Environmental literacy

Semester 2 :POTT
Definition of terms’
Environment: Literally it refers to the surroundings. It is an integration
of physical, chemical and living factors that act upon an organism
determining its form and survival. It includes both living and non-living
things.
Environmentally Hazardous materials: These are the substances
which have the potential to threaten the surrounding by affecting plants’
and animals’ health, pollution causing natural disasters.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): These are the garments or
materials worn in order to safeguard a person from hazards such as injury
or infection.
Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA) 1999:
It is a legal framework that provides for environmental management and
conservation in Kenya. The original act was recently revised in 2015 to
align to the2010 Kenyan Constitution.
Occupational
guidelines or Safety set
principal andin Health
order to Standards
foster a safe a (OSHS):
safe and Thesework
health are
environment.
CONT,
 “Beneficial use” means a use of the environment or
any element or segment of the environment that is
conducive to public health, welfare or safety and which
requires protection from the effects of wastes, discharges,
emissions and deposits;
 “Benefited environment” means that environment
which has benefited through the imposition of one or
more obligations on the burdened land;
 “Biological diversity” means the variability among
living organisms from all sources including, terrestrial
ecosystems, aquatic ecosystems and the ecological
complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity
within , among species and of ecosystems.
CONT,
 “Ambient air” means the atmosphere surrounding
the earth but does not include the atmosphere within a
structure or within any underground space;
 “Analysis” means the testing or examination of any
matter, substance or process for the purpose of
determining its composition or qualities or its effect
(whether physical, chemical or biological) on any
segment of the environment or examination of
emissions or recording of noise or sub-sonic vibrations
to determine the level or other characteristics of the
noise or sub-sonic vibration or its effect on any
segments of the environment;
Cont’

 Biological resources” include genetic resources

organisms or parts that is , populations, or any other
biotic component or ecosystems with actual or
potential use or value for humanity.
 “Burdened land” means any land upon which an
environmental easement has been imposed;
 “Chemical” means a chemical substance in any
form whether by itself or in a mixture or preparation,
whether manufactured or derived from nature and for
the purposes of this Act includes industrial chemicals,
pesticides, fertilizers and drugs;
Cont’
“ecosystem” means a dynamic complex of
plant, animal, micro-organism
communities and their non-living
environment interacting as a functional unit;
“effluent” means gaseous waste, water or
liquid or other fluid of domestic,
agricultural, trade or industrial origin treated
or untreated and discharged directly or
indirectly into the aquatic environment;
Cont’
 element” in relation to the environment mean any of the
principal constituent parts of the environment including water,
atmosphere, soil, vegetation, climate, sound, odour, aesthetics,
fish and wildlife;
 “environment” includes the physical factors of the
surroundings of human beings including land, water,
atmosphere, climate, sound, odour, taste, the biological factors of
animals and plants and the social factor of aesthetics and includes
both the natural and the built environment;
 “environmental audit” means the systematic, documented,
periodic and objective evaluation of how well environmental
organisation, management and equipment are performing in
conserving or preserving the environment;
 “environmental easement” means an easement imposed under
section 112;
Cont’
 “Environmental education” includes the process of recognising
values and clarifying concepts in order to develop skills and
attitudes necessary to understand and appreciate the inter-
relatedness among man, his culture and his biophysical
surroundings;
 “Environmental impact assessment” means a systematic
examination conducted to determine whether or not a programme,
activity or project will have any adverse impacts on the
environment;
 “Environmental Inspector” means any environmental inspector
appointed or designated under section 117;
 “Environmental management” includes the protection,
conservation and sustainable use of the various elements or
components of the environment
Cont’
 “Environmental monitoring” means the continuous or periodic
determination of actual and potential effects of any activity or
phenomenon on the environment whether short-term or long term;
 “Environmental planning” means both long-term and short-
term planning that takes into account environmental exigencies;
 “Environmental resources” includes the resources of the air,
land, flora, fauna and water together with their aesthetical
qualities;
 “Environmental restoration order” means an order issued
under section 108;
 “Environmentally friendly” includes any phenomenon or
activity that does not cause harm or degradation to the
environment;
Cont’
 “Good environmental practice” means practice
that is in accordance with the provisions of this
Act or any other relevant law;
 “Hazardous substance” means any chemical,
waste, gas, medicine, drug, plant, animal or
microorganism which is likely to be injurious to
human health or the environment;
 “Hazardous waste” means any waste which
has been determined by the Authority to be
hazardous waste or to belong to any other
category of waste that poses danger to human life.
 Environmentally hazardous material are items or agents
(chemical. biological, physical or/and radiological) that
potentially have the ability to cause harm to the surroundings.
The control of environmentally hazardous materials in Kenya
is governed by the National Environment Management
Authority (NEMA) under the Kenyan Constitution.
 NEMA was formed by an act of parliament in May 1996,
started operations in July 2002, serving as the national body to
implement environmental policies within Kenya across all
sectors.
 In addition, it is also tasked with supervising and
coordinating environmental activities.
continuation
NEMA is able to enforce its roles and responsibilities using
environmental Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA), the law
framework on environmental management and conservation in Kenya.
The principal act of 1999 was amended in 2015 in accordance with the
2010 constitution.
EMCA is thus tasked with the management of environmentally
hazardous substances and ensures that waste shall not be imported into
Kenya without the authority, and (NEMA) issuing a valid permit.
Hazardous materials under the globally harmonized Systems are
categorized into three classes:
 Health Hazards
 Physical Hazards
 Environmental Hazards
continuation
These classes are further classified into different
categories.
In line with our topic focus, environmental hazards are
divided into:
 Acute
 Aquatic Toxicity
 Chronic Aquatic Toxicity
Hazardous waste management
Definition
Hazardous waste :any residues or combination
of residues other than radioactive waste which
by reason of its chemical reactivity or toxic,
explosive, corrosive or other characteristics
causes potential hazard to human or
environment, either alone or when in contact
with other wastes and which therefore cannot
be handled, stored, transported, treated or
disposed off without special precautions.
Sources of hazardous waste
Inorganic(chemicals that lack carbon –
hydrogen bond e.g diamond silver) and
organic chemicals
Petroleum refineries
Iron and steel
Non ferrous metals
Leather tanning metal finishing
Hazardous waste management strategy
Objectives
1.Waste minimization
2.Detoxification and neutralization of waste
by treatments
3.Destruction of combustible wastes by
incineration Solidification of sludge and
ash from steps 2 and 3
4.Disposal of residues in landfills.
Waste minimization
Helps in resource conservation, economic
efficiency and environmental protection
The strategies include-
 Source reduction
 Recycling and
 waste exchange.
Treatment methods
Physical
Chemical
biological
Physical treatment
Involves variety of separation techniques
whenever a waste containing liquid and
solid must be treated.
Physical processes are;
screening,sedimentation,centrifugation,
flotation, absorption and stripping
Chemical treatment
Aims to:-
To make complete breakdown of
hazardous waste into non toxic form
To reduce the hazard of a particular waste
Chemical methods are;
Neutralization, precipitation, oxidation
and reduction.
Cont’
Neutralization: carried out when the
waste contains excessive amount of acid
or alkali.
Chemical oxidation: used to destroy toxic
cyanide molecule with oxidising agents.
Reduction: used in the conversion of
hexavalent chromium before it can be
precipitated.
Biological treatment
Different types of microorganisms are
used for degradation of specific
compounds of hazardous wastes.
Some microbes found in soil and sewage
sludge have been tested in the degradation
of organic chemicals
Solidification or stabilization
Convert waste into an insoluble, rock
hard material.
Additive materials are used to reduce the
mobility of pollutants in the wastes.
Certain materials like nickel cannot be
destroyed or detoxified by the above
methods.
The residues that are left out are solidified
to reduce the leach ability.
Storage of environmentally
hazardous materials
 Storage methods for environmentally hazardous materials
must follow the below procedures according to
Occupational Safety and Health Standard (OSHS):
i. Follow all the storage instructions on the product label.
Storage requirements vary based on the material’s
hazardous properties.
ii. Be sure to store all volatile products in well ventilated
areas. Fumes can be toxic to living things, both plants and
animals.
iii. Make certain you store flammable products in the
recommended temperature range. The container will
expand if you store them in too high temperatures. In too
low temperatures, liquid materials will expand, freeze and
burst if you store them
continuation
iv. Keep all hazardous materials out of children’s reach
and away from all animals. This can be done through:
 Covering materials with safety lids whenever
possible
 Putting all hazardous materials stared behind locked
doors.
v. Use the original container to store the hazardous
material.
vi. Reduce the amount of hazardous materials you keep
in storage. Buy only the amount required for your
task.
continuation
vii. Do regular maintenance of storage areas. Regular
clean-ups and inspections of storage areas.
viii. Storage methods for environmentally hazardous
materials can be resolved by answering four questions.
THAT IS
 What materials are being stored? Understanding the
properties of a hazardous material is paramount. Be it
physical or chemical or biological properties.
The material being stored may be incompatible with
some conditions and/or substances. For example,
flammable liquids should not be stored with an
oxidizing agent.
continuation
 Why is the material being stored? Ways should
be developed to either use less hazardous
materials or reduce the quantity of materials
stored?
 Where is the material being stored? Ensure that
storage is clearly defined as permanent,
temporary or transient location?
 How is the material being stored? It reviews
local, state and federal regulations and the
manufacture’s specifications? What type of
container? Is also answered here.
STORAGE METHODS FOR HARZADOUS WASTES.

In Environmental Health Requirements,

materials should be stored in a manner
that does not harm or threaten human
health or the environment.
 It is in line with this, that storage
methods of environmentally hazardous
materials are considered. These methods
are;
I. Storing in tanks and containers.

Containers are portable whereas tanks are stationary.

