to the South African Minister of Environmental Affairs on 16 October 2015 to review and strengthen the National Dust Control Regulations. The CER argues that the current regulations are ineffective at alleviating fugitive dust emissions in mining and industrial areas, particularly due to an over-reliance on a 30-day monitoring average and the use of a 'crude' measurement method (ASTM D1739) that fails to protect human health.

• The National Dust Control Regulations are considered ineffective because they rely on a 30-day monitoring average, which prevents the quantification of high-concentration dust emissions occurring during discrete intervals. This often results in monitoring reports showing readings within 'acceptable dustfall rates' despite significant and harmful dust levels.
• The regulations rely on the ASTM D1739: 1970 method for measuring dustfall, which the ASTM itself describes as a 'crude and non-specific test method' that is not suitable for determining dustfall rates in small areas affected by specific sources.
• In the Highveld Priority Area (HPA), fugitive PM10 emissions from mine haul roads account for 49% of the total annual PM10 emissions, highlighting the critical need for effective regulation of these specific sources.
• The current regulatory framework is criticized for being too reactive, as the obligation to develop a dust management plan or undertake PM10 ambient air quality monitoring is only triggered after demonstrating a violation of 'acceptable dustfall rates', a process that can take between three months and one year.
• The CER recommends adopting a pro-active approach based on the Michigan and Utah (USA) models, which prioritize the implementation of best practices (such as watering roads and enclosing conveyors) and use opacity standards rather than dustfall standards for enforcement.
• There is a reported lack of requirements for geochemical, chemical, and radionuclide analysis of dust from tailings storage facilities, which is concerning given the potential for radioactive and toxic dust fallout from gold and uranium tailings dumps.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2015). REQUEST FOR REVIEW AND STRENGHENING OF THE NATIONAL DUST CONTROL REGULATIONS. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/CER-Letter-to-Minister-of-Environmental-Affairs-requesting-the-strengthening-of-the-National-Dust-Control-Regulations-16-Oct-2015.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. REQUEST FOR REVIEW AND STRENGHENING OF THE NATIONAL DUST CONTROL REGULATIONS. 2015. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/CER-Letter-to-Minister-of-Environmental-Affairs-requesting-the-strengthening-of-the-National-Dust-Control-Regulations-16-Oct-2015.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=REQUEST FOR REVIEW AND STRENGHENING OF THE NATIONAL DUST CONTROL REGULATIONS |date=16 October 2015 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/CER-Letter-to-Minister-of-Environmental-Affairs-requesting-the-strengthening-of-the-National-Dust-Control-Regulations-16-Oct-2015.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2015request, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{REQUEST FOR REVIEW AND STRENGHENING OF THE NATIONAL DUST CONTROL REGULATIONS}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2015}, month = oct, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/CER-Letter-to-Minister-of-Environmental-Affairs-requesting-the-strengthening-of-the-National-Dust-Control-Regulations-16-Oct-2015.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }