Environmental Hazards An environmental hazard is a state

Environmental Hazards: An environmental hazard is a state or an event which has the potential to threaten the surrounding natural environment / or adversely affect people's health, including pollution and natural disasters such as storms and earthquakes Risk Assessment: A process to determine the nature and extent of risk by analyzing potential hazards and evaluating existing conditions of vulnerability that could pose a potential threat or harm to people, property, livelihoods and the environment on which they depend. Environmental Risk Assessment: Environmental risk assessment aggregates a set of tools for defining the probability and magnitude of adverse effects to human health and natural resources posed by environmental agents.

Environmental Degradation Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems; habitat destruction; the extinction of wildlife; and pollution. Environmental degradation compounds the actual impact of disasters, limits an area’s ability to absorb the impact, and lowers the overall general natural resilience to hazard impact and disaster recovery.

Environmental Degradation 1. Ground Water • Most water is located underground in aquifers • Developing countries lead the over use of ground water • Ground water degradation is because of: 1. Excessive exploitation 2. Inappropriate or uncontrolled activities (waste, chemicals contaminate water) 3. Major change of land e. g removal of natural vegetation.

Environmental Degradation 2. Air Pollution • There is a major concern about air pollution worldwide • Passenger vehicles are a major pollution contributor, producing significant amount of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and other pollution. • Some other sources of air pollution come from nature. These include eruptions of volcanoes, dust storms, and forest fires, Global warming and greenhouse gases such as CO 2, methane and nitrous oxide, burning fossil fuel like oil, coal and other natural gases.

Environmental Degradation 3. Soil • Erosion and soil degradation form an increasing threat to land worldwide • There are several physical factors contributing to soil degradation distinguished by the manners in which they change the natural composition and structure of the soil. Rainfall, surface runoff, floods, wind erosion, and mass movements result in the loss of fertile top soil thereby declining soil quality e. g. Two thirds of Africa is dry land over 70% is degraded

Environmental Degradation 4. Climate Change • According to the latest research from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), we have less than 11 years to make the transformation necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would have to be cut by 45 per cent by 2030 to prevent global warming above 1. 5 o. C. • This is the first time a global generation of children will grow up in a world made far more dangerous and uncertain as a result of a changing climate and degraded environment. Addressing climate change and mitigating its impact is imperative to protect the world’s children and fulfill their rights.

Environmental Degradation 5. Human Health • Human health is intimately connected to the surrounding environment • The IPCC special report on regional impact of climate change acknowledges that climate have impact on vector-bone disease. • Most African countries are affected by environmental related diseases such as malaria, cholera, etc.

Environmental Risk Management Environmental risk management is a method of assessing, mitigating, and monitoring the effects of a recognized risk that may have the potential adverse effects on the public and environmental health. Environmental Risk management is a decision making process that involves: - Risk Assessment - Technological Feasibility - Economic Impacts - Public Concerns - Legal Requirements 10

Environmental Risk Management Seeks to prevent adverse effects on : • Human health and • Ecological systems • Consider risk assessments in light of social, economic, and political needs and values. • Decide whether or not to reduce or eliminate risk. 11

Steps to Risk Management 1. Decision: The process of choosing between the options. 2. Implementation: the process of putting option, decision or plan into effect; execution 3. Monitoring and Evaluation: The process of controlling the option to be sure that we achieved our aim. 4. Review: The process of choosing other option in case we didn’t have the best results. 22

Managing the Environmental Impacts Levels of Management The term “Levels of Management’ refers to a line of demarcation between various managerial positions in an organization. The number of levels in management increases when the size of the business and work force increases and vice versa. The level of management determines the amount of authority & status enjoyed by any managerial position. The levels of management can be classified in three broad categories:

1. 2. Top level / Administrative level Middle level / Executory 3. Low level / Supervisory / Operative Managers at all these levels perform different functions.

1. Top Level of Management It consists of board of directors, chief executive or managing director. The top management is the ultimate source of authority and it manages goals and policies for an enterprise. It devotes more time on planning and coordinating functions.

The role of the top management can be summarized as follows - A. Top management lays down the objectives and broad policies of the enterprise. B. It issues necessary instructions for preparation of department budgets, procedures, schedules etc. C. It prepares strategic plans & policies for the enterprise. D. It appoints the executive for middle level i. e. departmental managers. E. It controls & coordinates the activities of all the departments. F. It is also responsible for maintaining a contact with the outside world. G. It provides guidance and direction. H. The top management is also responsible towards the shareholders for the performance of the enterprise.

2. Middle Level of Management They are responsible to the top management for the functioning of their department. They devote more time to organizational and directional functions. In small organization, there is only one layer of middle level of management but in big enterprises, there may be senior and junior middle level management. Their role can be emphasized as

A. They execute the plans of the organization in accordance with the policies and directives of the top management. B. They make plans for the sub-units of the organization. C. They interpret and explain policies from top level management to lower level. D. They are responsible for coordinating the activities within the division or department. E. They also send important reports and other important data to top level management. F. They evaluate performance of junior managers. G. They are also responsible for inspiring lowerlevel managers towards better performan

3. Lower Level of Management Lower level is also known as supervisory / operative level of management. It consists of supervisors foreman, officers, superintendent etc. According to R. C. Davis, “Supervisory management refers to those executives whose work has to be largely with personal oversight and direction of operative employees”. In other words, they are concerned with direction and controlling function of management. Their activities include ‘

A. Assigning of jobs and tasks to various workers. B. They guide and instruct workers for day to day activities. C. They are responsible for the quality as well as quantity of production. D. They are also entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining good relation in the organization. E. They communicate workers problems, suggestions, etc. to the higher level and higher level goals and objectives to the workers. F. They supervise & guide the sub-ordinates. G. They are responsible for providing training to the workers. H. They arrange necessary materials, machines, tools etc for getting the things done. C. They prepare periodical reports performance of about the workers. D. They ensure discipline in the enterprise. E. They motivate workers.

