NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT, 107 OF 1998: CONSULTATION ON THE DRAFT NATIONAL REGULATIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF MERCURY IN SOUTH AFRICA
Notice Title: National Environmental Management Act, 107 of 1998 (“NEMA”): Consultation on the Draft National Regulations for the Management of Mercury in South Africa
Government Notice: GN 4144 in GG 49816 on 4 December 2023
Commencing date: Comments to be submitted on or before 2 January 2024
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, intends to publish the Regulations for the Management of Mercury in South Africa, developed in terms of section 25(3), read with section 47(1) of the NEMA.
The Regulations for the Management of Mercury in South Africa (“draft Mercury Regulations”) are intended to manage and regulate mercury in South Africa, and to domesticate the Minamata Convention on Mercury (“the Convention”), of which South Africa is a party and ratified in 2019. The draft Mercury Regulations are in line with the objectives of the Convention.
The purpose of the draft Mercury Regulations is:
- to eliminate the anthropogenic releases of mercury,
- to manage processes releasing mercury into the environment,
- to phase out mercury added products,
- to phase down dental amalgam; and
- to regulate mercury storage facilities, including mercury added products as listed on the annexures of the Minamata Convention.
The Draft Regulations were initially published for comments under GNR 3189 on 24 March 2023, but are being republished due to the number of comments received and the revisions made to them.
Members of the public are invited to submit written comments and inputs on or before 2 January 2024. For a copy of the Government Gazette Notice click here.
For more information or assistance please contact Jan Nel at jan@shangoni.co.za
