South Africa: Toxic air is now legal

A statement by Friends of the Earth International criticizing the South African government's February 2014 decision to grant air quality standard postponements to major industrial entities, including Eskom, Sasol, and Engen, which the organization argues prioritizes corporate profit over public health.

• On 24 February 2014, the South African government granted postponements for meeting air quality standards to industries including Eskom, Sasol, and Engen. The author asserts that these postponements effectively make "toxic air legal air" and render Section 24 of the constitution—which guarantees the right to an environment not harmful to health—redundant.
• The postponements granted to Eskom are projected to cause approximately 20,000 premature deaths over the remaining lifespan of its power plants, including roughly 1,600 deaths of young children. Additionally, Eskom is linked to half of the respiratory-related illnesses and hospital admissions in the Highveld.
• The economic impact of Eskom's pollution, including neurotoxic effects from mercury exposure and associated sickness and death, is estimated at R230 billion (US$20 billion).
• The document traces a history of struggle for emission standards, noting that while the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) of 1998 allowed for industry self-regulation in clause 35, and a 2004 Air Quality Bill initially lacked standards, civil society resistance eventually secured mandatory minimum emission standards.

APA

admin (2015). South Africa: Toxic air is now legal. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/south-africa-toxic-air-is-now-legal/

Chicago

admin. South Africa: Toxic air is now legal. Friends of the Earth International, 2015. https://www.foei.org/south-africa-toxic-air-is-now-legal/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=admin |title=South Africa: Toxic air is now legal |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=9 March 2015 |url=https://www.foei.org/south-africa-toxic-air-is-now-legal/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{admin2015south, author = {admin}, title = {{South Africa: Toxic air is now legal}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2015}, month = mar, url = {https://www.foei.org/south-africa-toxic-air-is-now-legal/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }