WWW.CHEMTRAILS911.COM

SA 'choking to death' on air pollutants

By Dominique Herman and Sapa
February 17 2006 at 05:49AM
A "vile cocktail" of cancer-causing pollutants has been measured in and around some of South Africa's industrial centres.

This was stated on Thursday by Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk at the opening of an international conference in Somerset West, Western Cape, on weather, climate and air quality.

He said the country spent more than R4-billion a year on respiratory health problems linked to foul air.

Air quality was one of the most pressing environmental health challenges facing both the developed and developing world, he told delegates at the 14th Session of the Commission for Atmospheric Sciences.

"Unacceptable concentrations of cancer-causing pollutants have been measured in and around our own industrial centres.

"Every winter, our people cough and choke from breathing a vile cocktail of airborne pollution that remains trapped under temperature-inversion layers," the minister said.

He said the first set of ambient air quality standards for the country would be announced for public comment before the end of next month.

This is in terms of the Air Quality Act, which was passed in parliament in 2004 and came into effect this year. The act allows the government to regulate certain categories of emitters, making the operator legally accountable for the quality of its emissions.

To provide the "backbone" of South Africa's new air- quality management, the country was also developing an Air Quality Information System within the South African Weather Service to provide complete information for informed air-quality decision-making.

Climate change was also at the forefront of governance policies, Van Schalkwyk said. As one of 24 World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) global stations, the Cape Point Global Atmosphere Watch Station recently measured ambient background concentrations of carbon dioxide at the level of 370 parts per million, which amounted to an increase of about 5,4 percent over the past 10 years.

"According to the World Bank, more than 95 percent of disaster-related deaths occur in developing countries... and it is Africa that stands among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change," the minister said.

The South African Weather Service is the agency responsible for implementing the convention of the WMO. The WMO is a specialised agency of the United Nations that acts as the authoritative voice on the atmosphere in relation to the oceans, climate and water resources.

The convention was set up to facilitate exchange and standardisation of weather information and the provision of meteorological services.

On Monday, the Excellence Award from the United Arab Emirates for work done in advancing the science and practice of weather modification will be conferred on the South African Weather Service.
"Every winter, our people cough and choke from breathing a vile cocktail of airborne pollution that remains trapped under temperature-inversion layers," the minister said.

He said the first set of ambient air quality standards for the country would be announced for public comment before the end of next month.

This is in terms of the Air Quality Act, which was passed in parliament in 2004 and came into effect this year. The act allows the government to regulate certain categories of emitters, making the operator legally accountable for the quality of its emissions.

To provide the "backbone" of South Africa's new air- quality management, the country was also developing an Air Quality Information System within the South African Weather Service to provide complete information for informed air-quality decision-making.

Climate change was also at the forefront of governance policies, Van Schalkwyk said. As one of 24 World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) global stations, the Cape Point Global Atmosphere Watch Station recently measured ambient background concentrations of carbon dioxide at the level of 370 parts per million, which amounted to an increase of about 5,4 percent over the past 10 years.

"According to the World Bank, more than 95 percent of disaster-related deaths occur in developing countries... and it is Africa that stands among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change," the minister said.

The South African Weather Service is the agency responsible for implementing the convention of the WMO. The WMO is a specialised agency of the United Nations that acts as the authoritative voice on the atmosphere in relation to the oceans, climate and water resources.

The convention was set up to facilitate exchange and standardisation of weather information and the provision of meteorological services.

On Monday, the Excellence Award from the United Arab Emirates for work done in advancing the science and practice of weather modification will be conferred on the South African Weather Service.