Tanks and containers chosen for storage should meet
the following criteria:
 Good condition
 Closed/sealed
 Chemically compatible
 Impervious surface
 No floor drains
 Under cover, if outside
Container Management involves;

 Can only accumulate in containers and

tanks (criteria for container choice)
 Inspection logo
Adequate aisle space-Not less than an
adjacent distance of two feet.
 Container/Tank marking
 Storage time=be less than 90 days.
 Outdoor security measures such as
controlled entry and barrier creation.
2. Onsite waste storage facilities
They include open waste piles and ponds.
Mustbe constructed over an impervious base and be in
compliance with regulatory requirements.
The pile must be protected from weather conditions such
as wind, rain and direct sunshine.
Used to store temporary hazardous waste before disposal
3. Open pit or holding pond (lagoon)

Used to store temporary hazardous liquid

waste.
Lagoons must be lined with impervious
soils and ground water must be protected
by flexible membrane liners.
Disposal methods of hazardous waste

Disposal methods of hazardous waste are

followed according to environmental regulations
and OSHS (occupational health and safety)
Disposal of hazardous waste is governed and
overseen by NEMA. The major guideline under
which NEMA enforces its mandate is the
Environmental Management and Coordination
Act (EMCA).
Just as storage methods, disposal methods of
hazardous waste can be resolved by answering
the following four questions.
continuation

What waste is being disposed? All properties (chemical,
physical and biological) of the waste must be put into
consideration.
 Why is the waste being disposed? Some materials may be
marked for disposal yet they may be useful for another
function though not the one originally purchased for?
 Where is the waste disposal taking place: The waste can be
disposed far away from human and animal settlement? If it
is a specific area, then certain regulations must be adhered
to. Different counties or states have different policies and
legislations of hazard waste disposal
 How is the waste being disposed? It involves reviewing
local, state and federal regulations and the manufacturer’s
specifications
Disposal methods of hazardous wastes

a) Incineration
 This involves burning the substance in high temperatures.
Incineration destroys and terminates most of the waste. This
method is beneficial as flammable waste can also be used as
energy sources when burned.
 The backside that comes with incineration is the release of toxic
gases to the environment. This has however been solved by the
current technology which has developed more efficient
incinerator units that limit the amount of emissions released.
b) Recycling
E-waste is mostly disposed in this form. For example, part of
a dead phone or computer maybe used to fix a broken-down
phone or computer.
continuation
c) Landfill disposal
 This technique involves storing solid hazardous waste into the
ground. Landfills for hazardous wastes are lined with a double
layered non-porous material such as clay to inhibit leaching.
 After dumping, the landfills are covered to prohibit animals such
as rodents and insects from entering. Unfortunately, this method
occupies a huge space.
d) Dumping at sea

 Hazardous waste is deposited into the deep sea after treatment to

minimize its impact on ground water sources. This method
however is currently under heavy scrutiny or even banned around
the world to preserve the blue economy.
continuation
e) Underground disposal .
Termed to be the most ideal and economical for
radioactive waste. It is only conducted on
inhabitable lands such as inactive mines which
must meet a particular geological and technical
criterion. It involves injecting the hazardous
waste deep into the ground. They are also
referred to as injection wells. The hazardous
waste that can use this method include medical
treatments, brine from mining of radioactive ores
and the production of nuclear fuel.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT
 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is protective clothing
or garments or instruments designed to protect the body of
the wearer from hazards that may cause injury or infection.
 It should be noted that PPE does not eliminate the hazard or
danger at the source but rather protects the wearer’s body in
case the hazard happens, that is, an accident happens.
 PPE are provided under the Occupational Safety and Health
Standards (OSHS).
 OSHS are formulated guidelines that safeguard an
employee’s economic and social well-being as well as
his/her physical health and safety. OSHS strives to foster a
healthy working environment.
 OSHS in Kenya is guided by the Occupational Safety and
Health Act (OSHA) 2007 and implemented by the
Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services
(DOSHS).
 OSHS provides for PPE in any working environment to
reduce risk of harm or injury.
 OSHS requires PPE to be offered to employees free of
charge. PPE must be carefully chosen and training offered
to employees on how to use them properly and know how
to detect and report any damages. When selecting and using
PPE, the following should be considered;
 Who and what is exposed?
 Duration of exposure
 Extent of exposure
Types of PPE

i. Eyes: protects the eyes they include safety

spectacles, face screens, goggles, face shields,
visions: Hazards include dust, metal or
chemical splash, radiation, gas and vapour.
ii. Head and Neck: Bump caps, helmets.
Hazards include impact from falling or flying
objects, risk of head bumping, drips, splashes.
continuation
iii. Ears: protects the ears from the noise and include Ear
muffs, earplugs, semi-insert/canal caps. Hazards include
noise (combines duration, intensity and exposure time)
iv. Hands and arms: protects the hands and includes Gloves
and gauntlets. Hazards include cuts, punctures, abrasion,
electric shock, radiation, extreme temperatures.
v. Feet and legs: Safety boots. Hazards include slipping, cuts,
punctures, falling objects, splashes, vehicles.
vi. Lungs: Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE). Hazards
include toxic gases, dust
vii. Whole body: Overalls (Conventional and disposable),
boiler suits, aprons. Hazards include heat, splashes, sprays,
impact, entanglement of own clothing.
Factors Influencing PPE Selection

• Type of exposure anticipated

• Durability and appropriateness for the task
• Fit
Cont’

When you are selecting PPE, consider three key

things.
 Type of anticipated exposure. This is
determined by the type of anticipated exposure,
such as touch, splashes or sprays, or large
volumes of blood or body fluids that might
penetrate the clothing.
PPE selection, in particular the combination of
PPE, also is determined by the category of
isolation precautions a patient is on.
Cont’
 Second, and very much linked to the first, is the
durability and appropriateness of the PPE for
the task. This will affect, for example, whether a
gown or apron is selected for PPE, or, if a gown is
selected, whether it needs to be fluid resistant, fluid
proof, or neither.

 Thirdis fit.
PPE must fit the individual user, and it is up to the
employer to ensure that all PPE are available in sizes
appropriate for the workforce that must be protected.
Do’s and Don’ts of Glove Use
• Work from “clean to dirty”
• Limit opportunities for “touch
contamination” - protect yourself, others,
and the environment.
 Don’t touch your face or adjust PPE with
contaminated gloves.
 Don’t touch enviromental surfaces
except as necessary during patient care.
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid waste is discarded material disposal
and is considered as garbage.
Refuse and sludge from wastewater can
be in solid, semi-solid, liquid or contained
in gaseous material
Types of Solid Waste
Domestic Waste
 Domestic waste is also referred to as garbage, refuse, or trash. It
consists mainly of biodegradable waste which is food and
kitchen waste, green waste paper and non-biodegradable such
as plastics, glass bottles, cans, metals and wrapping materials.
Waste Tires
 These are tires that have reached their end due to wear or
damage and cannot be recycled or reused. The bulk of the tires
are informally collected and often illegally burnt in open to
recover steel for recycling.
Construction and Demolition Waste
 This type is generated as a result of construction works,
remodeling or demolition. It comprises debris, steel, timber,
iron sheets, tiles and ceramics among others.
cont.,
Industrial waste
 This is waste produced by industrial activities which includes
any material that is rendered useless during manufacturing
process industries produce both hazardous and non-hazardous
waste. They include chemical solvents, paints, sand paper and
paper products, industrial by products, metals, municipal
solid waste and radioactive waste.
 Bio-Medical Waste
 Bio medical waste refers to waste generated in health
facilities, research institutions or during immunization of
human beings and animals. It is classified into; infectious
waste sharps, pharmaceutical wastes, chemical waste and
pathological waste. Biomedical waste pose risks to human
health
Cont,
 Sewage Sludge
 This is a sediment material that accumulates over time. In
the sewage treatment plants and ponds. Sewage sludge that
is contaminated by heavy metals from industrial effluent
can severely contaminate agricultural land to which it is
applied.
 E-Waste
 This is waste generated from electrical and electronic
equipment (EEEs) becoming obsolete e-waste comprises
of heavy metal components and materials used in the
manufacture of electronic goods. They include; mercury,
brominated flame retardants and cadmium, which are
considered hazardous.
Procedure for solid waste management

1. Waste Generation
Most of the waste is generated at household,
market places, cities, town, institutions and
industrial zones.
The waste generator should endeavour to
minimize waste by reducing, reusing, refusing,
returning waste or by adopting cleaner
production technologies.
Waste should be segregated at the source; this
can be made possible by county governments
providing coded bags and bins
Cont,
2. Waste Collection
 Collection centers or transfer stations should be established at
strategic areas within a town. These collection areas should
be properly managed and maintained with frequent and
timely collection of waste to avoid scattering into
undesignated areas. Adequate measures should be put in
place to manage any leachate from the waste receptacle and
collection areas.
3. Waste transportation
 This involves transportation of various segregated solid waste
types. Waste transportation trucks should be closed and
suitable for the transportation of various types of waste to
waste treatment facilities and landfills. These transportation
vehicles should be lincensed to be operated by NEMA.
4. Waste treatment

a) Recycling

 This is the processing of waste materials. Into a new product of similar

chemical composition. Recycling prevents wastage of potentially useful
materials, reduce the consumption of raw materials and ultimately reduces
pollution.
b) Composting

 Composting is the biological decomposition of biodegradable solid waste

under controlled aerobic conditions to produce compost. Compost is used as
an organic fertilizer in agricultural production.
c) Thermal treatment of waste

 This is the combustion of waste at specific temperatures with or without air

supply as part of the process and includes waste incineration, gasification and
pyrolysis.
 This process reduces the volume of waste and inert any hazardous components
5. Waste Disposal

Disposal refers to the depositing or burial of

waste in land.
The sanitary landfills should be filled with
systems to collect leachate(water that percolates
through the solid wastes disposal sites) and
methane gas.
There should be frequent spreading,
compacting and covering of waste with soil or
any other appropriate covering material so as to
avoid environmental pollution and scavenging
birds.
Methods of solid waste disposal
1. Dumping
2. Controlled tipping or sanitary landfill.
3. Incineration
4. Compositing
5. Burying
 POLLUTION
This is the introduction of harmful materials
into the environment.
These harmful materials are called pollutants
Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic
ash.
They can also be created by human activity
such as waste, or runoff produced by factories.
Pollutants damage the quality of air, water,
and land.
Air pollution
 Air pollution may result from a quantitative change by
increasing the concentration in air of some of the gases, for
example Carbon (iv) Oxide or a qualitative change due to
introduction of external compounds (synthetic organic
substances), or a combination of these two phenomena.
 The source of these gases may be from anthropogenic
activities (from human activities) or from natural events
such as volcanism, respiration of living things or forest
fires. Some pollutants in the atmosphere can result from the
reaction between many substances to give new highly toxic
compounds, for example Sulphur (IV) Oxide can react with
water vapor in the atmosphere to give Sulphuric acid.
Sources and nature of atmospheric
pollutants
B. Gases
1.Carbon dioxide

