HINDOC undertakes the EIA process for developers who are required to undergo EIAs for scheduled processes and listed activities. HINDOC has been appointed as the independent consultant for a number of EIAs and has also contributed to EIAs in terms of Environmental Management Plans, Emergency Response Plans, Health Risk Assessments and Quality Assurance Manuals.

Environmental Evaluations

Environmental legislation and regulations in South Africa demand that companies provide evidence of sound environmental practice. The South African government has included environmental issues in the Constitution, and has thereby provided an opportunity for people to pursue environmental matters in the public interest in a court of law. A consequence of non-compliance with legislation could be the risk of environmental pollution or degradation and subsequent financial loss, due to cleanup processes, loss of asset value and penalties for the polluter. To protect the environment and to minimize risk, HINDOC undertakes environmental evaluations for organisations. The goal of the environmental evaluation is to identify the environmental impacts of each process and activity undertaken within an organisation as well as legislation relevant to the activities and processes. Activities undertaken, and processes carried out, are investigated to establish their potential for environmental impacts. Environmental impacts are graded and those requiring mitigation measures are prioritised in order to develop manuals for their management and control.

Health, Safety and Environmental Auditing and Compliance Monitoring

HINDOC provides industry and business with an auditing and compliance monitoring service to establish conformance with internal company standards as well as external legal requirements.

Facilitation of the Public Participation Process for Environmental
Impacy Assesments

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process provides for the registration of Interested and Affected Parties, who attend meetings regarding the proposed development. HINDOC offers facilitation of the registration of interested and affected parties, and thereafter facilitation of public participation meetings.

Monitoring Committee Meetings

Environmental law in South Africa makes provision for monitoring committee meetings to be formed when members of the public feel that a company’s processes and/or activities are impacting on the environment. HINDOC provides a service to facilitate and chair these monitoring committee meetings

An EIA is a process of examining the environmental effects of a development. An independent EIA assessment consultant has an important role to play in preparing environmental documents for environmental authorities and the public. The EIA document aims to:

• Provide the applicant, business and industry, NGOs, the public, labour organisations and the authorities on national, provincial or local government level with a uniform basis for implementing sections 21, 22 and 26 of the Environment Conservation
  Act, 1989;
• Provide background information regarding the legislation controlling environmentally harmful activities;
• Assist applicants with the preparation, completion and submission of applications and required environmental and report(s); and
• Assist authorities in determining their roles and responsibilities as decision-makers.

List of EIA Assessments
Examples of environmental projects undertaken

ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT	LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT	PROJECT STATUS
Thermopower Process Technology (Pty) Ltd thermal desorption of organochloride contaminated soil	Compilation of an environmental management plan (EMP) and conducting environmental audits for the duration of the project	A report on environmental compliance was submitted to the Gauteng Department of Agricultural Conservations, Environment and Land Affiars(GDACEL) and accepted
Ngome Community Game Reserve KwaZulu Natal - EIA	Appointed as the independent consultant for the EIA	Authorization was obtained from GDACEL
Thermopower Process Technology (Pty) Ltd – thermal desorption of hazardous waste	Appointed as the independent consultant for the EIA	Authorization was obtained from GDACEL
Thermopower Process Technology (Pty) Ltd: Thermal Treatment of Hazardous Waste	Appointed as the independent consultant for the EIA.	Authorization was obtained from GDACEL
Consultant to Thermopower Process Technology (Pty) Ltd for the Fluidized Bed Treatment of Hydrocarbon Waste	Compilation of an EMP and Emergency Response Plan(ERP)	The EMP and ERP were accepted by Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservations, Environment and Land Affairs
Consultant to Clinical Waste Management for the EIA: Fluidized Bed Thermal Treatment Unit	Undertaking of a health risk assessment for the EIA	Health risk assessment accepted by GDACEL
Pelts Products	Initially appointed as facilitator for the public participation process and subsequently submited an independent report on potential environmental impacts and mitigation	Report was accepted by the Port Elizabeth Department of Economic Affairs, Environment and Tourism
Community environmental project environmental and health and safety capacity building Katlehong	Community capacity building for environmental, health and safety project centering on community inclusion	Completed to the satisfaction of the community
Independent consultant to Carboncore for the Use of Carbonaceous Shale for Road Products and Sealants	Appointed as the independent consultant for the EIA	Carboncore was granted exemption from the full EIA process
Consultant to Anglo Alpha for environmental assessments	Environmental assessment of premises for man-made fibres and asbestos	Project completed to the satisfaction of Anglo Alpha
Compilation of environmental documentation - Rand Water	Compilation of environmental policy manual, procedures manual and work instructions	Completed to the satisfaction of Rand Water
GDACEL	Review of EIA	Completed to the satisfaction of GDACEL
Consultant to Adcock Ingram Critical Care - environmental assessment	Environmental assessment and compilation of standard operating procedures for the protection of the environment	Completed to the satisfaction of Adcock Ingram Critical Care
Steinhoff Holdings (Pty) Ltd - environmental assessment of furniture manufacturing industries	Appointed to establish and grade impacts of the furniture making industry, including forestry operations	Completed to the satisfaction of Steinhoff Holdings (Pty) Ltd
Environmental education, training and development - Rand Refinery	Appointed to develop environmental education and training modules	Completed to the satisfaction of Rand Refinery
Major hazard installation risk assessment for Waste-Tech	Appointed to undertake a major hazard installation (MHI)	Completed to the satisfaction of Waste-Tech and the authorities
Environmental assessment - Macsteel	Appointed to establish and grade impacts of the furniture making industry	Completed to the satisfaction of Macsteel
MHI risk assessment - Vitafoam	Appointed to undertake MHI risk assessment for Vitafoam's Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town operations	Completed to the satisfaction of Vitafoam and the authorities
Environmental Education Agricultural Research Council	Appointed to train team leaders in environmental protection, health and safety	Completed to the satisfaction of the Agricultural Research Council
Review of EIA - Bowman Attorneys	Appointed to review an EIA	Completed to the satisfaction of Bowman Attorneys
Africa Theme Park	Appointed to undertake a health risk assessment	Completed to the satisfaction of Africa Theme Park
Tshumisano Waste Management	Appointed as the independent consultant for the EIA	Current
Envirocin – cremation of animal companions	Appointed as the independent EIA consultant for the relocation of operations	Current
Review of minimum requirements - Department of Water Affairs and Forestry	Member of the task team for the classification of hazardous waste	Current
Forging environmental partnerships: tertiary institution environmental public/private partnerships with the University of South Africa (UNISA)	Appointed by UNISA to develop university/industry partnerships in the fields of agriculture and environmental science	Projects have been identified and are currently being implemented – growing of medicinal herbs and Moringa trees as well as the development of a waste management learnership through the Health and Welfare SETA