Govt: Renewables the answer to Mpumalanga pollution crisis
The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries says a move towards renewable energy will alleviate the pollution crisis in Mpumalanga.
A new study has listed the town of Kriel as the world's second biggest sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions hotspot.
Using NASA satellites, Greenpeace identified Kriel as the world’s second biggest SO2 hotspot behind Norilsk in Russia.
Govt: Renewables the answer to Mpumalanga pollution crisis by Nokukhanya Mntambo on Scribd
The Mpumalanga area has a high capacity of coal combustion, including 12 Eskom coal powered stations.
Departmental spokesperson Albie Modise says the department has noted the study with concern.
“Our reliance on coal will scale down as we take up more and more of renewable energy.”
He warns that the approach to the issue of renewable energy will have to take into consideration the struggling economy and high unemployment figures.
“We are also alive to the fact that we need not in any way contribute towards the retrenchment of people"