12.

Energy & Environment

Environmental Effects Categorization

As more and more environmental effects become known, the need

for the reduction of environment pollution is obvious.
All sorts of discharges including waste, noise & radiation effects the
environment.
They can be categorized as:
Local effects
Regional effects
Global effects

Since full spectrum of effects are not known one needs to monitor
and assesses effects continuously.

Environmental Effects Local

Depends on the nature and the activities of the industry.

May range from:

Noise
Dust
Irritating smells
Waste water
Solid discharges

Discharge quantities and frequencies will determine the effect of the

releases.
Can easily be mitigated with proper planning, maintenance and
appropriate investments.

Environmental Effects Regional

Often part of plant activities and vehicle movements.

Most common effect is eutrophication where discharging of nutrients
into waterbodies occur. Phosphorous and Nitrogen are major causes
which come from fertilizer industry an will lead to algae growth.
Another effect is acidification which will kill the forest and corrode
materials.
Discharges from metal industries has a serious effect regionally when
they get added to natural water bodies where they settle finally.
Persistent Organic Compounds [POC], Volatile Organic Compounds
[VOC], dioxins can cause serious regional effects.

Environmental Effects POP

Environmental Effects Global

Some major effects

Greenhouse effect
Increase in tropospheric ozone
Depletion of the stratospheric ozone

Concentrations of O3 in the troposphere

depends on chemical reactions with
hydrocarbons, NOx, CO2 believed to be
increasing and harmful to forest, crops,
human health.
Depletion of O3 in stratosphere causes UV to
penetrate.

Atmospheric Emissions: CO2: Emissions MT per Capita

Atmospheric Emissions: CO2: Emissions MT per Capita

Atmospheric Emissions: CO
Generated due to
incomplete combustion
and by catalytic means
these can be considerably
reduced.
Traffic emissions are
serious contributors.

Atmospheric Emissions: NOx

Generally formed when combustion is over 1000 oC and under higher

excess air conditions.
Most of the emissions are NO which is rapidly oxidized to NO2 when
mixed with air.
Contributes to acidification and disturbs the activity of anaerobic
bacterial NO2 production which is the natural soil enrichment
mechanism.
Countries have set limits Nox emissions in power plants to mitigate
effects from Nox.

Atmospheric Emissions: SOx

Environment and Vegetation negatively affected due to acidification

while human health is affected by irritation in the bronchus and
increased sensitivity to infections.
Atmospheric SOX generated by combustion of fossil fuels also disrupts
natural decomposition process.
Some countries use lime spreading by aircrafts to mitigate effects of
Sox.

Atmospheric Emissions: VOC

Alkenes, Aromatics, Organic Acids & chlorinated solvents fall into this
category.
Main sources are vehicles, paints, & combustion (especially small
boilers).
They contribute to respiratory track problems cancer, formation of
photochemical oxidants like ozone, etc.

Atmospheric Emissions: Methane

Naturally occurring in swamps, syn-gas production systems, trapped

gas liberation (methane hydrates).
It contributes to greenhouse effect by about 25times more than CO2
in absorbing heat. Also it contributes to formation of Ozone which
then act as a greenhouse gas in the stratosphere.
Globally the main source is farming activities via waste deposites.

Atmospheric Emissions: Dioxins, Metals & Dust

Out of around 200 Dioxins around 12 form toxic and
stable ones. Most Common one is 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-di-benzo-p-dioxin [also known as Sevesco
dioxin]. Can cause cancer, lower immunity levels and
many other health effects. Waste incineration, steel
& iron industry contributes.

TCDD

Heavy metals dispersed can cause neurotic diseases, anemia, fetal injuries
and miscarriages.
Dust from coal stations and wood combustors can often cause respiratory
problems as well as inconvenience.

Emissions into water from Energy Production

As mentioned earlier it is necessary to consider, quantity, frequency
and duration
Effluents from power plants have to be considered in regard to:

pH
Oil & Grease
TDS
TRC
Metals Fe, Cu, Cr & Zn

They can be blowdown water, treatment plan effluents, contaminated

condensate, cleaning water, Hydro-testing water, Rain Water, etc.

