A REPORT, written by independent specialists, stated that all beaches are safe to be reopened following a chemical spill, after an arson attack at the United Phosphorus Limited (UPL) Cornubia warehouse, in July. 

This is according to Jan Botha, the UPL commercial director who issued a statement on Thursday.

The warehouse was set on fire, which caused a chemical spill that led to the municipality closing beaches north of the uMngeni River until the water quality was deemed safe. 

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“UPL has provided a report, written by independent specialists to the eThekwini Municipality, on the results of a chemical analysis of the beaches and sea water. The report recommends that all beaches are safe to be reopened following the arson attack against the UPL Cornubia warehouse during the widespread violence and looting that broke out across Kwa-Zulu Natal,” said Botha.

He noted that samples, including control samples, were taken at various sites along the coastline, from Salt Rock in the north to the uMngeni estuary in the south.

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Botha added that the results underwent expert scrutiny and interpretation by a range of independent specialists.

“They have concluded that the beaches and ocean outside a 1km exclusion zone, north, south and east of the mouth pose an extremely low chemical risk to the public, regardless of whether the estuary mouth is open or closed,” Botha said.

The eThekwini Municipality has not yet issued a statement on when the beaches will reopen.