Question NW302 to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

Mey, Mr P to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

(1) what were the deciding factors that determined the dumping of the toxic cargo of the NS Qingdao only 250km from the coast of the Republic and not further out to sea; (2) what compound(s) has she found were released during the chemical reactions from the ship in the concentrated toxic gases due to the combustion that took place on board the ship in the incident at (a) Durban and (b) Saldanha Bay; (3) what has she found (a) will the chemical reaction of the waste have with seawater and (b) will the impact of these compounds have on ocean life in the vicinity of the dump site ?