A holistic hydrogeological environmental site risk assessment methodology for the fertilizer industry in South Africa

Abstract

English: There has been a definitive increase in environmental legislation over the past decade. These new environmental laws established principles such as duty of care and the polluter pay principle. Numerous companies in South Africa have historical impacts, particularly ground water impacts deriving from the period where no or less comprehensive environmental legislation was promulgated. Furthermore, the sudden evolution of environmental legislation has but significant strain on companies to comply with environmental law. The quantification of ground water impact through a methodological approach which can provide adequate information for a decision on the need to disclose the liability as part of the financial audit process is absent in South Africa. This study focussed on deriving a methodology which can be applied in the South African Fertiliser Industry, in assisting with the investigation and quantification of ground water impacts in order to assist with the decision on the need to disclose the liability as part of the financial statements and the newly derived reporting practice of integrated reporting.

Afrikaans: Daar was `n doelgerigte toename in die promulgering van omgewings wetgewing the afgelope dekade in Suid Afrika. Hierdie toename in omgewings wetgewing het beginsels soos die verpligting om versigtig te wees en die besoedelaar betaal gevestig. ‘n Aantal maatskappye in Suid Afrika het historiese omgewings impakte, veral grondwater impakte wat hoofsaaklik toegeskryf kan word aan die tydperk voor die promulgering van nuwe omgewings wetgewing. Die toename in omgewings wetgewing die afgelope dekade het druk op maatskappye geplaas om aan die nuwe vereistes te voldoen. Daar is huidiglik geen metodologie in Suid Afrika wat die kwantifisering van grondwater impak as deel van die rapportering van finansiele state volbring nie. Hierdie studie fokus op die daarstel van `n metodologie wat toegepas kan word in die Suid Afrikaanse Kunsmis Industrie, om te assisteer met die ondersoek en kwantisering van grondwater impak, ten doel, om besluitneming te assisteer in die rapportering van inligting omtrent die omgewingsimpak se geassosieerde finansiële verantwoordelikheid en die nuut gevonde beginsel van geintegreerde rapportering.