Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

Module 2
Environmental Management Objectives
Environmental Management Objectives:
Environmental quality objectives – Rationale of Environmental standards: Concentration and Mass
standards, Effluent and stream standards, Emission and ambient standards, Minimum national
standards, environmental performance evaluation: Indicators, benchmarking. Pollution control Vs
Pollution Prevention - Opportunities and Barriers – Cleaner production and Clean technology, closing
the loops, zero discharge technologies.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
 Environmental management and its strategy -
❖ Characterized by long-term objectives and
❖ Business areas
(Company wants to be active and tries to obtain the necessary resources to succeed in the competitive
environment)
 Environmental strategy means
❖ Compliance with the obligations set by the applicable legislation and
❖ Voluntary decision of the company to mitigate its impact on the environment.

AIM OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

 To minimize the damage caused to the environment

 To reduce the amount of waste
 An efficient use of natural resources
 Protection of biodiversity
 Climate and others

IN THE LONGER RUN

 Companies may profit from a range of other benefits
❖ Improvement of the financial results
❖ Enhancing company reputation
❖ Recruiting new and retaining the existing employees
(- To build a strong position of the enterprise on the market
- To acquire new business opportunities
-To reduce costs in the individual areas of its business activities)

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal

Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

Environmental Quality Objectives

1) Reduced Climate Impact
2) Clean Air
3) Natural Acidification only
4) A Non-Toxic Environment
5) A Protective Ozone Layer
6) A Safe Radiation Environment
7) Zero Eutrophication
8) Flourishing Lakes and Streams
9) Good-Quality Groundwater
10) A Balanced Marine Environment, Flourishing Coastal Areas
11) Thriving Wetlands
12) Sustainable Forests
13) A Varied Agricultural Landscape
14) A Magnificent Mountain Landscape
15) A Good Built Environment
16) A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life

1. Reduced Climate Impact

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - stabilization of concentrations of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at level - ensure that human activities do not have a
harmful impact on the climate system
Goal achieved - biological diversity is preserved, food production is assured and other goals of
sustainable development
All countries, must have responsibility for achieving global objective
2. Clean Air
The air must be clean enough not to represent a risk to health or to animals, plants or cultural
assets.
3. Natural Acidification Only
Acidifying effects of deposition and land use must not exceed the limits that can be tolerated
by soil and water.
Deposition of acidifying substances must not increase the rate of corrosion of materials or
cultural artefacts and buildings.
4. A Non-Toxic Environment
The environment must be free from man-made or extracted compounds and metals that
represent a threat to human health or biological diversity
5. A Protective Ozone Layer
The ozone layer must be replenished so as to provide long-term protection against harmful
UV radiation
6. A Safe Radiation Environment
Human health and biological diversity must be protected against the harmful effects of
radiation in the external environment
7. Zero Eutrophication
 Nutrient levels in soil and water
❖ Adversely affect human health
❖ Biological diversity
❖ Possibility of varied use of land and water use

