Holidaymaker blames Sappi Saiccor for allegedly ‘causing asthma attack’
She claimed Saiccor’s outlets release far more ‘smoke’ during the evening than during the day and that the level of noise had also kept her awake at night.
A WOMAN holidaying in Craigieburn had to be rushed to a hospital in Scottburgh for urgent treatment after experiencing an asthma attack for the first time in 10 years – a mere four days into her holiday.
Speaking to the Mail on condition of anonymity, the woman, who had been staying near Sappi Saiccor, claims that Saiccor is the cause of her attack and says that all she could smell during her week-long stay was the stench of rotten eggs – an apparent trademark of sulphur dioxide.
The woman explained she had first arrived in Craigieburn on August 14 and started experiencing difficulty with breathing within the first two days.
By August 18, her breathing and coughing had started giving her real problems and the person with whom she was staying rushed her to hospital after an asthma attack.
YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: Sappi ‘chemical spill’ on South Coast beach
“I was put on a drip, received four nebuliser sessions and was given prescription antibiotics. My lungs had become infected and were really sore from all the coughing. I was even given painkillers to help with the pain,” she told the Mail.
She claimed Saiccor’s outlets release far more ‘smoke’ during the evening as opposed to in the daytime and that the level of noise had kept her awake each night.
“I was unable to sleep after midnight. It would start around that time and continue until around 3am. Adding the exhaustion to the fact that I struggled with shallow breathing, I had no choice but to cut my stay short,” she explained. “I would have faced health risks, had I stayed.”
In response to the query sent to them Sappi had the following to say:
“We, as Sappi Saiccor, empathise with the complainant for her ill health. However it is difficult for Sappi to respond to the complaint without all the details.
Sappi Saiccor has Ambient SO2 monitoring stations at Craigieburn, Drift and Naidooville and other areas around the mill. These stations did not show SO2 levels exceeding the National Standard for Ambient SO2 in August 2017. Levels were way below the standard and in terms of plant SO2 emissions, there were no abnormal emissions.
It is also important to note that the smell of rotten eggs is not associated with SO2 but rather Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) which can only come from the two recovery boilers and which is monitored continuously. Sappi Saiccor releases the same amount of steam during the day and in the evening. The emissions are within the stipulated legal requirements.
YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: Poachers pillage Saiccor land – and now dumpers follow suit
While we empathise with the complainant we are also disappointed that the right channels were not followed immediately to investigate this complaint. The community is well aware of the environmental toll-free line, the environmental WhatsApp group or cell number and emails. All these have been put into place to assist the community to let the mill know if there are any emission issues.
If the problem was found to be linked to the mill, the mill would have reacted and offered immediate assistance and would have been required to report this to the authorities. The mill would have also been able to assist with the identification of the real cause of the complaint. The mill’s extensive monitoring network (which includes five monitoring stations in the general area referred to) did not indicate any issues.”
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
For news straight to your phone, add us on BBM 58F3D7A7 or WhatsApp 082 421 6033
