The Coega Development Corporation (CDC), already a leading Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) in South Africa, now aims to break new ground in environmental management within IDZs by developing an air dispersion model, it announced recently.

Using existing baseline data from three active air quality monitoring stations, the CDC can manage where investors are placed in the IDZ with the objective of minimising the impact on air quality across the IDZ and on nearby communities.

In this way, the CDC is going the extra mile to ensure there is limited air pollution within the IDZ.

Earlier last year, the CDC identified the need to ensure that the effect of emissions from tenants’ activities within the IDZ does not exceed the official ambient air quality standards, or pose a health and/or environmental risk to the region.

In line with legislation

Even though the CDC has established air quality monitoring stations on its 11 500ha land – which encompasses 14 sector-orientated sub-zones – it is making use of the air dispersion model to manage air quality and ensure compliance with National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA) No 39 of 2004.

Andrea Shirley, environmental manager at the CDC, said, “A suitable modelling process will give the CDC the ability to determine the effect of proposed activities to assist decision making on the desirability of proposed investors.

This will allow the screening of prospective investors to determine the effects of their air emissions on the ambient air quality in the IDZ and surrounding areas.”

The emissions inventory used to develop the air dispersion model, gives the total emissions of various pollutants and contains all notable existing sources both outside the IDZ, but within the five kilometre radius, and within the IDZ boundary.

Using legislation to mould business development

Shirley, added that “as Coega IDZ landlords we have to ensure that the developers do not exceed pollution levels set nationally. If our tenants are not compliant, we are not compliant with the environmental legislation.”

Dr Ayanda Vilakazi, CDC head of marketing and communications, said the air monitoring system “is a unique way to use legislation to mould business development and to reduce the impact on the environment”.

“What is more, we are able to protect local communities and ensure that the Coega IDZ maintains the highest standards and best practices, which in turn enhances our attractiveness to investors wanting to be associated with global standards of good business activity,” he added.