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal

Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

8. Flourishing Lakes and Streams

Lakes and watercourses must be ecologically sustainable and its variety of habitats must be
preserved
Natural productive capacity, biological diversity, cultural heritage assets and the ecological
and water-conserving function of the landscape must be preserved, at the same time as
recreational assets are safeguarded
9. Good-Quality Groundwater
Groundwater must provide a safe and sustainable supply of drinking water
10. A Balanced Marine Environment and Flourishing Coastal Areas
The sustainable productive capacity, and biological diversity must be preserved
Coasts must be characterized by a high degree of biological diversity and a wealth of
recreational, natural and cultural assets
Industry, recreation and other utilization of the seas, coasts must be compatible with the
promotion of sustainable development
Particularly valuable areas must be protected against encroachment and other disturbance
11. Thriving Wetlands
The ecological and water-conserving function of wetlands in the landscape must be
maintained and valuable wetlands preserved for the future
12. Sustainable Forests
The value of forests and forest land for biological production must be protected, at the same
time as biological diversity and cultural heritage and recreational assets are safeguarded
13. A Varied Agricultural Landscape
The value of the farmed landscape and agricultural land for biological production and food
production must be protected, at the same time as biological diversity and cultural heritage
assets are preserved and strengthened
14. A Magnificent Mountain Landscape
The pristine character of the mountain environment must be largely preserved, in terms of
biological diversity, recreational value, and natural and cultural assets
Activities in mountain areas must respect these values and assets, with a view to promoting
sustainable development
Particularly valuable areas must be protected from encroachment and other disturbance
15. A Good Built Environment
Cities, towns, and other built-up areas must provide a good, healthy living environment and
contribute to a good regional and global environment
Natural and cultural assets must be protected and developed
Buildings and amenities must be located and designed in accordance with sound
environmental principles and in such a way as to promote sustainable management of land,
water and other resources
16. A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life
Biological diversity must be preserved and used sustainably for the benefit of present and
future generations
Species habitats and ecosystems and their functions and processes must be safeguarded
Species must be able to survive in long-term viable populations with sufficient genetic
variation
People must have access to a good natural and cultural environment rich in biological
diversity, as a basis for health, quality of life and wellbeing.

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal

Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

Rationale of Environmental standards

 Report issued by an expert group about environmental health should place great emphasis on
criteria and standards.
 Public health are dependent upon standardized values, procedures and substances
Examples –
 Motor Vehicle emission – authority for other sources of atmospheric pollution
 Water supply under interstate carriers but not for water used in schools, offices, hospitals
etc.,
❖ Need for functional rather than categorical approach to standards developed
❖ Move on set up of standards initiated by Public Health Service - effect from 1 Jan, 1967
Authorities includes –
 Public Health Service
 Bureau of Disease Prevention and Environmental Control
 Five national centers concerned - air pollution, radiological health, urban and industrial health,
communicable disease control, and chronic disease control
Statutory authority for developing criteria and enforcing standards for the following
❑ Control of air pollution
❑ Interstate spread of communicable disease
❑ Ionizing radiations
❑ Solid wastes
❑ Accidental injuries, occupational hazards
❑ Pesticides
❑ Noise
❑ Control of rodents, mosquitoes, and other vectors of disease
❑ Extended study and consultation
both within and outside the Public Health
Service
❑ Determined - any health
protection standard promulgated by Bureau
should meet the characteristics like-

Characteristics
Standard should be truly relevant to the health and well-being of man
Should be addressed to the prevention or control of a health hazard or to other statutory
responsibilities of the Public Health Service.

Standard must be realistic and attainable

 Standard should – employ the best available methods of control under conditions which are
economically feasible and which do not constitute unacceptable risks to human health
 Health protection standards should be attainable within the current state of the art and at a
financial cost which is not prohibitive

Adherence to the standard should be measurable with reasonable precision and reliability
 Responsible for enforcing and also those who are required or expected to comply with the
standard must be able to ascertain when a violation· has taken place

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal

Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

Standard should be aggressive in terms of protecting the public health

 Uncertainties as to the degree of control necessary should, be resolved in that direction which
will afford the greater protection to the public
Standard should clearly identify the population group it is intended to protect
 Example: some standards are designed to protect the general population
- Some to protect a segment of the population
- Some to protect persons living in certain geographic areas
- Some to protect workers in certain occupation groups

EFFLUENT AND STREAM STANDARDS

STREAM PROTECTION MEASURES

Methods of maintaining a stream
 Effluent Standards
 Stream Standards
Effluent Standard: The Quality Standards established for the wastewater that has been
processed from the units.
Stream Standard: The Standard Quality established in accordance with the designation of
water bodies