 Volcanism
 Respiration of living things
 Fossil fuels

2.carbon monoxide
 Volcanism
 Combustion engines

3.hydrocarbons
 Plants
 Bacteria
 Combustion engines
continuation
 4.Organic compounds
 Chemical industries
 Incineration of refuse
 Various combustions

 5.Sulphur dioxide and Sulphur derivations

 Volcanism
 Sea spray
 Bacteria
 Fossil fuels

 6.Nitrate derivatives
 Bacteria
 Combustion
continuation
B. Heavy metals
1. Inorganic compounds
 volcanism-meteorites
 wind-spray erosion
 various industries
 combustion engines

2.Organic compounds
Natural or synthetic
 forest fire
 chemical industries
 various industries
 combustion engines

 3.Radionuclide
 nuclear explosions
Impacts of air pollution

I. Air pollution has effects on health and the nature. The effects of
air pollution on natural ecosystems can be felt at different
geographical levels, and they can spread to water and land
ecosystems in the form of dry or wet deposits.
II. Over acidification and over fertilization. Sulphur and Nitrogen
inputs are responsible for acidification and over fertilization of
ecosystems such as forests, rivers, lakes and swamps.
III. Necrosis on plants. Necrosis is the death of cells in tissue. High
concentration of pollutants can cause death to plants and animal
cells, leading to organ failure or death of tissues.
IV. Air pollution can cause reduction in plant growth (stunted growth)
or reduce the ability of plants to resist diseases and infections.
V. Air pollution can also change the chemical composition of the
atmosphere, therefore affecting biogeochemical cycles such as the
nitrogen cycle, water cycle and carbon cycle.
Control Measures

Control measures to prevent, reduce or eliminate

pollutants in the air are guided by the
Environmental Management and Co-ordination
Act (No 8 of 1999).
The regulations to be followed can be found in
the Environmental Management Co-ordination
(air quality) Regulations of 2014. The air quality
regulations of 2014 have different ways in which
they ensure air quality standards are fit for
humans, animals and plants. The following are
measures to ensure safety of workers:
continuation
 The owner of the facility should inform the workers of the
hazards in specific work environment.
 Train the workers on the potential hazards of any hazardous
substance to which they are exposed, and the safety
precautions to be taken to prevent any harm to their health.
 Ensure that measurements of pollutants are carried out by a
laboratory designated by Environment Management
Authority in order to determine compliance with the
prevailing allowed levels of exposure.
 Ensure that record of measurements carried out, are reported
to the Authority on a quality basis.
 Take exposure reduction measures.
other methods include
Class activity
Noise Pollution

Industrial Noise
This is high intensity sound caused by machinery,
such as generators, turbines and shredders from
industry process.
 Noise from mechanical saws and drills is
unbearable and protective equipment for workers
is needed.
Industry noise does not only affect only workers
but also those who are close to the factory may
suffer the effects.
continuation
Transportation Noise
 Transport noise mainly is from traffic from road, rail and aircraft. With
increase in population, there has been an increase in the number of
vehicles on roads, like motorcycles, cars, and buses, trucks, and diesel
engines vehicles. This has aggravated the noise pollution problem.
 Noise pollution from aircrafts can be experienced by staff who work in
airports and military airbases and those living nearby.
 This type of noise pollution is usually experienced in urban areas where
traffic is high.
Neighborhood Noise

 This type of noise includes disturbance from household electronics and

community activities. Common source of this type of noise pollution
include TVs, loudspeakers and musical instruments. Community
activities carried out in neighborhoods such as parties, cultural functions
and wedding and burial ceremonies
Methods of Minimizing Noise Pollution

Source Control
 This involves reducing the transmission of sound from the source. This
includes modifications such as acoustic treatment to machine surface, design
changes to factory facilities, limiting operations to a certain time.
Transmission path intervention
 This involves containing the source inside a sound insulate, enclosure,
construction of a noise barrier or provision of sound absorbing materials along
the path of travelling sound.
Receptor control
 The protection of the receiver by changing the work schedule or provision of
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as ear plugs when operating noisy
machinery. It may also include the dissipation and deflection of sound that it
may not reach humans and animals.
Machinery Maintenance
 Proper oiling and maintenance of machinery will reduce noise from machines
that are rusty or will avoid friction from moving parts of a machine.
Maintenance of vehicles will reduce noise produce by automobiles.
Land pollution
Land is earth which is occupied by people
for shelter, occupation etc...
We can classify major sources that lead to
land pollution using the following
categories
a) Mining and quarrying
b) Sewage waste
c) Household garbage
d) Industrial wastes
Effects of land pollution
House construction becomes difficult
Ground water gets affected
Aesthetic value is lost
Bad smell that can cause diseases.
Prevention of land pollution
More and more land should be brought
under farming.
Trees should be planted everywhere.
Waste matter should be disposed off
immediately in the right place.
Avoid drilling the land for more
underground water.
Avoid using more fertilizers and
pesticides.
Radio active pollution

Despite the advantage of nuclear as a

clean enegy,the big concern has resulted
from the nuclear reaction, which is a form
of pollution called radio activity.
Radiation will form radio active pollution.
Causes of radio active pollution
Nuclear power(use of nuclear reactions to
produce electricity)
Nuclear weapons.(explosive devices that
derives its destructive force from nuclear
reactions)
Disposal of nuclear wastes.
Uranium mining.
Effects of radio active pollution
The disease include
Blood in cough(haemoptysis)
Ulcers.
Swelling of bone joints.
Cancer of the lung, blood, skin, bone etc.
Eye problems.
How to avoid radio active pollution
Avoid constructing nuclear power plants.
Avoid using nuclear weapons.
Have proper treatment of nuclear wastes.
Avoid mining for uranium to a minimal.
SOIL POLLUTION

Definition:- soil pollution is defined as

contamination caused by chemicals and other
substance resulting in the loss of the fertility or
the productivity of soil.
 The productivity of soil is measured in terms of
the yields of grains per unit of land.
 The indirect effect of soil contamination is
observed through the crop contamination.
When such contaminated grains are consumed
by the human beings they affect the human
health.
SOURCES OF SOIL POLLUTION
 Polluted water discharged from factories
 Oil and petroleum leaks from vehicles washed off
the road by the rain into the surrounding habitat.
 Chemicals fertilizer runoff from farms and crops.
 Acid rain (fumes from factories mixing with rain)
 Sewage discharged into rivers instead of being

treated properly
 Over application of pesticides and fertilizers
 Purposeful injection of wastes into groundwater
as disposal method
EFFECTS OF SOIL POLLUTION

Agriculture:-
 Reduced soil fertility
 Reduced nitrogen fixation
 Increased erodiability
 Larger loss of soil and nutrients
 Deposition of slit in tanks and reservoirs
 Reduced crop yield
Imbalance in soil fauna and flora
Cont,
Urban:-
 Clogging of drains
Public health problems
Pollution of drinking water sources
Foul smell and release of gases
 Waste management problems
PREVENTION OF SOIL POLLUTION

 Reducing fertilizer and pesticide use – using

bio fertilizers and manures
Reusing of materials – materials such as glass
containers, plastic bags, paper, cloths can be
reused at domestic level rather than being
disposed thus reducing solid waste pollution
 Recycling and recovery of materials –papers,
plastic and glass can be recycled
Reforesting – control of land loss and soil
erosion can be possible through restoring forests
Cont,
Resources: They are the flows and reservoirs of matter and energy
that can sustain or benefit living systems.

Resource efficiency systems: These are procedures that ensure

the limited resources are used sustainably while minimizing impact
on the environment. The systems allow for creation of more using
less and deliverance of greater value output with less input.

Purchasing strategies: These are actions that may be undertaken

in order to increase overall saving from buying of goods and
services. They are used in order to make cost effective buying
decisions from a group of efficient vendors who will deliver quality
goods and services on time and at mutually agreeable terms.
characteristics of resources

a) Utility(refers to the usefulness or

consumer can get from a service or good)
b) Value(usefulness of something)
c) scarce/potential for depletion or
consumption(use of resources beyond
their rate of replacement)
Types of resources
a) Renewable and Non-renewable Resources
 Renewable Resources
 They are also known as infinite resources. These are resources that are
consistently available despite their utilization. After usage, they can be
fairly replaced or recovered. Examples include air, water, vegetation and
energy from the sun. Animals can also be categorized as renewable
resources since they reproduce offspring to replace the older generation.
It is important to note that as much as these resources can be replaced, it
may take a long period of time to do that hence need to use then
sustainably.
 Renewable resources are further divided into two categories:
  Organic renewable resources. These are those that are extracted from
living things, that is, plants and animals.
  Inorganic renewable resources. These come from non-living things
like sun, wind and water.
Cont,
Non-renewable Resources.
 These are resources that cannot simply be recovered or
substituted once they have been extracted and utilized or
destroyed. They are also known as finite resources.
Example includes minerals, fossil fuel. Even though
minerals and fossil fuels occur naturally, they are
categorized as non-renewable resources as their
formation take a very long period of time. Most recently,
some animals, mostly the endangered species are also
regarded as non-renewable resources as they are at the
verge of extinction
Cont,

b) Biotic and Abiotic Resources

 Biotic Resources
 These are resources that come from organic and living
materials, that is, the ecosphere. They include animals
and plants and other materials obtained from them
such as fossil fuels, as they are produced from dead
and decaying organic matter.
 A biotic Resources
 These are resources generated from non-organic and
non-living materials. Examples include water, land,
air, minerals.
c) Stock, Reserve, Actual and Potential Resources

Stock resources

 They are resources that are present and have been surveyed
but their usage is limited due to lack of technology to
extract them. An example of such a resource is hydrogen.
Reserve Resources
 These are resources that have been surveyed and their
quantity and quality determined butt are not currently been
used. They are however to be developed for profits in the
future.
Actual Resources
 These are resources present in a region whose quality and
quantity have been surveyed and determined, and they are
currently being used as the required expertise and
technology is available.
Potential Resources

