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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
APRIL
2017
Another example of a protected species is the
Skilpadtoontjie (Aloinopsis luckhoffi) which is
endemic to the area.
to the quarry site where it was crushed and
blended with aggregate for reuse in the
turbine bases,” Van Rooy says.
Dust suppression is critical on any gravel
road and especially more so in an extremely
arid region where excessive dust can pose a
safety hazard.
Dust suppression
“The rate of traffic on the Granaatsboskolk
Road more than quadrupled with the con-
struction of the wind farms and there was
a need to implement a system that would
allow control of the dust but would not be a
water intensive system,” Van Rooy explains.
The introduction of the E-Cat dust
suppression system on this main access
road resulted in a significant reduction of
water consumption. It is an added benefit
that this particular dust suppression
system is environmentally friendly.
A bioremediation facility
Other environmental initiatives on
site included a specially constructed
bioremediation facility. Van Rooy explains
that the issue of contaminated soil is
always a challenge on construction sites.
“On a site as remote as this, soil con-
tamination can be an extreme challenge as
there are further complications including
the distances to the nearest hazardous
landfill site which is in Cape Town,”
she says.
The bioremediation facility breaks down
hydrocarbons to water and gas, thereby
eliminating the hazards associated with
contaminated soil. Van Rooy is quick to
add that this has gone well beyond the
requirements of the EMPR.
Flora
Commenting on the protection of red data
flora, Van Rooy says that protected and
endangered species within the development
footprint which included the road, laydown
and foundation base area were identified
and relocated.
Van Rooy says that what was
specifically an interesting challenge was
that one of the protected flora species,
Hoodia gordonni (commonly known as
Xhowa), has been part of some of the local
community’s diet for many centuries.
“The Bushmen who previously inhabited
this area used to eat these plants as it
was known to suppress hunger, and this
practice is relatively widespread among
their descendants. This has necessitated an
extensive re-education programme among
these people,” Van Rooy says.
Another example of a protected species is
the Skilpadtoontjie (Aloinopsis luckhoffi)
which is endemic to the area.
Van Rooy says that being
environmentally responsible is part of
Murray & Roberts Infrastructure’s ongoing
commitment to sustainable development,
and this includes educating all its people in
terms of using environmentally
sound practices.
Another initiative aimed specifically at reducing water consumption was the construction of a
specialised wash bay solution at the on-site batch plant.
An interesting challenge was that one of the
protected flora species, Hoodia gordonni
(commonly known as Xhowa), which has been
part of some of the local community’s diet for
many centuries.