Sub –topics:
1. HSE challenges,
2. Environmental & Health Safety Impacts,
3. HSE-Models & Integration with Business,
4. Safety Performance Standards,
5. Health Safety Guidelines,
6. Integrated Environment, Safety & Health,
Management System-Integrated ISO-14001, 2004 and OHSAS-18001, 2007,
7. Environment, Safety & Health (ES&H) Policy and Principles: Covered
under ISO-14001, OHSAS-18001 and Factories Act and Rules,
8. Global Energy Management,
9. Project work: Industrial Hygiene Index.
1. HSE-Challenges
the water cycle, food or nutrient cycle or chain as it is called, carbon cycle, scavengers
that eat up waste and so on. This harmony and cyclic system ensures perpetual self-
sustaining development. These Nature’s fundamental laws are the essential laws that need
to be followed by man in all his developmental activities to ensure a sustainable
development. In other words, we have to blend our development in harmony with the
Nature’s laws. We have systematically violated these laws of nature and continuing to do
so since the beginning of civilization 10,000 years ago.
WATER CO2
SUN EARTH
from Air
Manure produced Herbivores are
from decomposers primary
feeds plants in turn Plants are PRODUCERS of Primary food from solar CONSUMERS
completing the energy, water, earth and CO2 from air plant food
cycle.
Nature’s Harmony and Balance of Ecosystem with no waste no Hazard! Man in the middle meddling with this
Harmony and Balance by creating Hazards & Waste leads to disasters for our Health and the Ecosystem.
6-Specific HSE-Challenges:
i. Global warming is mainly the result of extensive use of Fossil Fuels that
generate Carbon dioxide the main contributor for Global warming.
ii. There are other contributors also for Global warming and these include
Methane and moisture in the atmosphere that can trap heat in the Atmosphere!
The major natural greenhouse gases and their contributions to Global Warming
are:
1. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and three groups of fluorinated gasses
(sulfur hexafluoride, HFCs, and PFCs) are the major greenhouse gases and the
subject of the Kyoto Protocol, which entered into force in 2005.
2. CFCs, although greenhouse gasses, are regulated by the Montreal Protocol, which
was motivated by CFCs' contribution to ozone depletion rather than by their
contribution to global warming. Note that ozone depletion has only a minor role
in greenhouse warming though the two processes often are confused
When sunlight reaches the surface of earth some of it is absorbed and warms the earth.
Because the Earth's surface is much cooler than the sun, it radiates energy at much longer
wavelengths than does the sun and cools down again. The atmosphere however, absorbs
these longer wavelengths more effectively than it does the shorter wavelengths from the
sun. The absorption of this long wave radiant energy (Heat waves) warms the
atmosphere; the atmosphere also is warmed by transfer of sensible and latent heat from
the earth’s surface. Greenhouse gases also emit long wave radiation both upward to space
and downward to the surface and laterally. The downward and lateral part of this long
wave (Heat) radiation emitted by the atmosphere traps heat and is the "greenhouse effect
causing warming.
H2O
EARTH
Licensed for use only in Programs conducted by Faculty from HAMSAGARS
Copyright: HAMSAGARS 5
A n d s e a w a te r ris e
0 .2 to 0 .4 m m /yr (G lo b a l)
Adapted from: WHO-Global Environmental change website.
1. Rise in Atmospheric CO2 from Fossil fuel use per +1.6-6 ppm
Decade
2. Global warming Deg. C /Decade +0.1 to 0.6
3. Stratospheric Ozone depletion/Year -2%
4. Disappearing wet lands/yr -0.5%
5. Ground water table fall in ft/year (Indian) -3
ESI - Rank Country name ESI - Score OECD - Rank Non - OECD Components
Rank
I have seen Text Books written for School Children in India and Abroad. All these talk of
Global warming, Glacier melting, Ozone layer depleting, Sea level rising and
Underground water level falling and so on. No where there is any mention on what the
individual should do at his/her level to contribute to reduction in Global warming.
Individuals can contribute to reduction in Methane levels in the atmosphere and thereby
contribute to reduction in Global warming. Methane is produced by the individuals in
not segregating kitchen waste in to biodegradable and non-biodegradable at source and
clean all contaminated non-biodegradable. This enables recycling all non-biodegradable
waste and composting of biodegradable. If this is not done by individuals, garbage has to
be dumped and these garbage dumps evolve methane, carbon dioxide contributing to
Global warming. Advanced countries are working on Zero dumping. There are no
dumping grounds available. Supreme court has directives on all Municipal Solid Waste to
be segregated and contaminated items cleaned for recycling. But who is following? Does
the Judges do it in their homes, does Canteen? Who is following? Methane is 21 times
more potent heat trap as compared to carbon dioxide!