 These are resources whose knowledge and existence

in a region is present and can be exploited in the
future. For instance, in a region that sedimentary
rocks rich in petroleum; it is a potential resource until
its actual quality and quantity is surveyed and
determined.
 From the above resources, we learn that
environmental resources are classified according to
the following criteria:
  Based on their renewability
  Based on their source of origin.
  Based on their development stage.
Cont,
Natural and man- made resources
Natural resources are those that comes
from nature, such as water, sunlight,
oil ,minerals, plants and their extract, and
so on.
human resources- these are produced by
humans.
Cont,
 Human made resources are those which
changed their form completely from man and
available for consumption.
 Human resources –human with his intelligence
he makes use resources efficiently and satisfied
his own needs. without his intelligence many
resources cant be used so he is also an
important resource. when we feel sick we go to
doctor for treatment, therefore the doctor acts
as a resource.
Waste minimization
Wastage minimization entails limiting the
amount of waste that is produced hence
aiding in eliminating the production of
harmful waste effectively supporting efforts
that promote a society that is sustainable.
Minimizing waste includes a change of
society patterns that relate to production and
consumption as well as redesigning products
to eliminate the generation of waste.
Benefits of minimizing waste

 Improved product quality. Innovations and new technological

practices will not only reduce wastage but also contribute to
improved quality input leading to improved products.
 Economic benefits. Efficiency and effectiveness in resource use
translates to reduced cost when it comes to purchasing value of
products hence affecting financial performance significantly.
 Efficiency of production practices. Wastage minimization will attain
more output of the product in relation to raw materials and
environmental resources.
 Environmental responsibility. Minimizing or eliminating wastage
makes it easier for one to adhere to set environmental policies,
regulations and standards.
 Public image. Embracing wastage minimization of resources boasts
an organization’s image, as it is a reflection of proactive movement
in the bid to protect the environment.
Wastage minimization techniques

I. Optimization of resources.
 This involves full exploitation of resources once they
are extracted from their natural setting. For example,
a dressmaker will arrange the pieces of a pattern in a
certain manner along the length of the fabric in the
quest to use a small portion of the fabric.
 Optimization also includes use of all products
achieved in the manufacturing or processing of the
main products. These products include by-products
and waste products. Waste products and by-products
from one process are used as raw materials for other
processes.
Cont,
2 . Quality control improvement and process monitoring.
 Wastage minimization can be put in place to limit number of
rejects and wastage generated. Can be attained through
increased frequency of inspection and increase of inspection
guidelines Resources used in manufacture can be scrutinized
through monitoring and evaluation to make them more
effective and efficient minimizing wastage.
 These methods of minimizing wastage are practically similar
to the methods for economizing or reducing resource
consumption. Reducing or economizing resource
consumption is a priority sustainability issues because we all
share the burden of responsibility to leave the environment fit
if not better for ongoing prosperity and quality of life for
future generations.
Cont,
3. Waste management procedures following the principles of
3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)
 These principles are the most commonly preferred methods
for minimizing wastage. They are the easiest and commonly
used techniques.
Reduce
 It calls for usage of resources that are just enough to cater to
your needs for example, building a small house. It lowers cost
in resource consumption. Reducing can be attained through
attaining accurate measurements to ensure that there is little
or no wastage of the resources. The process of reducing
begins with determining what you are using and for what
purpose. There are three simple steps used to assess the
reduction value of an item. They are:
Cont,

 Is there something else that can be used for

this purpose? Use of multi-purpose items is
essential in reduction. This reduces the amount
of energy used or packaging material used.
 Is there something that needs to be done? A
lot of waste materials are considered
disposable in the sense that means whether or
not the item allows you to do any real purpose
or meaning.
Cont,
 Is the item a part of something that you need to
do or want to do in your life? There is a limit to
what you need in preparation for your life. For
example, when living in the forest, you won’t
need a car equipped to handle a desert sandstorm.
Always make certain that what you use matches
reality of potential opportunity in your life. Some
of the things you can do to minimize wastage
may include; printing on both sides of the paper,
using cloth napkins instead of proper paper
napkins and avoid using disposable utensils
Cont,
Reuse
 It involves re-purposing items for a use different
from what it was initially produced for. One
appropriate example is the modular construction
of homes and offices that is being created out of
discarded shipping containers.
Recycle
 Recycling means that an item will be transformed
again into a raw material that can be shaped into a
new item. The following approaches can be used
to enhance efficient recycling:
Cont,

By products that are made up of recycled

materials, i.e. products that are environmentally
friendly.
Buy recyclable products such as glass bottles.
Create and invent new methods to recycle
different items.
 Buy non-toxic products whenever possible.
Buy items made from recycled materials.
 Use recycled paper for printing.
Methods for economizing or reducing resource
consumption

Measuring Techniques of Current Resource Usage

 Current usage of resources needs to be measured as
most of these resources are exhaustible meaning they
are available in a limited quantity and can be used up.
Measuring techniques are thus crucial in order to avoid
depletion. Currently, there is a huge tug of war centered
on resource depletion (increased scarcity) and the
exploitation of resources.
 A measuring technique involves a six-stage process that
involves understanding your current resource
consumption and waste production, understanding how
to measure it, using the data and ultimately making
informed decisions.
Stage 1: Understanding resource consumption
and waste production.
This is undertaken in two parts: Initial reviews and
process mapping.
Initial Review
Helps in gathering basic information. Assists one in
understanding how various resources are being used
highlighting areas that can be improved on.
Process Mapping
Having acquired an insight from the initial reviews,
process mapping helps controlling resources usage by
adopting the most efficient and effective resource
consumption to minimize waste collected, cost and
environmental impact.
Stage 2: Data Collection

This stage involves quantifying the exact

amount of resources used. Some of the
data collected may be exact figures while
others may be estimates depending on
nature of the resources in question.
Data can be collected: by taking
measurements, estimating, financial data
and bills, and mass balances.
Stage 3: Data Analysis

This section involves managing and collating

the data previously collected. Collected data
is represented in tables, graphs and charts.
Stage 4: Data Interpretation
This stage involves relating data analyze to
measuring indicators such as carbon metrics
and carbon footprints. It outlines the current
resources usage with trends cropping up in
the sector.
Cont,
Stage 5: Summary
 It involves coming up with a conclusion of the
process in relation to knowledge gathered from the
data. It helps identify priority areas to target, how
to go about target setting and to plan on improving
on resource consumption to be sustainable.
Stage 6: Reviews and progress communication
 This section involves giving a way forward from
all you have gained from the process. A report is
developed outlining the whole process and
how/what next from the knowledge gained.
Cont,
The most commonly used measuring technique of current
resource usage is Environmental Resources Accounting.
 It is a subject of accounting proper, its target being to
incorporate both environmental and economic
information.
It is a field that identifies usage of resources, measures
and communicates costs of a company’s or national
economic impact on the environment. Costs include clean
up or reclaim of contaminated sites, environmental fines,
penalties and taxes, purchase of pollution prevention
technologies and cost of waste management
 Understanding Resource Consumption and
waste production

Review and Progress Communication

Data Collection

Summary Data Analysis

Data Interpretation
Figure 27. A measuring technique process

328
EVALUATING CURRENT PRACTICES
IN RELATION TO RESOURCE USAGE
Introduction
This learning outcome covers
 collection and provision of resource
efficiency systems and procedures,
measuring and recording of current resource
usage,
 analyzing and recording purchasing
strategies, according to industry procedures
and analyzing work processes to access
information and data.
Definition of key terms

 Resources: They are the flows and reservoirs of matter

and energy that can sustain or benefit living systems.
 Resource efficiency systems: These are procedures that
ensure the limited resources are used sustainably while
minimizing impact on the environment. The systems allow
for creation of more using less and deliverance of greater
value output with less input.
 Purchasing strategies: These are actions that may be
undertaken in order to increase overall saving from buying
of goods and services. They are used in order to make cost
effective buying decisions from a group of efficient
vendors who will deliver quality goods and services on
time and at mutually agreeable terms.
Environmental Resource Efficiency Systems

 Resource efficiency is a sustainable development aspect.

Sustainable development is a dynamic process that
enables people of present and future generations to realize
their potential and improve their quality of life in terms of
consequently protecting and enhancing the environment’s
life support systems.
 Resource efficiency systems involve gaining the most out
of what you have.
 The systems can be beneficial in ways such as reducing
the amount of material used, hence reducing
manufacturing costs, waste and compliance to
environmental regulations thus reducing impact on the
environment.
Cont,
In the resource efficiency process, it is
important to firstly understand the inputs
and outputs before analyzing
environmental impact.
This is usually done using a life cycle
analysis.
When developing an environmental
resource efficiency system, the following
procedure is followed:
Developing an environmental resource efficiency
system procedure
Establish your resource use profile

Access resource usage and waste

generation activities

Prioritize Resource Efficiency Actions

Document and review plan/process

 Establish your resource use
profile

Access resource usage and waste

generation activities

Prioritize Resource Efficiency

Actions

Document and review

plan/process
. Developing an environmental resource efficiency system procedure

332
Establish resource use profile

It entails collecting, analyzing and determining baseline data for

current resource use and waste generation and monitoring the
efficient strategy gains.
 Baseline date includes:

 Energy use by fuel type

 Water use by source of water
 Waste generation by type of waste

 Potential sources of these data include:

 Bills
 On-site metering information
 Existing internal resource management and tracking
databases
Access resource consumptions
Offers an opportunity to consider the key
processes for their potential to reduce
resource usage and optimize saving. This
steps also involves the development of
resource efficiency indicators.
Prioritize resource efficiency actions

It involves integrating known

opportunities, evaluating the costs and
benefits of each activity and prioritizing
ideal activities in the resource efficiency
strategy.
These actions may include: Most
effective technology available, most ideal
product design that minimizes wastage.
Document and review the plan/strategy

This is the monitoring and evaluation

stage of the cycle. It seeks to ascertain the
resource efficiency strategy that is best
suited for the resource.
Current resource usage is measured and recorded by members of
the work group

Resource usage
 Resource can be distinguished into at least three different
definitions of resource:
 The economist’s view (any means that enters into the
production of goods and services)
 The Physical’s view (energy, material and information)
 The ecologist’s view (naturally occurring components of
the environment that can sustain or benefit organisms,
populations or communities within an ecosystem)

 Resources can be termed as the flows and reservoirs of

matter and energy that can sustain or benefit living
systems.
Measures for resource use

 a) Energy Analysis

 Itis the analysis of the available energy that is lost in the

course of material and energy transformation.
 b) Product-oriented Methods

 Life cycle assessment – it is based on analyzing output in

relation to input. It involves calculation of environmental
impacts.
 Material input per unit of service (MIPS) – deals with flows
into and out of the techno sphere but pay little attention to
the way these flows are dealt with within the techno sphere.
Cont,
c) Entropy-based Measure

 Evaluation occurs without reference to transformations of

energy or materials. It takes into account all resource
consumption in the form of lost energy.
d) Muller-Wenk and operationalized in the Eco-indicator 99
Method

 Itis not based on the questions of how long resources last

and how much they are decreased by current practices, but
instead evaluates the effects on future generations by
examining the future additional investment (in terms of
energy) due to the extraction of resources in the present time.
Analyzing Current purchasing strategies according to industry
procedures .

