matimba-health-risk-assessment_6-e4803f6ab69f5bcb.pdf

This report reviews risk factors to quantify the potential health impacts of particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions from various Eskom operations. It synthesizes global epidemiological data from organizations like the WHO and USEPA to establish risk estimates for mortality and morbidity, while incorporating South African provincial population and health data to support a health risk assessment.

• Short-term exposure to PM10 and PM2.5 is associated with increased non-accidental mortality and hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory issues. For PM10, risk estimates for total non-accidental mortality range from 1% to 3.8% per 50 ug/m3 increase, while PM2.5 estimates range from 6% to 10% per 50 ug/m3 increase.
• Long-term exposure to PM2.5 shows a robust association with premature mortality. The WHO (2005) concluded that every 10 ug/m3 increase in PM2.5 is related to an approximately 6% increase in the risk of premature mortality.
• Sulphate exposure is linked to respiratory hospitalizations and mortality. Long-term risk estimates for a 50 ug/m3 increment in annual mean SO4 include a 40% increase in total non-accidental mortality and a 70% increase in cardiopulmonary mortality.
• Sulphur dioxide (SO2) primarily affects the respiratory tract, with asthma sufferers being the most sensitive group. Short-term exposure is linked to increased hospital admissions for COPD and asthma, particularly in children; for example, a 10 ug/m3 increase in SO2 is associated with a 1.3% increase in asthma admissions for children aged 0 to 14 years.
• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure causes reversible effects on lung function and increases susceptibility to respiratory infections. Long-term exposure is significantly related to non-accidental mortality; an increase of 10 ug/m3 in long-term NO2 concentration is associated with a 14% increase in annual non-accidental mortality, a 48% increase in lung cancer mortality, and a 27% increase in cardiopulmonary mortality.
• The report utilizes South African provincial data from the 2001 Census and the 2000 National Burden of Disease Study to provide population and mortality baselines for the Free State, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). matimba-health-risk-assessment_6-e4803f6ab69f5bcb.pdf. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Matimba-Health-Risk-Assessment_6.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. matimba-health-risk-assessment_6-e4803f6ab69f5bcb.pdf. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Matimba-Health-Risk-Assessment_6.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=matimba-health-risk-assessment_6-e4803f6ab69f5bcb.pdf |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Matimba-Health-Risk-Assessment_6.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsndmatimbahealthriskassessment6e4803f6ab69f5bcbpdf, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{matimba-health-risk-assessment\_6-e4803f6ab69f5bcb.pdf}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Matimba-Health-Risk-Assessment_6.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }