ARCELORMITTAL SOUTH AFRICA (AMSA), VANDERBIJLPARK LAND CONTAMINATION SITE ASSESSMENT REPORT

The CER argues that AMSA's land contamination report for its Vanderbijlpark site is deficient and non-compliant with the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (NEMWA). Key criticisms include the exclusion of the site's northern portion, inadequate sampling of boreholes, and the use of incorrect soil screening standards. Despite these flaws, the report confirms serious contamination, including a 3.02m thick coal tar pool (DNAPL) and plumes of organic chemicals migrating off-site. The CER highlights the presence of Group 1 carcinogens like arsenic, cadmium, and chromium (VI), and notes that sensitive receptors, including a vegetable garden and a lodge, are within a 1km radius. The CER demands that DEA require AMSA to urgently address these gaps and implement remediation measures to prevent further environmental and human health harm.

• The AMSA report identifies significant soil contamination, with the majority of samples exceeding the Soil Screening Value 1 (SSV1) threshold for arsenic, copper, manganese, and lead, as well as exceedances for cadmium, nickel, vanadium, fluoride, nitrate, and sulphate.
• Groundwater analysis revealed a 3.02m thick dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPL) coal tar pool in borehole T-11D, and data from 2014-2016 indicates that dissolved phase organic compounds (LNAPL) are increasing and migrating off-site.
• The report identifies sensitive receptors within a 1km radius, including a borehole (HCBH1) used to irrigate a small vegetable garden and another (HCBH2) located at a lodge/homestead.
• The CER asserts that the assessment is deficient because it excluded the northern portion of the site, which contains a waste dump, several dams, and a central effluent treatment plant.
• The CER criticizes the sampling methodology, noting that only 15 boreholes were analyzed for the assessment despite AMSA having a network of over 150 monitoring wells and data available since 2000.
• The CER argues that AMSA used incorrect standards by referencing SSV2, asserting that only the stricter SSV1 should be used because the site is adjacent to surface water and has groundwater users within 1km.
• The site contains highly toxic Group 1 carcinogens, including cadmium, arsenic, benzo[a]pyrene, and chromium (VI), which the CER notes can cause various cancers and organ failure.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2018). ARCELORMITTAL SOUTH AFRICA (AMSA), VANDERBIJLPARK LAND CONTAMINATION SITE ASSESSMENT REPORT. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CER-to-DEA-Chemicals-Waste-re-AMSA-Land-Contamination-Site-Assessment-Report-01.03.2017.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. ARCELORMITTAL SOUTH AFRICA (AMSA), VANDERBIJLPARK LAND CONTAMINATION SITE ASSESSMENT REPORT. 2018. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CER-to-DEA-Chemicals-Waste-re-AMSA-Land-Contamination-Site-Assessment-Report-01.03.2017.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=ARCELORMITTAL SOUTH AFRICA (AMSA), VANDERBIJLPARK LAND CONTAMINATION SITE ASSESSMENT REPORT |date=1 March 2018 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CER-to-DEA-Chemicals-Waste-re-AMSA-Land-Contamination-Site-Assessment-Report-01.03.2017.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2018arcelormittal, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{ARCELORMITTAL SOUTH AFRICA (AMSA), VANDERBIJLPARK LAND CONTAMINATION SITE ASSESSMENT REPORT}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2018}, month = mar, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CER-to-DEA-Chemicals-Waste-re-AMSA-Land-Contamination-Site-Assessment-Report-01.03.2017.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }