Joburg's mine dumps a huge health risk, study finds
Communities living in the shadows of Johannesburg's infamous mine dumps are at greater risk of respiratory illnesses than those of the city's leafy northern suburbs, a new study by the Bench Marks Foundation has found.
The study titled "Waiting to inhale" investigates the health and wellbeing of residents living in four communities in Johannesburg.
It is focused on residents of Riverlea, Diepkloof, Meadowlands and Doornkop, all of which are situated close to one of the most intensely mined areas on the planet.
The research found that many residents of Riverlea are living on oxygen machines.
Residents believe that dust from the nearby Mooifontein mine dump is contributing to the poor air quality that they experience, especially on windy days.
The research was done over three years and coincided with one of the worst droughts to hit the country.
More than half (56.1%) of residents identified respiratory ailments (cough, sinus, asthma and TB) as their most persistent ailment. Four per cent of respondents also reported eye problems.
Bench Marks says that the respiratory problems may be associated with dust from the surrounding mine operations and tailings, asbestos roofing and/or smoking.
Almost all the surveyed houses (97%) in Riverlea had asbestos roofs, even though there has been a total ban on the use of asbestos in building materials since 2008.
In addition, 574 cigarettes were smoked per day by various members of households.
However, 92% of the respondents believed their health problems were caused by surrounding mines.
"Their respiratory problems were not caused by the burning of coal, paraffin, or wood, as some mine studies of the community's health claim, given that 99% of the households had access to electricity, which was installed as long as 1988," the Bench Marks research says.
Residents surveyed in Diepkloof, also suffered from high levels of respiratory ailments.
A total of 48.6% of those surveyed complained of coughing, sinus, asthma and TB.
The research findings in these three communities suggest that mining activity could play a higher role in respiratory ailments than the prevalence of asbestos roofing, the foundation says.
The research team found that mining operations around Riverlea do not take dust pollution seriously.
There are only four dust sample buckets in the suburb.
The residents also complain that the dust buckets are hardly ever collected, and, when they were, the companies responsible for them hardly ever provide feedback to the affected communities.
One dust sample bucket had been placed next to the community centre under a tree by Central Rand Golf.
The foundation says it was removed soon after it posted comments on Facebook regarding the shortcomings of placing a bucket under a tree.
In addition, the mining companies use a dust bucket design dating back to the 1970s, rather than the more modern and accurate means of measuring dust which are currently available.
The Bench Marks Foundation says that the reason outdated systems of measuring dust are used is because profitability always appears to come before responsibility for the mining industry.
"Therefore mining companies will always go for the cheapest options when it comes to community health and the environment."