Fugitive Emissions

Sustainable Cities Initiative - A Canadian partnership initiative aimed at enhancing sustainable economic development in cities, and helping citizens improve their quality of life without compromising their future.

Durban, South Africa

The City of Durban, also known as eThekwini in the Zulu language, has a population of over three million people and plays an important role in South Africa's economy. This port city is a tourist destination as well as a key commercial and industrial center. There is a high concentration of industrial facilities in a region of the municipality called the South Durban Basin (SDB), an area where many lower income workers live. Air pollution is especially problematic in the SDB as toxic pollutants and greenhouse gases are released from many sources, including two refineries, in this heavily industrialized region.

Project - Fugitive emissions, also referred to as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), can leak from the thousands of connection points in a large refinery and often go unnoticed. Under the SCI-Durban partnership, SNC Lavalin Environment Inc. has assisted Durban officials to learn more about fugitive emissions and how to detect them. A leak detection and repair program has been set up in one of Durban's refineries to identify the gas emissions from equipment and to determine the best course of action for stemming the flow. As a result, some of the major sources of VOCs in the SDB have been identified. This information will allow the city to develop policies and regulations designed to improve air quality in the area, and will assist industry to reduce these fugitive emissions.

Outcome - The reduction of VOCs, including greenhouse gases, will decrease the amount of pollution present in the air around Durban and protect the area's rich biodiversity. Through technology and know-how transfer, the project provides the city with the tools to address fugitive emissions and reduce greenhouse gases for a healthier environment for Durban's citizens.

For additional information on the Sustainable Cities Initiative, visit www.sci.ic.gc.ca