Wasting the Nation.indd - Groundwork

Chapter 4: The toxic cradle of productiondamage reported around a plant in Hamilton Harbour. 73 In addition to local healthimpacts, sulphur and nitrogen emissions contribute substantially to acid rain. Table 6summarises the main pollutants from iron and steel making processes.South Africa’s state owned Iscor was more or less gifted to the transnational corporationMittal in the 1990s and is now owned by ArcelorMittal following the merger thatcreated the world’s dominant steel producer. The corporation fought a fierce battle toavoid recognition of and liability for its destruction of Steel Valley. It won. Repeatingthe strategy of the Far West Rand mining houses, it bought out the nearly 600smallholdings in the valley and fenced it in. The municipality is now consideringlocating a new landfill in the valley, a sign that it is regarded as already sacrificed.Table 6: Pollution from steel plantsSteel making processMost significant pollutants from steel making processesCoking plants (where coalis made into coke)Blast furnace iron makingBasic oxygen furnaceElectric arc furnaceReheat furnaces and onsitepower plantsParticulates, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, raw ‘coke oven gas’,benzene and PAHs to air; oils and wastewaters containing phenols,cyanides and ammonia.Iron fumes, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide toair; waste water containing iron and heavy metals. Bleeder openingscan be noisy and release carbon monoxide and particulates.Iron fumes, heavy metals and carbon monoxide if they escape collection;and carbon dioxide.Iron fumes, other metals, dioxins and furans, and carbon monoxideinto air; waste water; fume dust to landfill; and noise.Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides to air, particularly when burningfuel oil; large amounts of ash in the case of coal-fired power plants.Sinter plantsParticulates, heavy metals, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbondioxide and dioxins and furans to air.Source: Stefan Cramer, Steel Valley workshop presentation 2004.73 Maggie Fox, Air pollution damages across generations – study, Reuters, December 11, 2002, at www.planetark.com.- 102 - groundWork - Wasting the Nation