The National Foundry Technology Network (NFTN) is reminding all foundries of the March 31, 2023, deadline for annual stack emission reporting on the NAEIS portal.
Reporting your annual stack emissions is critical to maintaining compliance with the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (NEM: AQA) of 2004. And by doing so, you will also be playing your part to maintain a clean and healthy atmosphere, whilst contributing to the country’s efforts to meet its environmental compliance.
Ensure compliance with ease: How foundries can meet their reporting obligations?
As a foundry, it is important to stay on top of your reporting obligations and the process has been made easy to follow.
The NFTN Senior Project Manager – Sector Sustainability, Manini Phokwane Ramagaga explains, “The South African Atmospheric Emission Licensing and Inventory Portal (SAAELIP) provides a one-stop-shop solution, with single sign-on access to the NAEIS reporting portal.”
NAEIS will also be be undertaking online training via MS Teams for all users on 03 and 17 March 2023. Interested applicants are urged to contact DFFEE Atmospheric Quality Information Directorate, Nelvia Phala at NPhala@dffe.gov.za for more information with regards t the training.
Which Companies/ Entities Must Report on NAEIS?
Ramagaga says that all emissions associated with Section 21 listed activities, such as foundries, mines, and quarries, as well as Section 23 controlled emitters are required to report annual emissions.
In terms of the NAEIS Reporting guidelines, emissions reporting is mandatory for all source groups/companies that fall into the following categories:
A. Listed activities published in terms of section 21(1) of the Act
- Any person that undertakes a listed activity in terms of section 21(1) of the Act.
B. Controlled emitter declared in terms of section23(1) of the Act
- Any person that undertakes a listed activity in terms of section 21(1) of the Act and uses an appliance or conducts an activity that has been declared a controlled emitter in terms of section 23 (1) of the Act.
- Any relevant air quality officer receiving emission reports as contemplated under notice made in terms of section 23 of the Act.
C. Mines
- Any person, that holds a mining right or permits in terms of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act 28 of 2002).
D. Facilities identified by the applicable municipal by-law
- Any person that operates a facility that generates criteria pollution and has been identified by the applicable municipal by-law.
According to Ramagaga, reporting of categorised Section 21 activities is informed by the processes the facility operates and the generated emissions that can be released into the atmosphere.
“For each process of the listed activities, the NAEIS reporting guideline provides emission units to be reported on the NAEIS, pollutants per emission unit and the methodology for estimating emissions. The foundry sector mostly falls under groups A and B,” she explains.
Companies can view the list of activities and associated minimum emission standards published by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment by visiting https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201811/42013gon1207.pdf for more information.
About the NFTN
The NFTN is an initiative by the dtic hosted by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) that is committed to improving the competitiveness of the South African foundry industry through competitiveness improvement intervention, technology and localisation, skills development, and regulatory compliance support.
During the NAEIS reporting period of January 01 to March 31, 2023, the department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), will be undertaking NAEIS training online via MS Teams for all users on 03 and 17 March 2023. Interested applicants are urged to contact DFFE Atmospheric Quality Information Directorate, Nelvia Phala at NPhala@dffe.gov.za for more information with regards to the training.