South Africa Chemical Spill Creates Environmental Disaster

South Africa’s Environment Minister, Barbara Creecy, says the spill from a chemical plant attacked by rioters in July in the port city of Durban has caused an environmental disaster.<br />She said it could several years for the local coastline to recover.<br />The minister said a criminal case had been opened against the chemical company, UPL, which was found not to have obtained environmental permits to run the plant.<br />Its warehouse was torched during the widespread riots sparked by the prison sentence given to South Africa’s former president, Jacob Zuma.