Purchasing strategies
 These are the activities taken in order to increase overall
savings from buying. It requires input from all functional
areas and departments of an organization. For a successful
purchasing strategy, the following steps can be used:
  Conduct an internal needs analysis
  Conduct an assessment of the supplier’s market
  Collect supplier’s information
  Develop a sourcing/outsourcing strategy
  Implement the sourcing strategy
  Negotiate with the suppliers and select the winning bid
  Implement a transition plan or contractual supply chain
improvements
Cont,
 i. Conduct an internal needs analysis
 You will need to benchmark current performance and then
identify needs and targets in this stage before developing a
procurement strategy. It involves collection of different types of
data. Initial data collection is to benchmark current
performance, used resources, cost for all functions in the
organization and current growth projections.
 ii. Conduct an assessment of the supplier’s market

 Potentialsuppliers that are feasible sources of the required

goods and services are identified. Specific requirements by the
organization limits number of suppliers that are suitable, such
as technological requirements, quality.
Cont,
 iii. Collect supplier’s information
 The business reputation and performance of the supplier must be
evaluated. A supplier’s ability to meet selection criteria may result
in significant profits or losses. Use of agents who are experts with
the market and stakeholders can be beneficial. A competitive
environment may be created by selecting more than one supplier in
order to avoid potential supply disruptions.
 iv. Develop a sourcing/outsourcing strategy

 Examples of sourcing/outsourcing strategies include: direct

purchase, acquisition, and strategic partnership. Determination of
the right strategy is dependent on the competitiveness of the
supplier’s market and the organization’s risk tolerance, business
strategy and outsourcing/sourcing motivation.
Cont,
v. Implement the sourcing strategy
 Sourcing strategies involve partnerships that are strategic
and/or acquisition. Suppliers may possess the following
characteristics:
  Activities involvement core to the buyer such as correct
technological requirements, raw material for product
  A limited number of suppliers with the specific skilled
labor
  Part of the broader business strategy of the organization.

 The organization may develop a competitive bidding

process in case of a direct purchase.
Cont,
vi. Negotiate with the suppliers and select the
winning bid

The team must evaluate suppliers’ response and

apply its evaluation criteria. Suppliers may
request additional information in order to make
the most realistic bid. Evaluation of received
bids is done and the selection criteria used and
the bidders shortlisted. After the evaluation
process, contract negotiations begin.
Cont,

vii. Implement a transition plan or contractual

supply chain improvements
 Suppliers who won the bid should be invited to
participate in implementing improvements.
 A communication plan must be developed and a
system for evaluating and measuring performance
will need to be developed using key performance
indicators.
 Transition plans are very important when
switching suppliers.
Data Analysis of Current Work Processes

 An analysis of current work processes to access

information and data is important as it helps to increase
the effectiveness and efficiency of a process.
 It offers an assessment of how well the process attains its
end goal, by examining every part of the structure. It can
therefore help identify potential improvements making it
easier to carry out a re-engineering initiative later on in the
process.
 Data analysis is the process of collecting, transforming,
cleaning and modelling data with the goal of discovering
the required information.
 Results obtained are communicated, suggesting
conclusions and supporting decision making.
Data analysis process consists of the following
phases that are interactive in nature:

Data Requirement Specification

 Data collection
 Data processing
 Data cleaning
 Data analysis
 Communication
Data Requirement Specifications
Required data for analysis is based on a question
or experiment or project.
 Data necessary as inputs such as population is
identified.
Specific variables regarding this population such
as age may be specified and obtained. Data can be
numerical or categorical.
Clear measurement priorities must be set
according to:
 What to measure?
 How to measure it?
Data collection

It is the process of gathering information

on targeted variables identified as data
requirements.
Data collection ethics are paramount in
regards to accurate and honest data.
 It provides a target to improve and a
baseline to measure.
Data processing

Itinvolves organizing data for analysis. It

includes structuring the data as required
for the relevant analysis tools.
 Creation of a data model might be
necessary.
Data cleaning

Processed and organized data may be

incomplete, contain duplicates or errors.
Data cleaning is the process involving
correcting the errors.
It is dependent on the type of data.
Data analysis

 Processed, organized and analyzed data is now ready for

analysis.
 Various data analysis techniques work to understand,
interpret and derive conclusions based on the
requirements.
 Data visualization may also be used to examine the data
in graphical format in order to obtain insight on the
messages within the data.
 Statistical data models such as correlation, regression
analysis may be used to identify the relations among the
variables.
 They are descriptive and help in analysis simplification
and results communication
Communication

Results are to be interpreted in a format as

required by the users to support their decision
making.
Feedback from the users might result in
additional analysis.
Visualization techniques such as tables, charts
and graphs are used by data analysts to aid in
communicating messages clearly and
efficiently to the users
ENVIRONMENTAL
LEGISLATIONS/CONVENTIONS FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
Definition of key terms
 Environmental legislations/conventions: Also
known as multilateral environmental agreements.
Are agreements between states that guide global,
regional and national action on environmental
issues and are therefore key elements of
environment, legal and governance regimes?
 Industrial standards: Industry standards are a set
of requirements to be followed by a member of
that industry in relation to the standard
functioning and carrying out of operations.
Cont,
Local ordinances: These are laws for an area
smaller than a nation e.g. local government or
county and should be consistent with the
constitution and public policies.
Environmental concerns: These are harmful
effects on the biosphere brought about by
anthropogenic activities (human influence) or
natural internal processes. These issues include
global warming, climate change, waste
disposal, water pollution and deforestation.
Environmental policy and legislation

Environmental legislation is the collection of laws and

regulations aimed at protecting natural resources and the
environment from harm or misuse.
 The laws are implemented in different jurisdictions
depending on the structure of government or local
authorities.
Environmental policy: This is a course or a system of
principles adopted by an organization or country to
guide decision making and achieve beneficial outcomes.
• Protection and conservation of natural resources
happens on different levels of jurisdiction such as the
international level, regional level and national level.
Cont,
At the international level, the global
environmental authority, known as the United
Nations Environment Program (UNEP) was
established in June 1972 as a result of the
Stockholm conference on the human
environment.
UN Environment is the recent abbreviation
used and is located in Nairobi, Kenya. At the
regional level Kenya is part of the African
Union and the economic block East African
Community.
 Cont,
 The African Union was officially launched in 2002 as a
successor to the Organization of African Unity (1963 – 1999).
 The African Union policy on the environment in Africa is
under the department of Environment, Climate change, Water,
Land and Natural Resources.
 The DREA guides Africa on issues such as climate change,
project on environmental restoration and rehabilitation and
capacity building of environmental institutions in Africa.
 At the national level, we have the National Environment
Management Authority (NEMA), established under the
Environmental management and coordination act no. 8 of
1999 (EMCA) as the principle instrument of government for
the implementation of all policies relating to environment
Cont,
The authority has been in operation since
1st July 2002. Environmental policy at the
county level is run by the county
governments and they control the use of
resources but have no jurisdiction over
resources share by more than one county,
because such resources are considered
National resources and are under the
national government.
Multilateral environmental agreements/international
environmental protocols

Multilateral environmental agreements

are agreements between states that guide
global, regional and national action on
environmental, legal and governance
regimes.
Timeline of major environmental conference and protocols.

 Conference on Human Environment, in Stockholm in June 1972.

 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
in Montreal (1987).
 United Nation Conference on Environment and Development, in
Rio de Janeiro (1992)
 Kyoto Protocol, in Kyoto (1997).
 World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg
(2002).
 UN conference on Sustainable Development, Rio de Janeiro
(2012).
 UN Sustainable Development Summit, in New York (2015).
 Conference of the parties of the UNFCCC in Paris (2015).
 PROTOCOLS

This is the original draft of a multilateral

environmental agreement, specifying the
terms of a treaty agreed to in a conference
and signed by the parties.
Kyoto Protocol

 Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty that was

agreed upon in 1997.
 It commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, adopted in Kyoto, Japan on 11th
December, 1997 and entered into force on 16th Feb
2005.
 The protocol mirrors the convention in recognizing
the specific needs and concerns of developing
countries, especially the most vulnerable among
them.,parties must thus provide information on how
they are striving to meet their emission targets, while
minimizing adverse impacts on developing countries.
Cont,
• The target for the first commitment period of the
protocol cover emission of the following greenhouse
gases; carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydro
flouro carbons (HFCs), perfluoro carbons (PFCs)
and sulfur hexafluoride.
• An adaptation fund was established to finance
concrete adaptation projects and programs in
developing countries that parties to the Kyoto
protocol.
• The fund financed with the share of proceeds from
clean development mechanism (CDM) project
activities and other sources.
Montreal Protocol

 The Montreal Protocol on Substance that Depletes the

Ozone layer, is a Global agreement to protect the
stratospheric ozone layer by phasing out the production
and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. It was
agreed on 26th August 1987, and entered into force in
1989.
• It has gone through nine revisions, in 1990 (London),
1991(Nairobi), 1992(Copenhagen), 1993 (Bangkok),
1995 (Vienna), 1997 (Montreal), 1998 (Australia), 1999
(Beijing) and 2016 (Kigali).
• Montreal protocol has been innovative and successful
and is the first treaty to achieve universal ratification by
all countries in the world.
• The Montreal protocol’s Scientific Assessment
Panel estimates that it will even greater benefits
worldwide.
• The latest amendment to the protocol was on
October 15, 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda. The
amendment seeks to phase down production
and consumption of hydroflouro carbons
(HFCs) worldwide. This amendment creates
market certainly and opens international market
to improved technology that are better for the
environment
Cont,
• The Montreal protocol’s Scientific Assessment
Panel estimates that it will even greater benefits
worldwide.
• The latest amendment to the protocol was on
October 15, 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda.
• The amendment seeks to phase down production
and consumption of hydroflouro carbons (HFCs)
worldwide.
• This amendment creates market certainly and
opens international market to improved
technology that are better for the environment
Environment law and policy in Kenya

