The document discusses environmental pollution, its types, and major problems such as overpopulation, resource depletion, and global warming. It highlights the roles of various agencies in managing environmental issues in Sri Lanka, particularly the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and its regulatory functions, including Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). Additionally, it examines the impacts and mitigation options for hydro and thermal power plants on the environment.
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The document discusses environmental pollution, its types, and major problems such as overpopulation, resource depletion, and global warming. It highlights the roles of various agencies in managing environmental issues in Sri Lanka, particularly the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and its regulatory functions, including Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). Additionally, it examines the impacts and mitigation options for hydro and thermal power plants on the environment.
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Environment Impact
• Environmental Pollution can be defined as any undesirable change in
physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of any component of the environment i.e. air, water, soil which can cause harmful effects on various forms of life or property.
• Pollution: The term pollution can be defined as influence of any
substance causing nuisance, harmful effects, and uneasiness to the organisms Types of Pollution • Water pollution • Air pollution • Land pollution • Noise pollution Major Environment Problems • Over population • It creates scarcity of resources, natural hazards, leads to degradation of environment, excessive exploitation of forests, high environmental health risk. • Pollution • The presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects. • Depletion of Resources • It includes forest, soil, mineral, energy, oil etc Major Environment Problems • Global challenges • Global warming Green house gases, like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide etc., have been identified as major factor of global warming. Result is ozone depletion, deforestation, climate change, increase in temperature. • Green House effect Greenhouse gases prevent the heat from being re-radiated in outer space resulting information of thick layer of these gases and preventing the heat from being re-radiated in outer space. Major Environment Problems • Global challenges • Depletion of ozone Ozone layer is considered as a protective shield and earth’s umbrella it prevents ultraviolet solar radiation from reaching the earth surface. But due to excessive presence of chemical pollutants in the atmosphere, ozone detection is taking place which will cause dreadful diseases like skin cancer and skin allergies, and may also have hazardous effects on plants and animals. • Acid Rain The main causes of acid rain are the gases emitted by the industries, petroleum refineries and motor vehicles which pollute the atmosphere. In other words, acid rain means fall-out of acids caused by sulpure dioxide and nitrogen oxide with rainfall and thus increase in the amount of acidity of rain water. Acid rains affect adversely the soil, forests, flora and fauna, and human health. These also corrodes, building, monuments, statues, bridges, etc. Climate Change The rises of the global temperature and sea level. Global warming Impacts Environmental issues in Sri Lanka • Municipal Solid Waste (urban areas) • Coastal erosion • Water pollution (Mainly from sewage) • Air pollution(mainly vehicular pollution) • Hazardous waste management • Inappropriate siting of industry • Human elephant conflict • Soil erosion • Deforestation “Green” versus “Brown” issues • Legislation relating to “Green Issues”(eg forestry, wildlife) have been around in Sri Lanka for many years-sometimes dating back to hundred years. • However legislation relating to the so called “Brown Issues”(eg water, air , industrial Pollution Control) are more recent, and were brought in after the enactment of the National Environmental Act. Agencies dealing with environmental issues • Coast Conservation Department • Marine pollution Prevention Authority • Sustainable Energy Authority • Central Environmental Authority • Forest Department • Department of Wildlife Conservation • North Western provincial council Environmental Authority Central Environment Authority (CEA) • CEA was set up in 1981, under the provisions in the National Environmental Act no 47 of 1980 • At the inception, the CEA was a coordinating and policy making body with no regulatory authority. • In 1988, amendments were made to the NEA which transformed the CEA into a Regulatory Agency. • One of the major areas in which the CEA is involved is the control of pollution from industry. • In addition, the CEA is involved in the control of water pollution, air pollution, noise pollution and Hazardous waste management. • One of the major impacts of industries on the environment is the discharge of waste water which causes water pollution in water bodies such as rivers, lakes and lagoons as well as the ocean. • In order to control such pollution, the CEA has specified standards which are required to be met be industries when discharging their waste effluents. Regulatory functions of the CEA The CEA has focused its attention on two main regulatory functions
1. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
2. Environmental Protection License for waste discharging industry (EPL) Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is one of the most powerful tools in operational sing the concept of “Sustainable Development”. • Environmental Impact Assessment is a planning tool which could go a long way in ensuring a sustainable development process. • All major infrastructure projects as well major development projects now require an EIA prior to implementation, thereby ensuring that almost all adverse environmental impacts will be mitigated What is the purpose of an EIA? The purpose of an EIA is to ensure that development plans or projects under consideration are environmentally sound and sustainable, and that environmental consequences are recognized and taken into account early in the project design.
The main purpose of EIA is not the “Approval” or “Rejection ” of
projects, but to ensure that projects which are proposed go ahead with minimum damage to the environment. Environmental Impact of Power Generation Impact and mitigation options related to hydro power plants Hydroelectric power plants do not emit any of the standard atmospheric pollutants such as carbon dioxide or Sulphur dioxide given off by fossil fuel fired power plants. In this respect, hydropower is better than burning coal, oil or natural gas to produce electricity, as it does not contribute to global warming or acid rain. Similarly, hydroelectric power plants do not result in the risks of radioactive contamination associated with nuclear power plants
1) Flooding of large area of land
The most obvious impact of hydroelectric dams is the flooding of vast areas of land, much of it previously forested or used for agriculture. The size of reservoirs created can be extremely large. Reservoirs can be used for ensuring adequate water supplies, providing irrigation, and recreation; but in several cases they have flooded the homelands of native peoples, whose way of life has then been destroyed. Many rare ecosystems are also threatened by hydroelectric development. Solution: Relocate the human living areas away from the catchment area. Impact and mitigation options related to hydro power plants 2) Lost of Cultural properties Historical and religious sites and objects can be damaged or completely destroyed during implementing a large scale hydro power projects. Solution: Conduct a survey on such details before planning. Impact and mitigation options related to hydro power plants 3) Can cause unexpected natural disasters When a reservoir is built by means of a dam, a large weight is applied on the earth beneath. This may lead to unexpected earthquakes. On the other hand large water releases (spills) through the dam, can cause flood situations. Solution: Consider engineering and geological data before planning.
4) Global warming emissions
Generally global warming emissions associated with a hydro power project are produced during the installation and dismantling. A few recent studies of large reservoirs done behind hydro dams have suggested that decaying vegetation, submerged by flooding, may give off significant quantities of greenhouse gases like CO2 and CH4. Impact and mitigation options related to hydro power plants 5) Impact on watershed Large dams and reservoirs can have other impacts on a watershed. Damming a river can alter the amount and quality of water in the river downstream of the dam, as well as preventing fish from migrating upstream to spawn. Solutions: These impacts can be reduced by requiring minimum flows downstream of a dam, and by creating fish ladders, which allow fish to move upstream past the dam. Impact and mitigation options related to hydro power plants 6) Pollutes the water Bacteria present in decaying vegetation can also change mercury, present in rocks underlying a reservoir, into a form, which is soluble in water. The mercury accumulates in the bodies of fish and poses a health hazard to those who depend on these fish for food. The water quality of many reservoirs also poses a health hazard due to new forms of bacteria, which grow in many of the hydro rivers. Therefore, run of the river type hydro plants generally have a smaller impact on the environment. Positive Impacts • Being renewable sources of energy, hydropower is cheaper than the thermal power • Able to start and stop quickly, hence suitable for meeting peak load requirements. • It reduces pressure on non-renewable sources of energy such as coal, oil, gas. • Brings more land under irrigation, hence increase the yield per hectare. • Flood mitigation • Provide drinking water • Generates, employment for local public • Reduces the impact of drought. • Greater inflow of tourists results more employment • Provide habitat for animals and birds due to increased availability of water and more vegetation • Navigation facilities Impact and mitigation options related to thermal power plants 1) Pollutes the atmosphere The main emissions from thermal power plants are carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), Sulphur oxides (SOx), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and air- borne inorganic particles such as fly ash, soot, and other trace gas species. Carbon dioxide, methane, and chlorofluorocarbons are greenhouse gases. These emissions are considered to be responsible for heating up the atmosphere, producing a harmful global environment. Oxides of nitrogen and sulphur play an important role in atmospheric chemistry and are largely responsible for atmospheric acidity. Particulates and black carbon (soot) are of concern, in addition to possible lung tissue irritation resulting from inhalation of soot particles and various organic chemicals that are known carcinogens. Solution: Use of proper filtering mechanisms such as Scrubbers, Selective Catalytic Reduction Systems (SCR) Impact and mitigation options related to thermal power plants Scrubbers Wet scrubbers are used in Flue gas desulphurization (FGD) where more than 90% of SO2 in the flue gas is converted to gypsum. In the absorbers flue gas passes through a mixture or slurry of pulverized limestone (Ca(CO)3) and water, which is sprayed into the flue gas stream. SO2 in the flue gas reacts with the slurry and forms calcium sulphate or gypsum, which is managed in a landfill or used to produce drywall. Impact and mitigation options related to thermal power plants Electrostatic Precipitators (EPS) In an electrostatic precipitator, particles suspended in the airstream are given an electric charge as they enter the unit and are then removed by the influence of an electric field. The precipitation unit comprises baffles for distributing airflow, discharge and collection electrodes, a dust clean-out system, and collection hoppers. A high voltage of direct current (DC), as much as 100kV, is applied to the discharge electrodes to charge the particles, which then are attracted to oppositely charged collection electrodes, on which they become trapped. In coal power plants, this method is used to collect fly ash which is used in concrete and anti-skid road materials. Impact and mitigation options related to thermal power plants Selective Catalytic Reduction Systems (SCR) The nitrogen oxides (NOx) are reduced by the SCR process .The exhaust gas treated with a reactant (urea or ammonia) passes through honeycomb- patterned convertors with a fine cell structure. The nitrogen oxides react with the reactant on the active surface of the convertor and are reduced to water and nitrogen. Impact and mitigation options related to thermal power plants 2) Health impacts Due to the poisonous gasses emitted from thermal power plants can lead to diseases related to lungs. In nuclear power plants health risk associated with radiation exists. Solutions: Filter the flue gasses, proper disposal of radioactive waste of nuclear plants 3) Water pollution Natural water resources are used as cooling ponds for thermal power plants which increase the temperature of the water. And sometimes solid waste (ash) is diverted to these water resources which causes the pollution. This can cause a negative effect on fish and other aquatic live. Solution: Use of cooling towers instead of natural water resources. 4) Noise pollution Noise created by diesel generators, coal pulverisers, turbines causes this noise pollution. Solutions: Proper lubrication, use of silencers Control of pollutants • Depends on, • Type of Fuel • Organization of fuel combustion • Operating of dust collecting and gas cleaning plants • Devices used for ejection of flue gases into the atmosphere Effects • Effects on Human Health • Effects on Animals • Effects on Plants • Effects on Materials • Effects on Atmosphere