Please Note: All of the below papers are a minimum of four pages long and some are significantly longer. Most of the Position Papers are in Rich Text Format (.rtf) and can be read by almost all versions of Microsoft Word and Corel Wordperfect. This is easy to read and more printer friendly than HTML. You can save them to your hard drive or can just open them and view them once.
APPEAL IN TERMS OF SECTION 35(3) OF THE ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION ACT 73 OF 1989, July 8, 2004
Against the Kwa-Zulu Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs' authorization to Mondi Paper, Merebank to construct a 90 ton multi-fuel boiler (MFB), to rebuild Paper Machine No 1 (PM1) and to the installation of flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) on existing coal fired boilers. Read the Paper
“Behind The Shine” - The Real Impacts Of Shell’s Work Around The World, June 2004
This report will highlight Shells poor performance as a leading corporate social responsibility advocate, its failure to address the concerns of Shell fenceline communities from last year’s AGM and the link between Shell’s exaggerated oil reserves fiasco and its exaggerated cliams about its social and environmental performance in order to highlight the need for urgent reform of UK company law and Shells attitude to fenceline communities. View the Book (517 kb .pdf)
Petition Against the Proposed Upgrade of Mondi Paper, June 2004
We request that you sign and collect signatures for this petition, to add weight to our call to stop the proposed construction and operation of a 90 ton multi-fuel boiler at the Mondi Paper mill in Merebank, Durban and the installation of a 9 000 litre aboveground storage tank for diesel on the adjacent Eastlands site. This has been authorised by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs in terms of the provisions of section 22 (3) of the Environment Conservation Act, Act No. 73 of 1989 and SDCEA, our affiliates and residents will be appealing this decision. Read the Paper
The Settlers Primary School Health Study, November 2002
A study was carried out to look at whether air pollution may be causing breathing problems amongst the students and teachers at the Settlers Primary School in the South Durban Industrial Basin. Levels in the air of several pollutants were measured on the school grounds during an 18-day period, 19 April - 6 May, 2001. All teachers, all students in grades 3 and 6, and some students in grades 5 and 7, were invited to participate in the study. Read the Paper
Failing the challenge: The Other Shell Report, 2002
In The Shell Report 2003 the multinational asks us to tell it what we think about its progress by using the “Tell Shell” system. In this report we take the company up on the offer. Here people tell Shell about their concerns:
• Shell invites us to tell it about the issues we face – here, the people who live closest to the borders of Shell’s facilities (Shell’s “fenceline” neighbours) ask the company to listen to them.
• Shell says it values our views – we ask Shell to address the problems of its operations on the ground by taking action on every level and by coming to meet the people.
• Shell asks us join the global debate – we ask Shell to live up to its goals on human rights, sustainability and environmental protection. Read the Report (.pdf)Review of the Report: Emission Inventory for South Durban (prepared by Ecoserv (Pty) Ltd.) dated April 2000, by Eugene Cairncross for SDCEA, September 2000
A review of the report on Emission Inventory of South Durban that was written for the South Durban Sulphur Dioxide Systems Steering Committee. The review concludes that the number of pollutants proposed to be included should be increased. It also finds that the report is a valuable beginning step for compiling such an inventory is clearly but that "the report should be revised both to improve confidence in the data presented and to more clearly identify limitations of the data." 21 pages. Read the Paper
NGO Activities and Experiences from a Heavily Polluted Industrial Area in Durban, South Africa, 13 November 1999
A presentation by SDCEA to the Danish aid agency DN about the problems SCDEA is facing and how it has organised to address them by interactions with government, industry, and the community. 6 pages. Read the Paper
Complaint concerning Violation of Constitutional Right to Environment with Particular Reference to Failure to Regulate by Chief Air Pollution Control Officer, 16 September 1999
Presentation to the Minister of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) that sets out the history of engagement between communities of South Durban and the Milnerton area of Cape Town with the Chief Air Pollution Control Officer and various other officials of the DEAT concerning ways to regulate pollution from oil refineries in order to protect people's health. By A. Andrews, Legal Resources Centre, for SDCEA. 9 pages. Read the Paper
The South Durban Strategic Environmental Assessment: A response by the residents of South Durban, 4 November 1999
A Submission to the Durban Metro concerning the outcomes of the South Durban Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) commissioned by the Durban Metro Council in 1996 and the decision- making by the Durban Metro Council political leadership based on the outcomes of the SEA. 34 pages. Read the Paper
Critique of the South Durban Strategic Environmental Assessment (SDSEA) Process, July 1999
Critique of the SEA conducted by CSIR which recommends that an SEA should be conducted according to principles of Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) and consistent with approaches to participation and capacity building outlined in the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). Includes a critique of the issues of finance, Local Agenda 21 principles, dissemination of information, and media. 10 pages. Read the Paper
Critique of the South Durban Strategic Environmental Assessment, 21 June 1999
Detailed legal critique of the CSIR South Durban SEA challenging the description of air quality in the area because of inadequate data and critiquing the options that were considered. By A Andrews, Legal Resources Centre, for SDCEA. 7 pages. Read the Paper
Review and Comment on the CSIR's South Durban Strategic Environmental Assessment (SDSEA) Reports on Air Quality, 6 January 1999
Critique of four air quality reports concludes that not all pollutants were included, that pollution levels are two to four time higher (for different averaging periods) than the maxima recommended by the World Health Organization, but that the reports fail to recommend drastic reductions in emissions in the area. By Eugene K Cairncross for SDCEA. 13 pages. Read the Paper
