SPECIAL FEATURE: Mega manufacturer commits to clean air
The manufacturer strives to continuously improve its strategies to ensure industrial best practices.
Following the release of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 2023 Air Quality report, stating that Benoni has the worst air quality in Africa, Dunlop Belting Products has shed light on its air quality practices.
Based in Benoni South since 1948, the company has undergone several changes over the years, with the most recent being in October 2020, when it became known under its new name.
They manufactur conveyor belts for the mining and energy sectors.
Based on the findings of the report, Dunlop’s Health and Safety manager, Gordon Panman weighed in on the discussion, highlighting its internal best practices.
“The company has implemented two methods at the Lincoln Road plant to facilitate real-time emission monitoring,” he said.
“Using the Ringelmann Chart, a scale used to measure the apparent density or opacity of smoke of flue gas (stack gas) passing through the plant’s stack, accompanied by matching AES-flags to match the flue gas opacity, every 15 minutes.
“Monitoring cameras further capture images of the stacks every three minutes, thus enabling post-operation analysis and remote monitoring of the emissions.”
He said manufacturers should not only strive to produce high-quality products but must continuously manage and monitor emissions stemming from production, ensuring the implementation of continuous improvement initiatives and strategies to lessen their carbon footprint.
Focusing on improving its strategies, Panman says it is testing and trialrunning its newly installed wet scrubber.
“We integrated this system at the beginning of the year as an air pollution control device,” he said.
“The system uses a liquid to remove contaminants from the gas stream. We are gathering data to monitor the impact of the system on emissions and pollutants.”
Panman says regular equipment management further forms part of the manufacturer’s environmental undertaking.
“Mechanical optimum efficiency ensures we maintain production standards,” he said.
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