Environmental Management and Coordination Act (1999)

 This act is the framework law on environmental management and
conservation.
 It guides the country on all areas concerning the environment and
all the institutions responsible for enforcement.
 The following institutions have been established through this
principle act; National Environment Management Authority, Public
Complaints Committee, National Environment Tribunal, National
Environment Action Plan Committees and County Environment
Committees. Section 9 (1) of EMCA mandates the National
Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to exercise general
supervision and coordination over all matters relating to the
environment and to be the principle guide to the government of
Kenya in the implementation of all policies relating to the
environment.
Cont,
 The authority has been in operation since 1st July 2002.
 NEMA is also responsible for ensuring Kenya’s
compliance with Multilateral Environmental Agreements.
 The Act provides for environmental protection through;
environmental impact assessment, environmental audit
and monitoring and environmental restoration orders,
conservation orders and easements.
 The latest amendment to the act was in 2015 to align to
the constitution, 2010.
 The changes in the amendment include; functions of the
cabinet secretary, national environmental complaints
committee and access to information
Industrial standards

 Industrial standards are a set of requirements to be

followed by a member of that industry in relation to the
standards functioning and carrying out of operations.
 In the environmental sector, the Environmental
Management and Coordination Act is the principal
instrument guiding professional practices.
 There are regulations that guide specific sectors in the
environment. An example is the Air Quality Regulations
(2014).
 The Air Quality Regulations (2014) specifies air quality
limits, air quality management plan, emission standards,
vehicular emission reduction measures, guidelines on air
pollution monitoring parameters from stationary sources
among others.
Features of an environmental strategy

An environmental strategy is a set of

initiatives that can be implemented to
reduce the impacts and effects on the
natural environment through products,
processes and policies.
An example is the National Climate
Change Action Plan (NCCAP) 2018 –
2022.
Features of an environmental strategy
include:
Cont,
Introduction
 The introduction gives a background of what has been there
before and what the strategy seeks to change or achieve. In this
section goals and objectives are clearly explained.
Enabling policy and legal framework
 In this section, international, regional and national policy and
legal framework that supports and guide the strategy are clearly
outlined and explained.
Priority areas the strategy seeks to change
 In this section, the actions to be carried out are spelled out. The
institution for implementation of the action is clearly stated and
their mandate made clear. The sectors to be involved in the
activities are also found in this section of the strategy or plan.
Cont,
Delivering the strategy
 In this section, all of the activities, resources and stakeholders
needed for the delivery of the strategy are outlined and how
they all come together and how they are connected. It also has
information on technology, finance and resource mobilization,
delivery and coordination mechanisms and institutional roles
and responsibilities.
Conclusion
 A clear end to the strategy or action plan detailing the important
content and expected outcomes in the period specified for
achieving the plans. Environmental management system is a
framework of process and practices that enable an organization
reduce its environmental impact and increase efficiency by
training personnel, monitoring and generating reports.
Basic elements of an Environmental management system.

 Reviewing the organizations environmental goals.

 Analyzing its environmental impacts and legal
requirements.
 Setting environmental impacts and legal requirements.
 Establishing programs to meet these objectives and
targets.
 Monitoring and measuring progress in achieving the
objectives.
 Ensuring employees environmental awareness and
competence.
 Reviewing programs of the EMS and making
improvements.
Environmental Management Systems(ISO 14001)

 This standard now emphasizes life cycle analysis in the

new 2015 version.
 It also encourages risk analysis along the supply chain.
 It allows more sustainable management of companies
and is an important tool in controlling the impacts of
the organization.
• Approaches in this family of standards include audits,
communication, labelling and life cycle analysis as well
as environmental challenges such as climate change.
• ISO 14001:2015 specifies the requirements for an
environmental management system that an organization
can use to enhance its environmental performance..
Cont,
 It is intended to be used by an organization seeking to
manage its environmental responsibilities in a
systematic manner that contributes to the
environmental pillars of sustainability.
 It helps an organization achieve its intended outcomes
of its environmental management system, which
provide value for the environment, the organization,
government policy, and the intended outcomes is
produced and returned back into the environment.

 Main types of pollutants include; noise pollution,

light pollution, solid waste, air and water pollution
Environmental Concerns

Environmental concerns are harmful

effects on the biosphere brought about by
anthropogenic activities (human
influence) or natural internal processes.
These issues include global warming,
climate change, waste disposal, water
pollution and deforestation.
a) Climate change

The relationship between climate and weather is

quite close. Climate is the averaging of
atmospheric weather conditions over long periods
over at least 30 years.
Climate change refers to a change in the climate
system that is caused by significant changes in the
concentration of greenhouse gases due to human
activities and which is addition to natural climate
change that has been observed during a
considerable period.
Causes of climate change

 Green-house gases: They are gases that absorb and emit

radiant energy within the thermal infrared range. The main
GHGs are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc. they
increase the temperature of the atmosphere therefore
affecting climate over a period of time.
 Volcanic eruptions: Volcanic gases like sulphur dioxide can
cause global cooling, while volcanic carbon dioxide, a green-
house gas has the potential to promote global warming.
 Air pollution: Processes such as fossil fuel burning in
industry, motor vehicles and buildings emit substances that
cause local and regional pollution. They release greenhouse
gases, mainly C02, methane and nitrous oxide, which are
linked to global climate change.
Cont,
Factors that increase climate change
 Urbanization.
 Industrialization.
 Technological development/advancement.
 Land use and land cover change.

Effects of climate change

 Flooding.
 Drought.
 Crop failure.
 Loss of bio-diversity.
 Human health.
b) Global warming

 Refers to the observed/projected gradual increase in global

surface temperature. It is one of the consequences of
climate change.
 Energy from the sun reaches the earth in the form of
ultraviolet (UV), visible and infrared (IR) radiation.
 Most of this thermal radiation is absorbed by the
atmosphere, thereby warming it.
 Greenhouse gases cause the greenhouse effect.
 It is useful because trapping some energy keeps the
temperatures on our planet mild and suitable for living
things. However, too much CHG can cause the temperature
to increase out of control.
Effects of global warming

 Sea level rise: The Polar Regions are particularly vulnerable to

rising temperatures. This rise in temperature is causing the ice sheet
to melt. The increase in sea levels affects people and infrastructure
along the coast, wildlife and plants.
 Shrinking ice sheets: Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have
decreased in mass. This affects the wildlife such as polar bears and
whales that breed near the ice sheets. The glaciers act as a cooling
system for the earth and when they melt this is greatly
compromised.
 Decrease in biodiversity: As land and sea undergo rapid change, the
living organisms that inhabit them are affected and their population
decreases. Plants and animals survive at optimum conditions and
when these conditions are compromised by increase in temperature,
plants and animals are more susceptible to diseases.
Cont,

Severe weather: Higher temperatures are

worsening weather events such as storms,
floods, heat waves and droughts. A warmer
climate creates an atmosphere that can collect,
retain and drop more water, changing weather
patterns in such a way that wet areas become
wetter and dry areas drier.
Death: Intense weather events, increase in
diseases has all contributed to increase in death
rates.
c) Pollution

This is the addition of a substance either

liquid, solid or gas or any form of energy,
such as heat, light sound at a higher rate
than it can be recycled, decomposed,
diluted or stored and affects normal
environmental processes.
Types of pollution includes:

 Solid waste. Solid waste is any discarded material

that is abandoned by being disposed of, burned,
recycled and can be solid, liquid or semi-solid form.
Examples of solid waste include; domestic waste,
waste tyres, construction and demolition waste,
asbestos, industrial waste, biomedical waste, E-
waste, pesticide waste, used oil and sludge and
sewage waste.
 Noise pollution. This is the transmission of high
intensity sound that causes discomfort to living
beings. The intensity is measured in decibels. Types
include industrial noise, neighborhood noise
Cont,
 Air pollution may result either from a quantitative change, by
raising the concentration in air of some of its normal
constituents (e.g. co2, nitrogen peroxide) or a qualitative
change due to introduction of external compounds such as
radio-nuclides and synthetic organic substances.
 Water pollution. This is the introduction of chemical,
biological compounds into water ecosystems at a rate higher
that it can be recycled, decomposed or diluted. This affects life
in these ecosystems leading to diseases and in some cases
deaths. One of the most common is the problem of solid waste
finding its way into oceans through rivers and this has affected
breeding of some aquatic life and suffocation of both plants
and animals.
d) Land use and land cover change

 Humans have been modifying land to obtain food and

other essentials for thousands of years but current rates are
far greater than ever in history, and are driving
unprecedented changes in ecosystems and environmental
processes at local region and global scales.
 Land cover refers to the physical and biological cover over
the surface of land, including water, vegetation, bare soil
and/or artificial structures.
 Land use can be defined in terms of human activities such
as agriculture, forestry and building construction that alter
land surface processes including hydrology,
biogeochemistry, and biodiversity.
Effects of land use and land cover change
Biodiversity loss
Climate change
Pollution
ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS

Introduction
This learning outcome covers
identification of programs/activities
guidelines, determining individual
roles/responsibilities based on the
identified programs, resolving problems
encountered and consulting stakeholders
according to organization’s policies and
guidelines
Definition of key terms

 Environmental programs: These are a set of measures

and interventions aimed at ensuring compliance with
national, county and institutional environmental
regulations and the overall goal of reducing negative
environmental impacts.
 Stakeholders: A stakeholder is either an individual,
group or organization who has interest or concern in a
certain area or who is impacted by the outcome of a
project. They can be within or outside the organization
that is sponsoring or funding the project.
 Roles: These are the positions team members assume or
the parts that they play in a particular operation or
process.
Cont.
Responsibilities: These are the specific
tasks or duties that members are expected
to complete as a function of their roles.
Problem solving: It is the art of defining
a problem, determining the cause of the
problem, identifying prioritizing, and
selecting alternatives for a solution; and
implementing solutions
Environment Programs

