In 2002, (then) Caltex Oil (SA) (Pty) Ltd received a Record of Decision (RoD) (Ref: AN/24/4/Caltex) in terms of Section 21 of the Environmental Conservation Act 73 of 1989 (ECA) authorising construction of the Sandvik Pastillation Plant (SPP) and the processing of sulphur at the refinery. Following receipt of the 2008 Audit Report on compliance with the conditions of the RoD, Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) issued a letter including 19 additional conditions relating to the design and operation of the SPP.
Condition 6 of the RoD requires Astron to appoint an independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to undertake an Environmental Audit of the SPP annually or as such frequency identified in an Environmental Management System. DEA&DP confirmed in a letter dated 15 November 2012 (Ref No AN/25/4/Caltex) their agreement to Astron submitting Environmental Audit Reports for the SPP on a three-yearly basis.