EFFLUENT STANDARDS
 Effluent standards pertain to the quality of the discharge water itself
 Based on economics than on absolute protection of the stream
 Easy to control
 Detailed stream analysis are not required
 It do not establish an overall level of pollutant loading for a given water body
 Ratio of wastewater to stream flow are not considered
 Treatment is obligatory irrespective of the size of industry
 For effective protection of an overloaded stream, the effluent standards are required to be
upgraded
 Large industries have an edge over small industry

EFFLUENT DISPOSAL STANDARDS

Table 1: Effluent disposal standards

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal

Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

STREAM STANDARDS
 Stream standards refer to the quality of the receiving water downstream from the origin of
the wastewater discharge
 It is based on establishing classification of quality for a stream
 Quality of the receiving water is regulated to maintain established stream classification
 Prevention of excessive pollution/ Loading is limited to what the stream can assimilate
 No consideration of type and location of industry
 Allows public to establish goals for present and future water quality
 Confusion of zone of different classification
 Controversy over proportion of stream to be reserved for future usage (municipal, industrial,
agriculture etc.)
 Opposition from industry/ public to change the established classification
 A detailed stream analysis is required to determine the level of wastewater treatment
required to maintain the health of the ecosystem
 Cost of treatment may affect the survival of industry

STREAM CLASSIFICATION IN INDIA

Table 2: Stream classification

Concentration and Mass

Concentration
 Concentration is the mass of a pollutant in a defined volume of water
Load (Mass)
 Load is the amount (mass) of a pollutant that is discharged into a water body during a period
of time (i.e. tons of sediment per year)
❑ Both concentration and load provide information of environmental significance, but each has
limitations

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal

Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

Minimum national standards (MINAS)

 1976 – CPCB developed concept of evolving industry specific effluent standards
 Based on comprehensive study of the problems of the industry
 An attempt was made
❖ To identify relevant pollution parameters
❖ Its pollution potential
❖ Best pollution control technologies available in India

MINAS
MINAS contemplated a minimum level of treatment for specific industrial wastewater – based on
 Annual turnover of the industry
 Techno-economic feasibility of the control objective
 Initially textile and man-made fibers were studied and standards were set
 Later included oil refineries, chloro-alkali etc.,
 Disposal specificity was not a part of MINAS
 Standards were considered to be minimum standards that a specific industry should achieve
irrespective of the mode of disposal
 In Environmental Protection Act 1986, some of these standards were incorporated
 Since these were minimal standards – SPCB were permitted to make them only stringent and
in no case relax them

Two basic problems

 Since these standards were not disposal specific , it lead to many anomalous situations
 Tended to become rather stringent and in many cases almost the maximum achievable
standards
 MINAS are indeed not minimal standards but maximum achievable standards

Emission and ambient standards

 Ambient air quality refers to the condition or quality of air surrounding us in the outdoors
 National Ambient Air Quality Standards are the standards for ambient air quality set by
the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) that is applicable nationwide.
The CPCB has been conferred this power by the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

Ambient Air Quality Standards in India

 The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981 was enacted by the Central
Government with the objective of arresting the deterioration of air quality
 The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981 describes the main functions of the
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) as follows
 To advise the Central Government on any matter concerning the improvement of the quality
the air and the prevention, control, and abatement of air pollution.
 To plan and to be executed a nation-wide programme for the prevention, control, and
abatement of air pollution.
 To provide technical assistance and guidance to the State Pollution Control Board
 To carry out and sponsor investigations and research related to prevention, control, and
abatement of air pollution
 To collect, compile and publish technical and statistical data related to air pollution and
 To lay down annul standards for the quality of air

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal

Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

Table 1: National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Maximum amount of a specific pollutant allowed to be discharged into the atmosphere from a
single fixed or mobile source.

