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This report projects that Eskom's planned non-compliance with South Africa's Minimum Emission Standards (MES) would lead to an estimated 16,000 avoidable premature deaths and significant excess emissions of SO2, NOx, particulate matter, and mercury. The health impacts are particularly acute in the Gauteng region, where 3,100 premature deaths could be avoided through full compliance. The analysis also highlights that mercury deposition would exceed health risk thresholds over 89,000km², affecting 3.4 million people.

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.