Environmental Protection and Pollution Control (ECP 415)

LECTURER

Mr J.Govha

OUTLINE

INTRODUCTION– Definitions

Environmental Ethics and EIAEnvironmental Crisis Due to Industrial DevelopmentEnvironmental Acts and RulesEffects of Pollutants to Eco-system and Human Health Effluent treatment and toxicity control. Plume behaviour

WHAT IS ENVIRONMENT?

Environment is the aggregate/ensemble of physical, chemical, biological and social components capable of causing direct or indirect effects, in the short or long term, on living beings and human activities.(SOURCE United Nations Conference on Environment, 1972)

WHAT IS POLLUTION?

The discharge or release of matter or energy into the environment in a direct or indirect way in quantities or concentrations that will result in negatively impacting the current and later use of the environment.

CLASSIFICATION OF POLLUTION Pollution can be classified following different criteria. a)According the medium in which it occurs:

– air (or atmospheric) pollution, – water and – soil/land pollution.

b)Depending on who/what produced pollution (the source). – Antropic pollution – natural pollution

c)Depending on the location of the source: – emissions can be due to mobile or – stationary sources (point source).

d)Depending on the chemical transformations of the pollutants.– primary pollutant– Secondary pollutants

ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS AND EIA Traditionally, industries and its basic components were designed based upon technical and

economic considerations only but It is know essential to consider environment, health and safety as factors during design.

Environmental ethics is related to attitude of people towards other living beings and environment.

During any project, though it is essential that ‘economic sustainability’ is attained; however, it is also essential that ‘ecological sustainability’ and ‘social sustainability’ are also attained.

Impact assessment is a handy tool to assess the environmental compatibility of the projects in terms of their location, suitability of technology, efficiency in resources utilization and recycling,

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has now been made a prerequisite for the settling up of new projects and renewal of licenses of old and existing plants.

EIA is a major instrument in decision making and for measurement of sustainability in the context of the regional carrying capacity. It provides the conceptual framework for extending the cumulative assessment of development policies, plans and projects on a regional basis.

Sustainable development of chemical process industries is a process in which the exploitation of resources and the direction of the investments are all made consistent with future as well as present consideration.

The primary causes of industrial pollution are:

Use of out-dated and inefficient technologies.

Development of unplanned industrial conglomerations

The existence of large number of small scale industries without defining land use patterns and environmental regulations for them

Poor enforcement of pollution control laws for big and small industries

ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS DUE TO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

Large scale contamination of water and air.

Deforestation

Increase in urban slums

Generation of huge solid waste consisting of hazardous material.

Water scarcity and ground water depletion.

Global warming

Greenhouse effect

Ozone layer depletion

Environmental Acts and Rules

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) is a statutory body established under the Environmental Management Act [Chapter 20:27] and operationalised on the 17th of March 2003 through SI 103 of 2003.

The act was created to provide for the sustainable management of natural resources and protection of the environment; the prevention of pollution and environmental degradation; the preparation of a National Environmental Plan and other plans for the management and protection of the environment

The following acts were repealed to accommodate the EMA Act:

the Natural Resources Act [Chapter 20:13] the Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act [Chapter 20:03]

the Hazardous Substances and Articles Act [Chapter 15:05]

the Noxious Weeds Act [Chapter 19:07],

Environmental rights and principles of environmental management are Every person shall have a right to—

a) a clean environment that is not harmful to health;

b)access environmental information, and protect the environment for the benefit of present and future generations and to participate in the implementation of the promulgation of reasonable legislative, policy and other measures

Major environmental laws dealing with protection of environment are:•Effluent and Solid Waste Disposal Regulations SI 6, 2007

•EIA and Ecosystems Protection Regulations SI 7, 2007

•Hazardous Waste Management Regulations SI 10, 2007

•Hazardous Substances, Pesticides and Toxic Substances Regulations SI 12, 2007

•Air Pollution Control Regulations SI 72, 2009

•Importation and Transit of Hazardous Substances and Waste Regulations SI 77, 2009

•Plastic Packaging and Plastic Bottles Regulation SI 98, 2010

EFFECTS OF POLLUTANTS TO ECO-SYSTEM AND HUMAN HEALTH :

Gaseous and particulate pollutantsGeneral effects • Greenhouse effect• Ozone depletion• acidification • smog formation• eutrophication • human health

Specific effects of pollutants• Nitrogen Dioxide: NO2

– brownish gas irritates the respiratory system originates from combustion (N2 in air is

oxidized); NOx sum of NO, NO2, other oxides of N)

•  

• Ozone: ground level O3

– primary constituent of urban smog

– reaction of VOC + NOx in presence of heat +sun light

•  • Carbon monoxide: CO

– reduces bloods ability to carry O2

– product of incomplete combustion

• • Particulate Matter: PM10 (PM 2.5)

– respiratory disorders

•  

• Sulfur Dioxide: SO2

– formed when fuel (coal, oil) containing S is burned and metal smelting

– precursor to acid rain along with NOx

Liquid effluent

• Some of the risks include – pollutant runoff from agricultural lands – storm-water flows from cities

• sanitary sewers overflow and release raw sewage to streets and waterbodies.

– seepage into ground water from nonpoint sources

– the loss of habitats such as wetlands.

– we cannot always eat what we catch because fish flesh is contaminated by the remaining discharges and sources of toxic substances.

– Microbial contamination of drinking water still presents problems in many communities.

The relationship between solid waste and human disease is difficult to prove. The improper handling of solid waste is a health hazard and causes damage to the environment

The main risks to human health arise due to the breeding of disease vectors- primarily flies and rates. At has been estimated that in warm climates, exposed garbage produces as many as 70000 flies per 0.03m3 in a week.

Solid waste

• Some of the risks include – pollutant runoff from agricultural lands – storm-water flows from cities• sanitary sewers overflow and release raw sewage to streets and

waterbodies.

– seepage into ground water from nonpoint sources

– the loss of habitats such as wetlands.

– we cannot always eat what we catch because fish flesh is contaminated by the remaining discharges and sources of toxic substances.

– Microbial contamination of drinking water still presents problems in many communities.

Need for effluent treatment and toxicity, control