Improving ambient air quality in host communities

   

Impala Rustenburg is implementing an air quality offset programme aimed at improving ambient air quality in communities around its smelter. This is aligned with both regulatory requirements of the smelter and our values and purpose.

An initial air impact report provided a detailed description of the baseline air quality for the region. Particulate matter is the target pollutant in the offset plan, with SO2 benefits sought where possible.

We identified offset opportunities in the areas near our Rustenburg facility as guided by the Air Quality Offsets Guideline as well as the Waterberg-Bojanala priority area air quality management plan.

The implementation offset plan includes the building sports facilities and improving buildings and facility grounds, primarily at existing schools. These projects form part of our broader socio-economic development drive in partnership with the Royal Bafokeng Nation and are expected to result in long-term air quality improvements of PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations as well as dust fall levels, at and around the project locations.

The plan includes the continuation and expansion of Impala’s long-standing collection of non-hazardous domestic waste from Bafokeng communities to our landfill site. This promotes better air quality by reducing levels of pollutants from informal burning of waste and will be supported by air quality education and awareness campaigns at schools and around the communities.

Impala’s ambient monitoring network will be used to monitor and track the effectiveness of these interventions, with additional interventions identified and implemented where needed. Once data on offset performance evolves, we will move towards definitive offset target setting.