Atmospheric pollution and its implications in the Eastern Transvaal highveld

Abstract

This report is a review of available information on the dispersion climatology, the degree of atmospheric pollution and the various impacts of that pollution on man and environment in the Eastern Transvaal Highveld (ETH) and adjacent regions. It was prepared for the information of the scientific community, for the authorities involved with the control and abatement of atmospheric pollution, and for all those anxious to see that the ETH and adjacent environments are not being despoiled by man's activities. The report concludes that climatic conditions in the ETH are highly adverse for dispersion of atmospheric pollutants. Relatively high levels of some pollutants occur under certain circumstances. These observations and the known adverse effects of these pollutants elsewhere in the world indicate a high risk for an adverse impact of atmospheric pollution in the ETH and adjacent regions. It is therefore imperative that future planning and management strategies to achieve an acceptable level of atmospheric pollution be based on a conservative and cautious policy. Once damaged on a systematic and large scale, the environment will take a long time to recover