Tides project Global Community Monitor helps build community activism through science, technology

Building Community Activism Through Science and Technology

This week, groundWork, [1] together with Global Community Monitor (GCM) [2] in San Francisco, the United States, and Community Environmental Monitoring [3] in Cuddalore, India will be training and launching a series of dust sampling methods that community people can use to assess what metals and fractions (PM10 and PM2.5) are present in the dust that people are breathing in mining and heavy industrialized areas.

For the first time communities living in South Africa’s air pollution hotspots across the country will now be able to test the air for heavy metals and dust particles.

This is building on the successful Bucket Brigade community based air pollution monitoring system that was introduced into South Africa in 2000 by groundWork, GCM’s Executive Director, Denny Larson, and the South African Exchange Programme on Environmental Justice [4]. This enabled communities to test for a wide variety of volatile organic compounds such as benzene as well as sulphurs. The bucket brigade samples taken throughout South Africa resulted in a series of successes namely the new National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act of 2004, and south Durban Multi Point Plan, and the recently launched Cancer Surveillance Study for south Durban, and the recognition and admittance by industry and government that these dangerous toxic chemicals are present in community air.

For a number of years, groundWork has motivated for government to monitor for mercury which is a by-product of coal incineration processes. Although this is happening in eThekwini and in the Highveld Priority Area, much more needs to be done at other pollution hotspots nationally. The monitoring equipment will therefore, detect metals such as mercury, vanadium, manganese and chrome, that is released from platinum, coal and iron mining and steel smelting facilities. This information will be able to assist communities to better understand the toxins they are exposed to and to be able to motivate government to set in place stringent legislation and enforcement mechanisms.

On the 22nd and and 23rd of June, groundWork is facilitating a community training on metals and particulate matter detection. The trainers are Denny Larson of Bucket Brigade fame from GCM, and Shweta Narayan, an air pollution activist Cuddalore, India. Community representatives from south Durban, Rustenburg, Newcastle, Pietermaritzburg, Sasolburg, Steel Valley and Boipatong in the Vaal Triangle, and Middleburg will be attending.

Samples for heavy metals have been taken in the Vaal, Rustenburg, Middleburg and Newcastle. Results are expected during the week of training. Community meetings will be held in all these areas to report back on findings, and plan a strategy for action.

Siziwe Khanyile, Air Quality Campaign Manager for groundWork:
“In the debate between government, industry and community to develop emission standards for industry, the metal sintering industry wants to avoid having to adhere to emissions standards on metals. groundWork hopes that this process will prove to government that South Africa urgently needs ambient air quality and industrial emissions standards for metals and PM 2.5.”

Denny Larson, Executive Director of GCM:

“Wherever I have visited globally I see people suffering from being exposed to metals and dust fractions from heavy industry and mining. They are always called to prove that their illnesses are as a result of industrial activity. GCM will assist South African communities to prove these impacts are a fact and not a perception.”

Shweta Narayan of Community Environmental Monitoring:
“In India and Africa, and the global South in general, industry acts with impunity and knowingly encourages industrial practices that will not be allowed in the global North. The work this week will build on the South–South solidarity that was started with groundWork and the South African community visit to India, and Cuddalore in particular, in December 2009.”

End:

For more information:
Siziwe Khanyile, groundWork, Friends of the Earth, South Africa
073 830 8173

Denny Larson, Global Community Monitor, Unites States
071 2998506

Footnotes:

[1] www.groundwork.org.za
[2] http://www.gcmonitor.org
[3] http://www.sipcotcuddalore.com
[4] The South African Exchange Programme on Environmental Justice in now groundWork US http://www.groundwork-usa.org