Filling stations and associated contamination : remediation and proposed mitigation measures
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Date
2010-02-26T11:53:46Z
Authors
Govender, Vaneshrie
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Abstract
This study involves a review of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
legislation associated with the filling station industry. This is in order to
determine if the South African EIA decision-making processes adequately
evaluate new filling station developments. An additional objective of this study
was to determine whether the local and provincial EIA decision-making structures
and the filling station industry effectively evaluate the significance of filling
station impacts and impose stringent enough mitigation measures.
A comprehensive literature review was undertaken on the various types of
hydrocarbon contamination as well as the various hydrocarbon contamination
assessment methods. In addition, the methods of remediation were also
reviewed. This was in order to determine the ease and practicability of
remediation at contaminated sites as well as the associated financial implications.
Twenty six case studies were examined to determine the percentage of filling
stations sites that are expected to be contaminated and individual analysis of two
sites was undertaken to evaluate the success of remediation efforts.
This study indicates that a majority of filling station sites are associated with
contamination. Remediation however is a long term process which does not fully
eradicate contamination. The outcome of this investigation reveals that
contamination must be prevented at the outset. Based on this it is determined
that the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) needs to pose
stricter measures on the filling station industry during the EIA phase of the
development. Industry also needs to adopt more stringent mitigation measures
during the design stage of projects to ensure protection of the environment.