QUESTION NO. 2746.
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 30 NW3418E
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 23 September 2010
Mrs S V Kalyan (DA) to ask the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs:
(1) Whether a health risk assessment is being conducted on the effects of air quality on the local
population of St Helena Bay; if not, why not; if so, (a) what is being tested for, (b) how many air
samples have thus far been taken and (c) on what days were these samples taken;
(2) whether the fish factories allegedly responsible for the poor air quality were informed of the
testing before the testing took place; if not, why not; if so, how can this be justified;
(3) (a) how much fish was on site at the factories and (b) in what state of decay was the fish at the
time of the testing?
Mrs S V Kalyan (DA) SECRETARY TO PARLIAMENT
HANSARD
PAPERS OFFICE
PRESS
2746. THE MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ANSWERS:
(1)
A human health risk assessment is being conducted in St Helena Bay.
(a) Hydrogen sulphide is measured in all fish processing plants and formaldehyde in only those
plants that add formaldehyde in their process. Trimethylamine will be modelled from emission
factors for all plants.
(b) 16 hydrogen sulphide and 16 formaldehyde samples have been taken to date. Sampling is still
continuing.
(c)
Samples were taken from the 16th to the 20th August 2010.
(2) The fish processing plants were notified about the sampling programme prior to sampling.
Sampling can only be done when the plants are in operation and this is dependent on the availability
of fish. It is reported that sometimes the plants can go for weeks without fish and it is for this reason
that the plants have to confirm the availability of fish prior to consultants finalising their travelling
arrangements to avoid unfruitful expenditure on transport and accommodation costs. In addition,
sampling is done on various location most of which are not safe and in some cases holes have to be
drilled on stacks to allow sampling probes to be inserted in the stacks. The fish processing plants
have therefore to be notified prior to sampling to assist in making the sampling areas conducive for
sampling.
(3)
(a) The quantity of fish ranged from 11 to 23 tons.
(b) There is a standard test called Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen (TVBN) which is used by the
industries to measure the state of decay of fish. The results already received indicated a TVBN of 9694 (25 to 30 indicate fresh fish, and 100 and above indicate old/stale fish). We are still awaiting other
results from the laboratory.