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal

Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

Environnemental Performance Evaluation

Environment Performance Indicators
Purpose
1. Environmental performance indicators provide
information that
❖ Helps evaluation and
❖ Decision making within organizations that engage in environmental efforts

2. Environmental performance indicators provide a common foundation of information for

 Organizations and external interested parties (such as consumers, business partners,
residents in local communities, shareholders, and financial institutions) and
 It helps interest parties’ proper understanding of activities of the organizations and their
environmental efforts

3. Environmental performance indicators provide a common foundation of information that

helps the integration of environmental policies of the national and local governments, such as
basic environment plans, and environmental activities of organizations

Objective of EPI
1. To measure and evaluate environmental burdens, environmental problems that need to be
solved and outcomes of environmental efforts comprehensively in order to promote
environmental activities of organizations and to obtain information that helps decision making
regarding these activities.

2. To provide a common foundation of information between an organization and interested

parties in order to facilitate that interested parties, s uch as consumers, business partners,
residents in local communities, shareholders, and financial institutions, understand
environmental activities of the organization

3. To provide a common foundation of information for macro-level environmental policies of the

national and local governments

Table 2: Structure of Environmental Performance

Indicators
Operational Indicators

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal

Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal

Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

Environmental Management Indicators (Sub-Indicators)

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal

Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

Closing the loop

Production system in which the waste or by-product of one process or product is used in market
for another product
Example : recycling waste newspaper to make paper-board or other type of paper
 Buying recycled products is part of Closing the Loop
 Step is critical because it maintains the market demand for recyclables
 Without a demand for recycled products, there is no economy to support recycling
 Creating stable markets for recycling ensures the continuation and expansion of recycling
programs everywhere

pollution prevention

 Pollution prevention is an environmental approach fundamentally different from approaches

that focus on managing or controlling pollution after it has been generated
 Pollution prevention occurs prior to the creation of a waste or a pollutant and thus occurs
prior to the consideration of alternatives such as pollution control, waste management,
treatment, recycling, or disposal

Barriers of pollution prevention

1. REGULATORY BARRIERS TO POLLUTION PREVENTION

a) End-of-Pipe Focus
 In most instances, the end-of-pipe focus of existing regulations does not create a direct barrier
to pollution prevention.
 Potential negative effect of focusing industrial and public resources on controlling pollutants
after it has been created rather than on product, process, or raw material changes
b) Media-Specific Focus
 Current regulations address one environmental medium at a time.
 The result can be transfer of pollutants from one environmental medium to another and
concentration on media-specific solutions rather than multi-media preventive approaches.
 Media-specific focus does not always encourage multi-media preventive approaches
c) Regulatory Program Evaluation Criteria
 Current benchmarks for measuring the success of programs do not include consideration of
pollution prevention progress
 The focus is on more easily quantified performance measures such as the number of permits
issued, or the number of inspections performed.
d) Regulatory Inflexibility
 Lack of flexibility can sometimes create a barrier to pollution prevention
 Pollution prevention is a customized process, varying facility by facility.
 May require flexibility and short-term variances in compliance schedules for emission
standards or permits
e) Regulatory Uncertainty
 Industry personnel working to implement pollution prevention strategies may be required to
consult with several agencies and with decision-making authority.
 Innovative project or a pollution prevention proposal may require multiple approvals for
different aspects of that project, which may be difficult to obtain. This can discourage facilities
from undertaking pollution prevention practices.

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal

Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

f) Pollution Fees
 If structured on a multi-media basis with a significant correlation to quantities of pollutants
created and set at sufficient levels, fees can provide incentives for pollution prevention
 Current fees are for the most part media-specific, set at levels determined by the costs of
regulatory services, and in some cases are not closely correlated with quantities of pollutants
released.
 Although fees set up in this manner do not present direct barriers to pollution prevention, it
provides little incentive to go beyond standards and prevent pollution at the source.
g) Data Gathering and Management
 Data gathering and management systems have generally developed along media-specific
lines.
 It focusses on end-of-pipe emissions and quantities of waste generated as a means of
enforcing and ensuring compliance with existing regulatory requirements.
 Need for improved data relating to pollution prevention is recognized at both the federal and
state levels.

