As Sasol works to transition its plant operations to meet the new air quality minimum emissions standards requirements, “credible, viable solutions” to its two biggest air quality challenges remain out of reach and the group plans to apply to have the compliance deadline postponed by five years.

The integrated chemicals and energy group, which operates in compliance with its current licence conditions, on Wednesday admitted it faced some significant challenges with bringing in line, in particular, the sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) emissions with the 2020 new plant standards set for air quality.

While Sasol complied fully with all current air quality laws, and sustained environmental improvements aligned with the objectives of the Air Quality Act, there was no certainty that it would be able to comply with the new laws, said executive VP for operations Bernard Klingenberg.

Addressing media during a roundtable at the group’s Sandton headquarters, he explained that the roadmaps set out for its Secunda, Natref and Sasolburg operations would maintain the group’s compliance with existing plant standards and align with most of the new plant standards by 2025.

However, some elements not met will necessitate further postponements from its current 2020 deadline.

“We do face significant challenges in meeting the new plant standards for steam and power plant SO₂ emissions and coal gasification plant H₂S emissions,” he said.

With the standard five-year review of the Act expected to come up imminently, Sasol planned to provide inputs into the progress being made and provide recommendations on the way forward.

“Our intention is not to influence the process to make it easier, but rather to make it understood that it needs to be more practical and in line with international standards,” he said.

Sasol already meets most of the existing plant standards and will be able to meet most of the new plant standards within a ten-year timeframe to 2025.

“Even as we are transitioning to meet the new plant standards, Sasol does not cause exceedance of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in our communities,” Klingenberg assured.

In the cases of Sasol’s emissions of SO₂ and H₂S, both were well under international ambient standards, and adjusting the plant standards might have unintended consequences, he said, citing the complex flue gas desulphurisation technologies for boiler SO₂ abatement, which required some 4 000 megalitres a year more water, more internal power consumption and 200 000 t of additional lime or limestone.

The reduced SO₂ emissions are offset by increased CO₂ emissions, net reduction in power output and a new waste stream, in addition to other challenges in implementing the plant such as space restrictions and construction on a live brownfield site.

“The outcome of moving from the existing standard to a new plant standard is not positive in an environment where the SO₂ is already below the max NAAQS,” he added.

“Until we have a better technical solution to this one, the outcome will have very little benefit.”

Meanwhile, Sasol’s continuous on-site improvements have realised steady emission reductions in H₂S, which is maintained below the threshold benchmark value for health impacts.

“Reducing H₂S emissions is not a straight-forward exercise through off-the-shelf solutions because the Rectisol offgas is a large stream, at low pressure, with relatively low H₂S concentrations and unique impurities in the offgas stream,” Klingenberg said.

“Commercially available solutions have not been proven in this context.”

Despite this, a further multipronged roadmap is being investigated to sustainably reduce H₂S emissions toward the new plant standard; however Sasol “will be challenged” to meet the new plant standard by 2020.

In line with this, preparations for a request for an extension until 2025 will kick off with consultations next year. Sasol has until April 2019 to submit its request for consideration for a compliance extension until 2025.

Meanwhile, Sasol has assured continuous action regarding environmental initiatives, including work to offset the more serious particulate matter, which remained an immense issue countrywide.

The offsets to reduce community sources of particulate matter and SO₂ also formed part of the postponement conditions and have commenced.

Industrial and nonindustrial emissions, domestic fuel burning, veld fires, dust and waste burning are a significant contributor to high ambient particulate matter levels.

“Independent air pollution impact assessments confirmed that, when operating within our licence limits, which are broadly aligned with existing plant standards, we do not cause exceedances of the NAAQS,” he said.

However, offsets can be a supplementary environmental management tool for improving air quality, with Sasol referring to the conclusion of a pilot offset study in KwaDela, which netted positive results.

The community-based air emission offset programme included veld fire management, recycleable and nonrecycleable waste management and the insulation of RDP houses, with some 500 houses insulated and leading to a 30% to 40% reduction in energy requirements.

The success of the programme led to a new target of 500 houses a year, with ongoing bi-annual community engagements on progress.

Sasol plans to launch its sustainability report on September 21.