 These are a set of measures and interventions aimed at ensuring

compliance with national, county and institutional environmental
regulations and the overall goal of reducing negative
environmental impacts.
 Environmental programs can be initiated at the national level by
the government of Kenya, or international environmental
organizations such as the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) or at the county level by county
governments.
 The nature of a project and the shareholders involved or affected
by a project depend on the type of project and what it seeks to
achieve.
 One important step before initiating a project, is understanding
the needs and expectations of the community affected by the
project.
Community Needs and Expectations

 These are the things or services required by a certain

group of people because they are essential for survival
and for a life of dignity.
 Needs can be identified through assessing the strengths
and resources available in the community to meet the
needs of children, youth, women and families.
 The assessment also focuses on the capabilities of the
community including its citizens, agencies and
organizations. In the environment sector, sustainable
development is key where needs of the current
generation are met without compromising the needs of
the future generations.
 Sustainable development has three pillars namely;
social, economic and environmental.
Cont,
Problems that usually face communities
include
 Health
 Food security
 Lack of employment
War and conflict
Poverty
Identification of programs

 The following process can be used in identifying programs

and activities;
 Developing a plan for assessing local needs and resources
 Understanding and describing the community and
stakeholders
 Conducting stakeholder meetings and forums
 Collecting information about the problem(s)
 Analyzing community problems
 Identifying community assets and resources
 Developing baseline measures
 Collecting feedback from the community
 Developing and using criteria and processes to set priorities
 Producing a final report on program interventions
Cont,
 Developing a plan for assessing local needs and resources
 Developing a plan helps gain a deeper understanding of the
community. A community assessment helps to uncover not
only needs and resources, but also the underlying culture
and social structure that will help you understand how to
address the community’s need and utilize its resources.
 Understanding and describing the community and
stakeholders
 This entails understanding physical aspects, infrastructure,
patterns of settlement, commerce and industry,
demographics, history, community, leaders, culture and
existing institutions. This will give a general idea of the
community’s strengths and the challenges that it faces.
Cont,
Conducting stakeholder meetings and forums
 Stakeholder meetings and forums are a valuable resource in
upholding open lines of communication with the public.
Community participation can help identify and solve problems.
Collecting information about the problem(s)
 Quantitative information is crucial to building awareness and
gathering support for community issues. Analysis of data
provides concrete approach for assessing, planning and
implementing community projects.
Analyzing community problems
 This is a way of thinking carefully about a problem or issue
before acting on a solution. It first involves identifying reasons a
problem exists, and then identifying possible solutions and a plan
for improvement.
Cont,
Identifying community assets and resources
 A community asset or resource is anything that can be used to
improve the quality of community life. It can be a person, physical
structure, community service or business.
Developing baseline measures
 One of the first activities needed to be done is figuring out how
much the different factors and trends to be examined are happening
in the first place.
 To have an effective program, you have to know how much of an
effect your efforts are having and this can be achieved the baseline
measures.
Cont,
Collecting feedback from the community
 It’s important to collect input from members of the
community when working on plans to address
environmental problems and concerns. Actively
soliciting the involvement of community members
in the process as it begins and continuing to
approach them for their input will help them
become more interested and actively involved
Cont,
Developing priorities
 This is meant to bring to light issues of the community that
need to be addressed. Criteria are standards for making a
judgment and provide guidelines for making decisions. In this
 step, the order of important things in relation to others is
determined. A set of criteria priorities may change in people’s
concern or knowledge.
Producing a final report on program interventions
 After all these steps have been followed and there’s a clear
understanding of what needs to be done to remedy the
environmental issue, a final report is made. This report is
important because it will guide the implementation of the
program and will clearly state the issues experienced so as to
improve in subsequent projects.
Individual roles/responsibilities

Setting of individual roles/responsibilities

 lack of clarity regarding roles, responsibilities and
expectations of the various agencies or individuals can
impede success of teams.
 It is therefore important for team members to understand their
roles and responsibilities and to share their expectations
about the roles and responsibilities of others. Roles – These
are the positions team members assume or the parts that they
play in a particular operation or process.
 Responsibilities –These are the specific tasks or duties that
members are expected to complete as a function of their
roles. These activities or obligations are specific to a person
who is accountable for a role on a project that has been
assigned to them.
Importance of assigning roles and responsibilities

 Efficiency
 Having a clear understanding of project roles allows the leader to develop a
timeline. This gives a clear idea of which task and when the specific
portion is expected to be completed. Assigning roles enables team members
to get a better idea of which members have closely related tasks.
Coordination in the workplace is easier and efficient.
 Productivity
 When the responsibility is assigned closely to the strength of an individual,
productivity is enhanced. It increases only when all members agree on the
responsibilities assigned to them. If they agree and own their roles and
responsibilities, they will easily understand how to achieve success.
 Enthusiasm
 Issuing responsibilities to team members gives each person a sense of
ownership. They become invested in the project’s outcome, thereby
increasing their efforts to create a quality product. If roles and
responsibilities are not defined, team members lack morale, get
disinterested and detached. Leaders should ensure work is evenly
distributed to avoid conflict and creating stress for some workers .
Resolving problems and issues

Problems/constraints encountered are resolved

in accordance with organization’s policies and
guidelines .
Problem solving is the act of defining a
problem; determining the cause of the problem;
identifying prioritizing; selecting alternatives
for a solution and implementing solutions.
Problem solving gives us an opportunity to
improve the system and relationships
Steps in problem solving process

a) Define the problem

 This involves differentiating facts from opinions, being
specific with the underlying causes, identifying what
standard or expectation has not been met and what can
be improved, and determine in which process the
problem lies.
b) Generate alternative solutions
 In this stage there’s room for creativity and ideas can be
shared through brainstorming.
 All parties affected should be involved in generating
alternatives. The alternatives should be consistent with
the goals of everyone involved in the process.
Cont,
c) Evaluate and select alternatives
 There is a need to go deeper after generating alternatives so that
realistic and appropriate options can be prioritized. The evaluation
should be relative to a target standard and the selection should not
be biased or favor a particular individual or a group.
d) Implementation and follow up

 Implementation of the chosen alternatives is the final step. It is

important to gather feedback from the stakeholders as
implementation is taking place. This can be part of an ongoing
monitoring and evaluation. Long-term results should be evaluated
so as to learn on areas that can be improved in future initiatives
Environmental Program stakeholders
Stakeholder Consultation
 A stakeholder is either an individual, group or
organization who has interest or concern in a certain
area or who is impacted by the outcome of a project.
 They can be within or outside the organization that
sponsoring or funding the project. It’s important to
get output from members of the community when
working on plans to address environmental
problems and issues.
 This will help them become more interested and
more actively involved.
Cont,
 Public participation is one of the fundamental principles
of democracy.
 Democracy is premised on the idea that all citizens are
equally entitled to have a say in decisions affecting their
lives.
 Citizens’ participation in government decision making
and projects is fundamental to the functioning of a
democratic system of governance as stated in chapter
one of the constitution of Kenya, 2010. Stakeholder
consultation or public participation is not only important
in government initiatives but also in any project so that
community members can be fully involved and own the
project.
Importance of stakeholder consultation

 It increases the likelihood of stakeholders getting actively

involved and staying involved throughout the implementation
process.
 It increases understanding of the priorities of the community
members and what problems and issues are the major concern.
This information may not be known by professionals.
 It is a reliable, systematic and easy way to acquire
information from the beneficiaries of a project.
 It provides a useful source of data, information and direction
for donors, government and participants.
 It keeps the government’s agenda and organization objectives
to reflect the interests of the community by getting their
perspective.
5 S of Good Housekeeping

This method contains five steps and is essential

for being organized and working efficiently.
Henry Ford originally developed what we know
now as the 5s methodology in 1972.
It was however popularized by Hiroyuki Hirano
in Japanese in 1980.
5s of good housekeeping is a management
technique that is aimed at optimizing the
workplace and improving the efficiency of work
performance.
These five steps include:
Cont,

 i.Seiri – Sort
 First you should identify what is necessary and what
is unnecessary.
 Items can be physical, such as broken equipment, or
non-physical such as outdated files in a network and
information that is no longer needed.
 Enlist a team to identify which items are needed and
classify them by frequency of use.
 This should extend to software. Sorting out software
needs will reduce costs, increase available storage
space and make organization more effective.
Cont,

 ii.Seiton - Straighten
 After sorting resources and removing what is
unwanted, you can put them in order.
 Resources should be clearly labelled and stored in an
appropriate place where they can be found easily.
 Physical resources used often should be kept close by,
while items that are used less often stored further
away.
 For computers, files should be saved appropriately, in
distinguishable folders with appropriate names using
dates where applicable
Cont,
 iii.Seiso – Shine
 After the workplace is in order, it should be cleaned. This should be
a regular event, making it easy to monitor the condition of
machinery and tools. This will make it easy to do regular
maintenance. Clean files regularly to ensure that only the latest
versions are left, and ensure that the computer is regularly updated
to the latest version.
 iv. Seiketsu – Standardize

 Creating a standardized procedure to ensure the good work practices

are maintained is the next step. Having a standard in place will
serve as best practice and will remove uncertainty amongst your
team. It should be communicated in written form, and checklists be
created to help team members perform all of the steps correctly.
 v. Shitsuke – Sustain

 Finally, the new processes and standards need to be

sustained.
 This can be attained by building the whole process
into performance evaluation.
 The process can evolve over time, and so 5s should be
modified appropriately, and changes communicated to
team members.
 Assessment of adherence to standards and success of
the process can be done through project review or
meetings
Monitoring activities on environmental
protection/programs

Definition of key terms

 Environmental protection: It is any practice to maintain or restore
the quality of natural environment by individuals, organizations and
government based on policies and procedures.
 Monitoring: This is the ongoing assessment of project progress
towards achieving set targets and goals.
 Evaluation Periodic: It is analysis of the efficiency, impacts and
significance of either a project’s completed actions (or ongoing
activities).
 Management support systems: They are used to provide input to
the implementation of ongoing activities, to inform decision making
processes.
 Stakeholders: These are people who are directly or indirectly
affected by the development of a project/ program.
Monitoring and Evaluation

