Sasol Limited Sustainability Report 2021 - Book - Page 52
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SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE AGAINST OUR FOCUS AREAS: MINIMISING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT (CONTINUED)
Land and biodiversity
In 2020, Sasol accepted pro-bono support from the
National Biodiversity and Business Network (NBBN), which
is administered by the South African NGO Endangered
Wildlife Trust, to undertake a biodiversity mainstreaming
readiness assessment. This study assessed the extent to
which biodiversity is currently mainstreamed into Sasol’s
policies and activities. The assessment identified gaps and
recommendations for improvement.
Our approach
We have a responsibility to minimise the
impact of our facilities on biodiversity.
We address land risk and associated contamination
liabilities by managing the Group top risk of major
SHE incidents.
Our land and biodiversity management activities
Consistent with our SHE Policy, we recognise that we have a custodial responsibility to respect and care for the environment,
which includes addressing land and biodiversity matters. Our activities have the potential to result in various biodiversity impacts
including:
• Reduction or deterioration in virgin land size;
• Impacts on plants and terrestrial animals; and
• Deterioration of the quality and quantity of river and groundwater.
We have appropriate management, systems and governance structures in place to manage our environmental and asset
retirement obligations. For detail on environmental orders refer to page 109 in the AFS .
The basis for the assessment was a combination of a desktop
review of applicable internal documents and interviews.
The assessment criteria included the eight questions of the
annual NBBN biodiversity performance rating of JSE-listed
companies. The overall result was an average score of one out
of a maximum of four. The assessment concluded that the
score could easily be improved by building on the excellent
work done at the operational level, for instance at Secunda,
and adopting an ambitious group-wide biodiversity strategy
and action plan. Improvement areas were identified and
recommendations were made on how these gaps could be
progressively addressed.
Progress
SEO
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To preserve biodiversity for future generations, we
manage two nature reserves near Sasolburg, hosting
14 species of game including gemsbok, eland, giraffe,
springbok, impala and black wildebeest.
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Completed the consolidation of waste materials from
remedial activities on the old tar pit footprint.
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Implemented a permeable reactive barrier at the
Bunsen site to address elevated levels of nitrates in
groundwater.
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We await remediation orders (to undertake the
required remedial actions) from the authorities in
South Africa for land assessed under the contaminated
land management (Part 8) section of the National
Environmental Management: Waste Act, 59 of 2008.
SECUNDA OPERATIONS
GAS SOURCING OPERATIONS
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Secunda Operations contributes towards biodiversity
conservation on site by conducting annual assessments on
focus areas aligned with the Biodiversity Management Plan.
The scientific data is collated within a compilation report,
indicating the state of biodiversity and reported to the
relevant authorities.
•
Continued to publish scientific articles related to
biodiversity efforts on the Secunda site. The BBC recognised
Sasol again in a wildlife documentary on the serval
cat research project.
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Priority biodiversity initiatives include rehabilitating some
wetlands through better stormwater management, and
maintaining our focus on alien invasive species as well as
other initiatives to safeguard protected species.
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Ongoing monitoring on terrestrial biodiversity of a
protected wetland area (Verloren Vallei) in collaboration
with the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency.
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Continued work on the contaminated land portfolio. No new
remediation orders have been issued.
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Secunda Tankfarm received a remediation order amid the
part 8 process only requiring ongoing monitoring of the
site. The related investigations greatly assisted both Sasol
and the DFFE to better understand the land risks and align
on the process going forward. Other areas in Secunda
will be subject to the same process as the investigations
proceed.
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In Mozambique we conduct:
•natural gas activities in accordance with applicable
biodiversity laws and other applicable environmental
requirements. We undertake continuous environmental
monitoring across operations and projects, including
ecological, groundwater, soil, noise and air;
•ecological monitoring as per the requirements specified in
the environmental management plan at well pads, seismic
lines, access roads and borrow pits. We have achieved
progressive vegetation recovery although some areas
require ongoing maintenance and monitoring;
•groundwater and soil monitoring at defined monitoring
points around the CPF and surrounding areas;
•rehabilitation along seismic lines, well pads, access roads
and borrow pits;
•contaminated soils management as per requirements
specified in national legislation;
•risk mitigation planning to address the legacy Pande
well, focusing on water containment and environmental
monitoring including soil, air, gas flow, surface and
groundwater;
• well integrity assessments;
•plug and abandonment and hot tapping of wells in line with
the legal requirements and international best practices;
•equipment cleaning before mobilisation to site, as well as
prior to moving equipment from one area to another to
control the spread of invasive species; and
•site monitoring to verify the presence of invasive species.
Sasol Sustainability Report 2021
OTHER OPERATIONS
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Developed Site Assessment Reports (SAR) and
Remediation Action Plans (RAP) for Fynnland Sites 1 and
2 at Natref Durban Operations as required by Transnet
National Ports Authority (TNPA) as the land owner. These
reports will form part of the consolidated SAR and RAP
submission to DFFE in order to acquire a remediation
order for the Island View Complex. We have held several
engagements with the TNPA and DFFE on the findings of
the SAR for these sites.
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We noted an increase in attempts of theft along the fuel
pipeline network which in some instances resulted in
environmental contamination. Sasol conducts regular
inspections along the pipeline.
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Remediation continues at the site of the pipeline
contamination which happened in 2020 as a result
of petroleum theft. Good progress has been made in
remediating the spill sites.
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In order to offset the wetland loss from Sasol’s project
construction in Southwest Louisiana, Sasol partnered
with the United States Army Corps of Engineers on a
mitigation plan that increases the number of wetlands
within the local watershed and creates a greater diversity
of habitat types that will benefit a larger variety of
species. For further detail refer to page 29.