Noise Emissions

For neighbors plant operations should not produce any noise which
may be annoying or distracting.
For plant personnel noise should be controlled to avoid risk of
hearing, interference with speech, communication and alarms.
Dominating sources are FD / ID Fans, Pumps, Compressors, Turbines,
Ejectors, Safety valves, Blow Down of process streams

Noise Emissions Note 1 - Units

A sound consists essentially of a moving series of pressure fluctuations, and

the normal unit of pressure is the Pascal. However, it is not normal to
measure sound in Pascals; instead the decibel scale is used. The decibel
scale is a logarithmic one, which compresses a large range of values to a
much smaller range.
For example, the range of sound pressures from 0.00002 to 2.0 Pa is
represented on the decibel scale by the range 0 to 100 dB.
Two justifications are normally given for using a decibel scale.
The range of values involved in measuring the amplitude of sound is inconveniently
large.
The human ear does not respond linearly to different sound levels and the decibel
scale relates sound measurement more closely to subjective impressions of
loudness.

Noise Emissions Note 2 - Calculation

The decibel scale for measuring sound levels is defined by the equation

Noise Emissions Note 2 - Calculation

Environmental Technologies

For combustion emissions

Dynamic Collectors Cyclones

Wet Collectors scrubbers
Bag filters & Granular bed filters
Electrostatic Precipitators

Sulfur Oxide reducing technologies

Solid Waste

Recycling
Combustion
Biological treatment
deposits

Nitrogen Oxide reducing

Technologies

Special Burners Low Nox

Smaller furnace
Low Flame Temperatures
Gas re-circulation
Excess Air Control
Ozone Alkali Absorption
Sulphur/ Organic soln Absorption
Selective Reduction
Selective Catalytic Reduction
Electron Beam Methods

Environmental Management
Tools

EIA
ER
LCA
Audits
Prevention Techniques
Waste Minimization

EMS Environment Management Systems ISO 14001

Environmental Laws and Conventions

Stockholm 1972 UN conference on Environment UNEP: to

coordinate environmental promotional work
Brundtland Commission 1983 UNs Commission for Environment &
Development
Rio Summit 1992 UN Conference on Environment & Development
(UNCED)
Kyoto Protocol 1997 Addressed Greenhouse Gas emissions

Environmental Laws - Sri Lanka

Environmental Laws - Sri Lanka

Order - 25.01.2008 - Environmental Protection License Prescribed Activities

Environment
Order - 01.02.2008 - National Environmental Protection & Quality Regulations
Protection
Regulations - 20.12.1994 - Appeal Procedure

Regulations - 30.06.2003 - Re: Air emission, fuel & vehicle importation standards
Order - 10.10.2003 - Prohibition of Ozone depleting substances

Air Quality

Order - 09.07.2008 - List of vehicle exhaust emission standards

Regulations - 15.08.2008 - Permissible Ambient Air Quality Standards in relation to

class of Air Pollutants
Regulations - 15.08.2008 - Permissible Ambient Air Quality Standards in relation to
class of Air Pollutants

Environmental Laws - Sri Lanka

Order - 23.05.1996 - industrial noise pollution
Noise

Order - 30.04. 29.12.2011ment to Gazette Notification No. 924/12 dated 23.05.1996

Order - 20.12.1994 - National Environmental (vehicle horns) Regulations

Order - 10.10.2006 - Prohibition of Polythene or any polythene product of 20 micron

or below in thickness

Waste
Regulations - 01.02.2008 - License for discharge, emission or disposal of
Management waste/scheduled waste management
Order - 10.11.2009- Municipal Solid Waste

Environmental Laws - Sri Lanka

Order - 24.06.1993 - Procedure for approval of projects & prescribed projects
Order - 23.02.1995 - project Approving Agencies
EIA

Order - 05.11.1995 - Amendments to prescribed projects

Regulation - 10.04.2003 - Upper Kotmale hydro power project
Order - 29.12.2004 - Appointing Forest Department as a Project Approving Agency