 Monitoring and evaluation involves collection and

analysis of data of a program while it is
ongoing(monitoring), and periodic assessment of
program that might be conducted internally or by
external evaluators (evaluation).
 monitoring ensures figuring out new strategies and
actions needed to be taken to ensure progress towards
the most important results.
 it also involves watching the progress of a program
against time, resources and performance schedulers
while the program is ongoing so as to identify the
lagging areas requiring timely attention and action .
Cont,
 Evaluation helps to understand the worth, quality,
significance, amount, degree or condition of any
intervention desired to tackle a social problem.
 Monitoring and evaluation are therefore important to
assess program results, improve project management
and planning to understand different stakeholder’s
perspective and ensure accountability.
 Hence it is important first to determine the programs
that need to be assessed, over what time period and
whether it is an ongoing activity which requires
monitoring or a completed activity that requires
evaluation.
Stakeholders Involvement

 To ensure that monitoring and evaluation is relevant and

efficient to the stakeholders, it is essential that their
information needs are considered. Key internal and external
stakeholders need to be identified.
 There should be careful decisions on how to involve them in
the design, implementation, analysis and/or communication
of findings. Various stakeholders include public/communities,
private/public organizations, the government, donor agencies
among others.
 These are individuals who will directly or indirectly be
affected by the program. Clarity on aims, objectives,
activities and pathways to change key issues and questions
need to be identified from both internal and external sources.
Cont,
 Some of these issues include; needed resources (human, financial,
technical), management (roles and responsibilities), clarity about aims
and goals, cost effectiveness and to identify; relevance/acceptability of
the project to the community, the effectiveness of the project; i.e. Are
you achieving for your objectives?
 The impact of the program on people’s lives and to the contributions
made to the outcomes and impacts.
 In order to assess progress, the aims, objectives and pathways to
change need to be clarified what you are trying to achieve and how.
The aims are the final impacts of people’s lives or the environment,
that you wish to achieve.
 The desired outcomes are the objectives which are the changes needed
to be made to achieve the aims.
 The pathway to change desires how the project activities will
contribute to the desired outcomes (objectives); which will in turn
contribute to final impacts (aims).
Data analysis basing on evaluation requirements

 The information to be collected may include:

 Quantitative data expressed in numerical terms
(numbers, ratios). This information will allow
answering of what, how many, questions.
 Qualitative data is expressed through descriptive
prose and can address questions about ‘why’ and
‘how’ as well as perspectives, attitude and beliefs.
 Information is collected through indicators need to
be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable,
relevant and time-bound).
Recommendations are submitted based on the findings

 Recommendations on how the project should be effectively

implemented should be recorded and documented for
submission.
 These recommendations are based on the finings of the
analyzed data. The following issues are often included in the
recommendations;
 Operation mechanics and responsibilities; proper delegation
of responsibilities to permit smooth operations and holding
liaison meetings periodically
 Identifying and meeting staff and training needs
 Initiation of extension activities with regular resources
 Development of a work schedule to progress logistics and to
streamline program
ISO 20400 – Sustainable Environment

Although not a requirement standard, this standard

establishes very useful guidelines for the definition
of purchasing management procedures that stimulate
the circular economy. It is precisely in the purchase s
management that the decision-making process is
concentered on which way to going the acquisition
of natural resources and raw materials with less
impact in the life cycle. By implementing ISO
20400, an organization will contribute positively to
society and the economy through making sustainable
purchasing decisions and encouraging suppliers and
other stakeholders to do the same.
Cont,
The standard will help address the
following issues;
 Reduce impact on the environment
 Tackle human rights
 Manage supplier relations
 Harmonize long-term global costs
 Improving purchasing performance of an
organization
 Giving an organization a competitive edge
Factors to consider before using ISO 20400

 Examining buying culture

 Know your supply chain
 Thin strategically
 Get buy-in from top management
ISO 50001 – Energy Management Systems

 Defines management requirements for one of the most

significant environmental aspects today; energy consumption.
 These requirements support the management of companies in
the definition of strategies that allow not only to reduce the
impact of energy bills, but also to reduce consumption
(acquisition of new and more efficient technologies? or to
choose the origin of energy (renewable or non-renewable).
 It is based on the management system model of continual
improvement.
 This makes it easier for organizations to integrate energy
management into their overall efforts to improve quality and
environmental management.
 It provides a framework of requirements for organizations to;
Cont,
 Develop a policy for more efficient use
of energy
 Fix targets and objectives to meet the
policy
 Use data to better understand and make
decisions about energy use
 Measure the results
 Review how well the policy works
 Continually improve energy management
 Circular economy

The components of the circular economy involve re-use, sharing,

repair, refurbishment and recycling to create a closed system that
minimizes waste production and the use of resource input.

This system replaces the end-of-life concept therefore eliminating

use of toxic chemicals, waste that impair reuse and return to the
biosphere.

The circular economy is an efficient and environmentally friendly

system for resource consumption.
It achieves this by designing out waste and pollution, keeping
products and materials in use are regenerating natural systems.

This system aims to keep products, equipment and infrastructure

 Cont,
All the waste that has been produced should become an input or
by product or recovered resource for another industrial process for
example, rice husks can be reused in the wine making process.
When the rice husks are added to a basket press for making
wine the piece the skin of grapes to release more tannins and
provide a path for pressed juice to flow.

This is an example of using a waste product from one process

and reusing it in another process.

The circular economy is supported by the ISO standards namely

ISO 20400 sustainable procurement, ISO 14001 Environmental
Management Systems and ISO 50001 Energy Management
Systems.
 Methods used in recycling and treating waste

Thermal treatment of waste

Thermal treatment is the combustion of waste at specific
temperature with or with no air-supply as part of the
process and includes waste incineration, gasification and
pyrolysis.
This is an environmentally sound technology that
reduces the volume of waste and inerts any hazardous
components.
Energy can be recovered as an end product.
 Cont,
a) Waste incineration
Waste incineration is controlled burning of solids, liquids and gaseous waste.
The technology is applicable in the management of both hazardous waste
streams as well as municipal solid waste. Facilities that undertake incineration
should meet the requirements 367

in the Third Schedule of the Environmental Management Coordination (waste

management) Regulations of 2006
b) Gasification

This is a process of reacting waste at high temperatures greater than (>7000C)

without combustion, with a controlled amount of oxygen and or/stream to
generate useful products such as electricity, chemicals, fertilizers and natural gas.
This could be an important option in landfills.
c)Pyrolysis is a form of treatment that chemically decomposes organic materials
by heat in the absence of oxygen. Pyrolysis typically occurs under pressure and
at operating temperatures above 400-500 degrees Celsius. It can either be
anaerobic or aerobic.
 Cont,
d) Water treatment

Drinking water sources are subject to contamination and require appropriate

treatment. The following are steps to water treatment;
i. Coagulating and flocculation: This step involves adding chemicals with a
positive charge. The positive charge neutralizes the negative charge of dirt and
other dissolved particles.

ii. Sedimentation: Solid particles settle at the bottom, due to weight. This settling
process is known as sedimentation.

iii. Filtration: Once the solid particles have settled at the bottom of the water
supply, clear water is allowed to pass through filters in order to dissolve particles in
the water.

iv. Disinfection: After water has been filtered, a disinfectant, for example chlorine
can be added to kill remaining bacteria and parasites.
 Recycling of plastics
Plastic waste is recycled through pyrolysis and hydrolysis. There are three types of
plastic recycling namely; primary recycling, secondary recycling and tertiary
recycling.

i. Primary recycling: This is a physical method. It involves processing of a

waste/scrap into a product with characteristics similar to those of original product.
Remolding is an example of this process

ii. Secondary recycling: It involves processing of waste/scrap plastics into materials

that have characteristics different from those of original plastics product. This process
needs segregation of plastic waste so as to be successful.

iii. Tertiary recycling: This is a chemical method of recycling plastic waste. Tertiary
recycling involves the production of basic chemicals and fuels from plastics waste
using pyrolysis as a process. Pyrolysis is a form of treatment that chemically
decomposes organic materials by heat in the absence of oxygen.
Pyrolysis typically occurs under pressure and operating temperatures above 400-500
degrees Celsius. In anaerobic treatment, waste is broken down in the process of micro-
organisms and in the absence of air while in the aerobic treatment, biological
degradation of organic waste take place in the presence of oxygen.
 Importance of circular economy
 It reduces waste production and prevent waste from entering the natural
environment
 It saves money for companies that use by-products to manufacture other
products
 It reduces the emission of greenhouse gases which are the major causes of
global warming and climate change
 It reduces the pressure on the environment and its resources.
 It improves the supply of raw materials by reducing and eliminating wastage.
 The system stimulates innovation on resource use and new manufacturing
processes to reuse and repurpose waste and by-products
 The new manufacturing processes provide employment and creates more
jobs
 Consumers are provided with more durable and innovative products that will
increase the quality of life and save money in the long-term
 linear economy
The linear economy relies on using finite resources such as
metals, minerals and fossil fuels.
It also relies on water and land which when depleted or
degraded will be hard to restore.
In this system resources are extracted, consumed and eventually
waste is produced and returned back into the environment.
This waste and pollution are destroying the living systems that
are dependent on for resources and healthy living for plants and
animals.
When products are discarded, resources, energy, labor and
knowledge that was invested to produce the products is wasted.
This is why the linear economy has to be replaced by the circular
economy.
The linear system involves endless resource extraction, cannot
satisfy human needs sustainably and involves endless waste
dumping
 Disadvantages of linear economy
 Production of goods is at the expense of the productivity of our
ecosystems. Excessive pressure on the environment compromises the
provision of essential ecosystem services such as water, air and soil
 Rate of exploitation is higher than the rate of replenishing of the resources
therefore some resources will be exhausted. This will compromise the
survival of the future generations
 Health and wellbeing of animals and plants is affected due to introduction
of waste in the natural ecosystems. This affects food security and quality
of life.
 Fluctuating of raw material prices make investment expensive and may
lead to job losses. This system is not flexible in sourcing of raw material
and if the supply of one raw material is compromised the whole system is
affected.
 Waste produced has increased to levels that are affecting various
ecosystems and the cost of rehabilitation is beyond what most countries
can afford or are willing to use for restoration and rehabilitation efforts.