UPL: Signs of animal and plant life returning following chemical spill
UPL South Africa says it's pleased with efforts to restore the environment after the arson attack on its Cornubia warehouse.
The company's led a massive clean-up operation and a project to rehabilitate the areas damaged during a chemical spill after its warehouse, north of Durban, was looted and torched in July.
Environmental Affairs released a report last month, saying that the toxic spill and fire led to the most serious environmental catastrophe in recent times.
Tonnes of marine life perished at the Ohlanga tributary, the Umhlanga estuary and Durban's northern beaches.
UPL's Japhet Ncube says they have spent over R200 million to minimise the impact of the spill.
"During the first two and a half months following the attack there were approximately 130 people working at the spill site 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"Encouragingly, because of these efforts, the independent specialist team of aquatic ecologists appointed by UPL are starting to see animal and plant life returning to some of the most impacted reaches of the river system.
"In some sections, basic life forms, bacteria and algae, and even frogs’ eggs and tadpoles are starting to recolonise and take up residence. The specialist team has also begun the revegetation process.”
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