GREENHOUSE GASSES: PRIORITY POLLUTANTS
Title: Declaration of Greenhouse Gases as Priority Air Pollutants
Government Notice: GN 6 in GG 39578 of 8 January 2016
Date of commencement: Not yet specified
Potentially affected controls: Activities requiring Pollution Prevention Plans
In terms of section 29(1) of the National Environmental Management Air Quality Act 39 of 2004 the Minister may declare any substance contributing to air pollution as a priority air pollutant and the Minister may require persons falling within a category specified in the notice to prepare, submit to the Minister or MEC for approval, and implement pollution prevention plans in respect of such substance.
The following greenhouse gases are proposed to be declared priority air pollutants in terms of section 29(1 )(a) of this Act:
(a) Carbon dioxide (C02);
(b) Methane (CH4);
(c) Nitrous oxide (N20);
(d) Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs);
(e) Perfluorocarbons (PFCs); and
(f) D Sulphur hexafluoride (SFG).
In terms of these regulations the following persons/ companies will have to submit a pollution prevention plan: A person conducting a production process set out in Annexure A to this notice which involves the direct emission of greenhouses gases declared as priority air pollutant, in excess of 0.1 Megatonnes (Mt) annually measured as carbon dioxide equivalents (C02-eq) or a person undertaking production process listed in Annexure A to this Notice as a primary activity.
Members of the public are hereby invited to submit to the Minister, within 30 days after the publication of the notice in the Gazette, written representations or objections on the proposed national pollution prevention plans regulations to the addresses specified in the notice.
