SA Cotton’s Norman Wallis has raised concerns about the proposed construction of a new tank farm for the storage of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, at Rand Refinery, and the decommissioning of the existing tanks.<\/p>\n
SA Cotton has a large retail operation selling cotton cloths, towels etc., to the public.<\/p>
It is one of the retail operations located near Rand Refinery, and the proposed new site is located close to Refinery Road.<\/p>\n
“Refinery Road is a busy commercial double lane road and the site is not suitable for a sevenfold increase in acid, with heavy tankers,” said Wallis.<\/p>
“The proposed bulk tanker site is between a busy bridge and a major M2 on-ramp interchange, and direct access from Refinery Road is dangerous.”<\/p>\n
Wallis has a number of concerns regarding the new site, among others, he is concerned that:<\/p>\n
q traffic will be severely affected both during construction and thereafter, with heavy tankers;<\/p>\n
q the closeness of such an enormous cache of hazardous materials to the public Victoria Lake is dangerous.<\/p>\n
“Moving it closer to Refinery Road will also affect a major, busy retail and school recreational area; we would like Rand Refinery to consider moving it far away from this road,” he added.<\/p>\n
Wallis is, however, not the only one who is worried, as Rand Refinery’s other neighbouring companies also have concerns about the site.<\/p>\n
As a result, Wallis and representatives of neighbouring companies attended a meeting held by Rand Refinery, on June 26, to fully explain the new, proposed site and listen to the concerns raised.<\/p>\n
“We have noted all the concerns raised; the plan for the new construction site for the tankers is still in its infant stage, it still has to go through a number of assessments and we will definitely consider all the matters raised by our neighbours,” said Rand Refinery’s executive ead: governance assurance, Raneeka Rampersadh.<\/p>\n