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A member of a spill cleaning crew removes dead fish from the river in the uMhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve in Durban on July 18, 2021. – South African authorities said on July 17, 2021, they were investigating possible pollution suspected to be linked to a spill at a chemical plant attacked during last week’s riots after dead fish washed ashore. The spill was identified on July 15, after an agrochemical warehouse near the eastern port city of Durban storing chemicals used for making herbicides, pesticides and fungicides was set ablaze. African authorities are investigating possible pollution suspected to be linked to a spill at a chemical plant attacked during recent riots in area. The agrochemical warehouse which stores chemicals used for making herbicides, pesticides and fungicides was set ablaze during the unrest that started last week. (GUILLEM SARTORIO / AFP)
CHEMICAL SPILL

‘South Africa must learn from its environmental disasters’

Although a legal framework exists, regulation and implementation fall through the cracks, as shown by the UPL chemical spill in KwaZulu-Natal

  • Sheree Bega
4 min read
Marine disaster: Dead fish float in the uMhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve river in Durban after a spill when the United Phosphorus Limited chemical plant was set alight during the July riots. The company had also failed to get environmental authorisation. Photo: Guillem Sartoria/AFP/Getty Images
BLUE FLAG STATUS

Sewage, chemical spills undermine environmental groups’ KZN marine clean-up

Sewage spillages are often result of no maintenance and the UPL chemical factory did not have environmental authorisation

  • Marcia Zali
2 min read
A private security employee watches as a factory burns in Durban’s Sea Cow Lake area on 12 July. (Photo by Darren Stewart/Gallo Images via Getty Images)
CHEMICAL SPILL

Criminal probe recommended against multinational UPL for chemical spill

In a statement, United Phosphorus Ltd said that it was co-operating with authorities and the government.

  • Tunicia Phillips
3 min read
ocial media users took to Twitter to complain about the foul smell in the air, which was dense with smoke in Umhlanga. (Photo by RAJESH JANTILAL/AFP via Getty Images)
ZUMAUNREST

Cornubia: Authorities to investigate UPL after chemical blaze

Agrochemical giant UPL said chemical runoff was being contained and efforts were underway to deal with groundwater poisoning

  • Tunicia Phillips
4 min read