2. ECONOMIC BARRIERS TO POLLUTION

PREVENTION
a) Inaccurate Market Signals
 In some instances, the costs of releasing toxic substances may be less than the cost of
implementing a pollution prevention project
 Because the full environmental cost of the release is not included in the calculation.
b) Incomplete Cost/Benefit Analysis
 Indirect benefits (e.g., lower future liabilities, potential for "environmental marketing" and
positive investment image) are not commonly considered in an analysis and therefore do not
reflect the advantages of implementing preventive projects.
Failure to take into consideration all relevant costs and benefits or failure to properly allocate
these costs to appropriate operations and processes may present unnecessary barriers to
pollution prevention
c) Inappropriately Short Time Horizons
 Companies with very short-term perspectives on criteria for investment (e.g., 1-2 year
payback periods) may be less likely to support certain prevention projects despite the fact that
they would be economically viable in a moderate payback timeframe.
d) Fear of Market Share Loss/Consumer Pressure
 Surveys suggest that the most significant barrier to pollution prevention is reluctance to
tamper with proven processes for fear of adverse effects on product quality
e) Inappropriate Product/Process Specifications
 Very specific cases involving the barrier, "fear of customer loss," result from unnecessarily
rigid specifications for products or processes.
f) Fear of Production Interruption
 If prevention options require major operational changes, equipment alterations or process
modifications, companies may resist implementation because of concern about not being able
to produce the product at all or having higher reject rates through less reliable actions
g) Limited Access to Necessary Resources
 Prevention projects can face stiff competition for limited internal capital resources also
presents a significant barrier to pollution prevention.

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal

Environmental Protection Management 18CV753 Module-2

 Access to external sources of capital to fund prevention projects may also be limited. The
shortage of staff resources
h) Worker Fear of Job Loss
 If employees or labor groups look upon pollution prevention as a threat to their jobs, these
concerns may pose a barrier to pollution prevention efforts
 Experience shows that companies with pollution prevention programs are often
strengthened economically, and produce higher quality products in a more efficient manner.

3) EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS TO POLLUTION

PREVENTION
a) Lack of Top Level Support. It is common for educational leaders to simply exclude pollution
prevention and environmental protection from institutional priorities
b) Insufficient Faculty Motivation and Training Barrier is caused, in part, by the difficulty in
creating new courses, unavailability of teaching aids (e.g., case studies and research pressures.
c) Insufficient Student Interest. Student demand for treatment of environmental issues has been
small, possibly because they haven’t yet seen a connection between job success and
environmental expertise.
d) Inflexible Curriculum Requirements. At most educational institutions the degree coursework
is already crowded with requirements and continually faces new demands to add more credits
and topics. In many instances, there is simply little or no room to add pollution prevention into
the program.
e) Lack of Instructional Materials.
 Not sufficient existing material (e.g., casebooks, text books or videos) that is easily available
to integrate into existing classes.

INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS TO POLLUTION PREVENTION

Three categories of institutional barriers are
a) Organizational: Reflect the ways in which companies manage human and material resources.
b) Technical: Address the development and use of technologies and operational practices.
c) Societal: Describe some ways in which society impacts pollution prevention efforts.
 Lack of Top Management Support.
 Lack of Clear Communication of Priorities or Support.
 Organizational Structures may Separate Environmental Decisions from Production Decisions.
 Habit and Inertia may Inhibit Change.
 Lack of Involvement of affected Workers.
 Reward System does not Focus on Pollution Prevention.
 Firms may lack the Technical Ability to Apply Preventive Methods and Technologies.
 Frequent Changes to Output, Product Design and Other Factors may make Implementation
more Difficult.
 Lack of Information about Sources of Waste and Releases, Alternative Strategies, and
Resources.
 Preventive Applications of Currently available.
 Perception that Pollution Prevention addresses only Manufacturing Processes.
 Lack of Consumer Environmental Awareness.

Prof. Rakesh Patil KLS VDIT, Haliyal