Public and Environmental Health Risk Management Framework 1. Define the problem and put it in context. 2. Analyze the risks associated with the problem in context. 3. Examine options for addressing the risks. 4. Make decisions about which options to implement. 5. Take actions to implement the decisions. 21

Conclusion For recognition of risk is necessary. and grading of risk, characterization Risk assessment is an important part of risk management. So environmental risk assessment is needed to manage the risk effectively. 22

Environmental Management Plan (EMP) Preparation of environmental management plan is required formulation, implementation and monitoring of environmental protection measures during and after commissioning of projects. The plans should indicate the details as to how various measures have been or are proposed to be taken including cost components as may be required. Cost of measures for environmental safeguards should be treated as an integral component of the project cost and environmental aspects should be taken into account at various stages of the projects:

• Conceptualization: preliminary environmental assessment • Planning: detailed studies of environmental impacts and design of safeguards • Execution: implementation of environmental safety measures • Operation: monitoring of effectiveness of built-in safeguards

The management plans should be necessarily based on considerations of resource conservation and pollution abatement, some of which are: • • • Liquid Effluents Air Pollution Solid Wastes Noise and Vibration Occupational Safety and Health Prevention, maintenance and operation of Environment Control Systems

• • House-Keeping Human Settlements Transport Systems Recovery - reuse of waste products Vegetal Cover Disaster Planning Environment Management Cell

Liquid Effluents • Effluents from the industrial plants should be treated well to the standards as prescribed by the Central/State Water Pollution Control Boards. • Soil permeability studies should be made prior to effluents being discharged into holding tanks. • Special precautions should be taken regarding flight patterns of birds in the area. Effluents containing toxic comp pounds, oil and grease have been known to cause extensive death of migratory birds. Location of plants should be prohibited in such type of sensitive areas. In all cases, efforts should be made for re-use of water and its conservation.

Air Pollution • The emission levels of pollutants from the different stacks, should conform to the polluting control standards prescribed by Central or State Boards. • Adequate control equipment should be installed for minimizing the emission of pollutants from the various stacks. • Proper stack height as prescribed by the Central/State Pollution Control Boards should be provided for better dispersion of pollutants over a wider area to minimize the effect of pollution.

Solid Wastes • The site for waste disposal should be checked to verify permeability so that no contaminants percolate into the ground water or river/lake. • Reactive materials should be disposed of by immobilizing the reactive materials with suitable additives. • The pattern of filling disposal site should be planned to create better landscape and be approved by appropriate agency and should be disposed according to the approved plan. • Intensive programs of tree plantation on disposal areas should be undertaken.

Noise and Vibration Adequate measures should be taken for control of noise and vibrations in the industry.

Occupational Safety and Health Proper precautionary measures for adopting occupational safety and health standards should be taken.

Prevention, maintenance and operation of Environment Control Systems • Adequate safety precautions should be taken during prevention, maintenance, operational phase. • A system of inter-locking with the production equipment should be implemented where highly toxic compounds are involved.

House - Keeping Proper house-keeping and cleanliness should be maintained both inside and outside of the industry.

Human Settlements • Residential colonies should be located away from the solid and liquid waste dumping areas. Meteorological and environmental conditions should be studied properly before selecting the site for residential areas in order to avoid air pollution problems. • Persons who are displaced or have lost agricultural lands as a result of locating the industries in the area, should be properly rehabilitated.

Transport Systems • Proper parking places should be provided for the trucks and other vehicles by the industries to avoid any congestion or blocking of roads. • Siting of industries on the highways should be avoided as it may add to more road accidents because of substantial increase in the movements of heavy vehicles and unauthorized shops and settlements coming up around the industrial complex. • Spillage of chemicals/substances on roads inside the plant may lead to accidents. Proper road safety signs both inside and outside the plant should be displayed for avoiding road accidents.

Recovery - Reuse of Waste Products Efforts should be made to recycle or recover the waste materials to the extent possible. The treated liquid effluents can be conveniently and safely used for irrigation of lands, plants and fields for growing nonedible crops.

Vegetal Cover Industries should plant trees and ensure vegetal cover in their premises. This is particularly advisable for those industries having more than 10 acres of land.

Disaster Planning Proper disaster planning should be done to meet any emergency situation arising due to fire, explosion, sudden leakage of gas etc. Fire fighting equipment and other safety appliances should be kept ready for use during disaster/emergency situation including natural calamities like earthquake/flood.

Environment Management Cell Each industry should identify within its setup a Department/Section/Cell with trained personnel to take up the model responsibility of environmental management as required for planning and implementation of the projects.

Best Practicable Environmental Option The Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) is a set of procedures adopted by Great Britain with the goal of managing waste and other environmental concerns. According to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, BPEO "emphasises the protection and conservation of the environment across land, air and water. The BPEO procedure establishes for a given set of objectives, the option that provides the most benefits or the least damage to the environment, as a whole, at acceptable cost, in the long term as well as in the short term. "