• An act relating to the prevention, abatement, control of pollution
and enhancement of the environment ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN CONSTRUCTION /DEVELOPMENT Sewerage Treatment Standards, Controlling discharge of Manufacturing Waste/Poisons, Air Quality/Pollution, Noise of Motor Vehicles, Environmental Impact Assessment of Land Development Projects, Monitoring Scheduled Wastes from Manufacturing, Control of Use of Chlorofluorocarbons, Controlling Marine Pollution, Emission of lead from Diesel/ Petrol engines , Control of Open Burning, etc.-refer to General Act and Detailed Acts • Empowers Department of Environment to control pollution to air, noise levels, pollution to soil & inland waters, discharge of oil in Malaysian seas, no open burning, control use of dangerous substances, prohibition on disposal of scheduled wastes etc. • Operators of plant and equipment must obtain a license from DOE to operate eg. quarries, concrete batching plants, piling equipment etc. • For list of catchment areas where standard A of sewer disposal applies, see Environmental Quality (Sewage and Industrial Effluents) Regulations 1978. • For manufacturing and production Activities see EQ (Clean Air) 1978, which includes control of open burning and industrial discharge within residential areas. • For control of Vehicle Noise see EQ (Motor Vehicle Noise) 1987. • Also applies to equipment like generator sets or piling equipment. • For Environmental Impact Assessment and the list of prescribed activities see pages 158-162 of EQ (Prescribed Activities) 1987. • For Scheduled Wastes see relevant section • For control of usage of Halons (alkaline + halogen) see EQ (Prohibition on Use of Chlorofluorocarbons etc.) Eg air con. • For control of emissions of Petrol and Diesel Engines see particular EQ sections. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) Purpose • A planning tool for preventing environmental problems due to an activity • Systematically identify, assess and mitigate negative environmental impacts of major development • In Malaysia, EIA is required under section 34A, Environmental Quality Act, 1974 ,which specifies the legal requirements in respect of EIA for Prescribed Activities. • It empowers the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment after due consultation, to prescribe any activity which may have significant environmental impact as a Prescribed Activity. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) (CONT’D) • The section further requires the Project Proponent of a Prescribed Activity to submit a report (the EIA) to the Director General of Environmental Quality before approval for the proposed activity is granted by the relevant approving authority (Department of Environment) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) (CONT’D) • The report normally covers three sections ie. 1. Environmental Impact on surroundings such as disease, dust, floods, traffic congestion, accidents, increase in noise levels, impact of increased industrial activity, pollution from vehicles and their discharges, effect on neighboring catchment areas, effect on endangered species and loss of supporting fauna, socio economic impact etc. An environmental report on the potential development in the long run as well as construction activities needs to be prepared and submitted for approval to DOE. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) (CONT’D) • The report normally covers three sections ie (cont’d). 2. Proposals for mitigation of negative impacts (ie. reduce the bad effects)on Environment 3. Prescribed tests and remedies at various stages of development to monitor changes in the environment. Local Authorities will keep an eye on the proposals and issues and follow up when approving plans at planning/building stage, especially on infrastructure and industrial schemes. Eg. carrying out routine tests and samplings ie. air quality checks,, water samples, measure noise levels. EIA PROCEDURES • Preliminary Assessment 1) Preliminary EIA Report 2) Initiated at the early stage of project planning, standard procedure 3) Submit to the project approving authority and Director General of Environmental Quality EIA PROCEDURES (CONT’D) • Detailed Assessment 1) If developments have potential to generate significant residual environmental impacts, DOE will inform on the requirement and terms of reference for Detailed EIA (DEIA) after evaluation of the Preliminary EIA (PEIA) 2) Submit to Experts Review Panel of DOE EIA PROCEDURES (CONT’D) • Report Review 1) To critically review the Detailed Assessment reports 2) To evaluate development and environmental costs and benefits of the final project plan 3) To formulate recommendations and guidelines to the project approving authority ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
• Global warming from excessive discharge of CO² and methane,
contamination from land-filling, recycling, household and manufacturing waste. • Sustainable development policies. Development/Construction Activities and Environmental Problems Cutting Roads ☼Loosening soil and cutting embankments can lead to erosion or landslides caused by water absorption. ☼Drainage patterns can shift and affect neighbours. eg Highland Towers. ☼PREVENTION → Depending on soil conditions, need to provide berms, drains and turfing and maintenance. Sometimes permanent retaining walls necessary. Eg. NS,EW Development/Construction Activities and Environmental Problems Silting ☼silt washed down and discharged to drainage system might clog up drains and encourage flooding-provide and maintain silt traps or detention ponds. ☼PREVENTION → Screens/filters in rivers and drains. Wash trough to clean vehicles on leaving site. Improper disposal of solid waste give similar problems. Development/Construction Activities and Environmental Problems Flood ☼Leveling platforms or changing or inadequate drainage patterns may cause skewed -patterns –provide diversions and channel flow properly. ☼PREVENTION → Provide gabion walls, sediment basins etc Development/Construction Activities and Environmental Problems Clearing Vegetation
☼Affects ecosystem and increases
heat ☼PREVENTION → replanting, or preserve part of vegetation Development/Construction Activities and Environmental Problems Dust ☼Working in dry weather might raise dust carried by winds to adjacent areas - hose down. ☼PREVENTION → Control level of activity, use nets. Tests-TSI –Determine the amount of Total Suspended Particles in a sample eg. on a plate of glass Development/Construction Activities and Environmental Problems Pollution ☼Heavy vehicles emit fumes- Maintain machines in good working order. ☼PREVENTION → Control volume of emissions and traffic volume. Development/Construction Activities and Environmental Problems ☼Noise levels- Use mufflers or less heavy Noise duty machines, avoid explosives. Control traffic volume & human activity. ☼Two types of tests : on Ambient noise (background noise) and Spot noise (electronic noise). ☼PREVENTION → Provide noise barriers. Development/Construction Activities and Environmental Problems Damage to Property ☼Heavy vehicles cause vibration and excessive wear and tear on public roads. ☼PREVENTION → Need to plan traffic and logistics carefully. → Control loading of vehicles. Development/Construction Activities and Environmental Problems Disease PREVENTION → ☼Properly dispose garbage and effluents ☼check spread of vectors by pest control or eliminating breeding grounds. ☼Water quality tests include: pH value, TSS (Total Suspended solids), BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), DV (Dissolved Oxygen), E-Coli, Ammonia, Oil and Grease ☼Medical care for workers Health and living/working conditions ☼reduce over-crowding. Development/Construction Activities and Environmental Problems Accidents PREVENTION → ☼Deploy proper traffic management ☼Control traffic jams Development/Construction Activities and Environmental Problems Social Problems/Crimes PREVENTION → ☼Monitor activities of illegal workers. Development/Construction Activities and Environmental Problems Smog PREVENTION → ☼Avoid open burning. ☼Control use and escape of dangerous chemicals.