Full Text CEPIS/OPS/OMS

EIA Exercise Plastics Manufacturing

Seminar on Environmental Management and Impact
Assessment for Industry

LIMA, PERU

Organised by

OACA - FLACAM

and

Centre for Environmental Management and Planning

(CEMP)

6 - 10 November 1995

Dr. Lee Wilson
CEMP

Introduction to Exercise
Issue Identification
Defining Data Requirements
Impact Prediction Methods
Characterizing Mitigation and Monitoring Opportunities
List of tables

Introduction to Exercise

This exercise is based on an actual EIA project. The project involved foreign investment to build plastics manufacturing facilities in an economically depressed area which was in a region of extensive industrial development and significant existing pollution.

The exercise involves "scoping" to identify EIA issues. The exercise will also provide an opportunity to: 1) define data requirements; 2) select impact- prediction methods; and 3) characterize mitigation opportunities.

The method of the exercise will be to form interdisciplinary EIA teams which each contain several participants from the Seminar. Each team will be assigned an EIA task. After discussions among members of the team, the results will be presented to the entire Seminar.

If time permits, the firts task -scoping- will be completed on Day 3. The remaining tasks (data, prediction, mitigation) will be assigned on Day 3, but the presentation of results will occur on Day 4.

Issue Identification

The first exercise will begin with a description of the project. Important facts will be presented to the Seminar, and there will be an opportunity for questions. The discussion will make reference to Table 1, which summarizes information on the project, and figure 1 and figure 2, which are maps of the project.

After this presentation, EIA teams will begin be formed. Each will be assigned to identify the major environmental issues raised by the project -- the issues which will need to be evaluated in the EIA study. Different teams will be asked to play different "roles": government agency for environmental protection; government agency for economic development; international lending agency; non-governmental organization which represents persons in neighborhood of facility; non-governmental organization which represents the Green Party.

Each team should identify all potential environmental issues that their organization would consider important. In addition, every team will be given at least one subject which they are to evaluate more completely. The subjects are:

Defining Data Requirements

Once issues have been identified, additional information may be needed in order to evaluate potential impacts.
  1. Process information: figure 3 is a diagram showing the caustic chlorine manufacturing process, to be carried out in one of the manufacturing plants. The assignment is to review the diagram and identify the potential impacts which may result.

  2. Process information: Company X has indicated that " material in EDC residue tank will be sold ". Does this satisfy your EIA needs? What else do you need to know?

  3. Environmental setting: You Know that copper in the effluent exceeds background levels in Lavaca Bay. What information do you need in order to evaluate the potential impact of copper?

  4. Socio-economic setting: Company X indicates 7,000 new jobs will be created. This is great, but the existing population of Point Comfort is only 2,000. What kinds of socio-economic data, or other data, will you need to determine impacts to Point Comfort and surrounding areas?

Impact Prediction Methods

Once sufficient data has been gathered, it is used to predict impacts. Other EIA teams will be asked to select impact prediction methods.

  1. How would you determine if the impact from toxic gases released by the various manufacturing processes?
  2. How would you determine if substances in the wastewater will impact aquatic life?
  3. How would you go about predicting: a) any changes to salinity in Lavaca Bay; and b) the effect of those changes to aquatic life?
  4. How would you estimate the chances of transportation accidents that could lead to environmental impacts (e.g., from shipping and rail transport).

Characterizing Mitigation and Monitoring Opportunities

Once potential impacts have been predicted, mitigation techniques need to be reviewed, to see if they will or should be used.
  1. Several islands in the bay serve as habitat for threatened and endandered species. How would you protect or enhance those habitats?

  2. Accidents or atmospheric conditions may result in toxic gas emissions. What can you do about such releases?

  3. What management practices could be used to reduce the likelihood of liquid leaks and spills at the plant?

  4. What difference would it make if you knew Company X had a particularly good or bad regulatory enforcement record?