20 June 2025 What You Need to Know About Emission Licensing and the GRDM
What You Need to Know About Emission Licensing and the GRDM
20 June 2025
“GRDM’s Air Quality Management Unit regulates, amongst others, industrial emissions to maintain a healthy environment. Atmospheric Emission Licences (AEL) are issued by the GRDM team to industries operating on the Garden Route (Hessequa, Mossel Bay, George, Knysna, Bitou, Oudtshoorn and Kannaland), said Dr Johann Schoeman, GRDM Manager: District Air Quality Control.
“Local municipalities have a role to play by enforcing air quality laws, regulating small pollution sources (like fuel-burning appliances), and managing air quality nuisances outside their jurisdictions.”
Industries that require an AEL are referred to as ‘Listed Activities’, classified under Government Notice 893 of November 2013 (as amended). The law recognises industrial activities that could harm the air you breathe, impact public health, disrupt environmental and cultural heritage, and possibly impact social and economic conditions.
To make sure air quality is managed sustainably, the GRDM has an Air Quality Management Plan. It was recently unanimously adopted by the GRDM Council after extensive consultations. The document is available at tinyurl.com/4vpskzy7 or via the municipal website at www.gardenroute.gov.za.
Which activities are listed on the Garden Route?
There are 10 broad categories of listed activities, each with subcategories of industries that need licensing. GRDM has 24 Section 21 Listed Activities and three Controlled Emitters, regulated under Section 23 of the Air Quality Act. Here’s what they include:
- Combustion installations (Power stations and industrial boilers that burn fossil fuels for energy)
- Petrochemical Industry where fuels are produced and stored by refining and processing crude oil, coal, gas, and biomass.
- Coal gasification and carbonization (the process of converting coal into gas or solid carbon-based products) or tar processes in which creosote or tar is heated or distilled in any manufacturing process.
- Metallurgy (Processing and refining metals like steel, aluminium, and iron)
- Handling, storing, and processing minerals (crushing, screening, and transporting mined materials) The clay brick making process is also part of this category.
- Organic chemical industry which covers the manufacturing of organic chemicals and compounds.
- Inorganic chemical industry where specific inorganic chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, hydrogen cyanide, etc., are manufactured or used.
- Treatment of Hazardous and General Waste (incineration of waste materials, including hazardous and medical waste; crematoria, etc.)
- Pulp and paper manufacturing activities including by-product recovery such as lime recovery kilns, chemical recovery furnaces, etc.
- Animal matter processing plants such as bone or fishmeal processing plants and tanneries.
A couple of fixed and mobile air quality monitoring stations keep an eye on these activities:
- George – Located at the Roads Depot (Mission Street)
- Mossel Bay – Located at the MHS offices
The Earthsense mobile analyser of the GRDM is moved around in the district to check specific potential air quality hot spots.
Data from these stations goes to the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS), accessible at saaqis.environment.gov.za.
Global air pollution poses risks to both human health and the environment, so the GRDM Air Quality Management Unit, Local Municipalities and the National Government remain committed to regulating industrial emissions.
Feature image: The Earthsense mobile analyser of the GRDM is moved around in the district to check specific potential air quality hot spots.
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