Sustainable Development:
A term commonly defined as “Economic and Social development that meets the needs of
the current generation without undermining the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs”. This almost universally quoted definition was produced in 1987 by the
World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), otherwise known as the
Brundtland Commission (after its Chairwoman, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Prime Minister
of Norway). In simple terms, sustainable development means “Achieving a quality of life
that can be maintained for many generations”
a. Forest wealth,
b. Water resources (Water cycle and pollution control),
c. Air resource (Oxygen-CO2 cycle and pollution control),
d. Soil resources (Conserve Flora and fauna and Pollution control).
ii. There is however, a renewal time in each case: A forest tree cut can be
renewed only after a decade or so. A seasonal crop can be renewed each
season. Water is renewed in cycles according to rainy days, air is renewed
day and night plants converting Carbon dioxide to Oxygen and man and
Licensed for use only in Programs conducted by Faculty from HAMSAGARS
10 Copyright: HAMSAGARS
iv. Perpetual sources of energy: Solar energy, wind, hydro power and
geothermal energy are inexhaustible till the sun exhausts its nuclear fusion
reaction converting hydrogen to helium and earth cools down when all life
on earth ends. So in a sense nothing is perpetual!
Since the mid 1970s, sustainable development has emerged as the preferred way of
dealing with the rapid degradation of the natural environment. The first global meeting on
this issue, the U.N. Conference on the Human Environment in 1972, focused mainly on
the environmental issues, such as pollution and waste,
The new concern for what later became labelled “sustainable development” is evident in
the Cocoyoc Declaration of 1974, which addressed the issue of how to respect the “inner
limit” of satisfying fundamental human needs within the “outer limits” of the Earth’s
Carrying capacity (see 1.2.4 for definition)
It was the World Conservation Strategy of 1980 that launched sustainable development
into the international policy arena, stressing the importance of integrating environmental
protection and conservation values into the development process.
The Brundtland Commission then paved the way for the UN Conference on Environment
and Development (UNCED), otherwise known as the Earth Summit, in Rio de Janeiro in
1992. This conference approved a set of five agreements:
a. Agenda 21—for the 21st Century, a global plan of action for sustainable
development, containing over 100 programme areas, ranging from trade
and environment, through agriculture and desertification, to capacity
building and technology transfer.
Trade offs: A pragmatic way of tackling the question “how best to achieve sustainable
development?” is to start with the premise that development intrinsically involves trade-
offs between potentially opposing goals, such as between economic growth and resource
conservation, or between modern technology and indigenous practices. These conflicts
are often real, but vary according to circumstances. Poverty is frequently cited as a cause
of environmental degradation, but there are many examples of poor societies improving
their environment. The aim of sustainable development is thus to optimize the realization
of a society’s many different social, environmental, and economic objectives at one and
the same time. Preferably, this should be achieved through an adaptive process of
integration, but more usually it will require bargains (trade-offs) struck amongst the
different interest groups concerned. Critical to this process is the recognition that
different perspectives on environment and development are both inevitable and
legitimate. There could be, for example, very different environmental priorities between
aid donors, recipient governments, and the poor of developing countries. All these are
currently debated in several UN and intergovernmental agencies.
The limiting capacity of the Ecosystem to remain in balance and harmony with addition
of population, resource consumption and pollution.
The Limiting Factors: The Ecological delicate balance depends on a wide range of
closely related factors like temperature, Oxygen-CO2 balance, ground water levels,
harmony of food chain (see 1.5 below) through Trophic hierarchical proportion e.g.
insect-bird population, cattle vs. grazing land proportion etc. and so on. Any change in
the Ecological balance affects several features of the Ecosystem (see 1.4.4 on Ecological
Balance).
Ecological Disasters:
i. 10,000 Years back - The cave man: Nature a hazard to mankind! Dreamt
of building a safe heaven on earth and invented Agriculture,
ii. 1952 - London fog kills over 3000 people. First realization of the
consequences of pollution,
iii. 1972 – UNEP created, London dumping convention banned dumping of
radio active wastes in to sea bed,
iv. 1973 - Convention on international trade on endangered species,
v. 1974 – UNEP-who collaborate to create global environmental monitoring
system (GEMS),
vi. 1979 – Convention on long range trans-boundary air pollution,
vii. 1988 – UNEP Convention on Bio Diversity (CBBD),
viii. 1992 – Earth summit (The Rio conference) on Bio Diversity conservation,
ix. 1987 – Montreal protocol on ozone layer,
x. 1989 – Basel convention “informed consent” on export of hazardous
wastes,
xi. 1997 – Kiyoto Protocol on Green House Gas (GHG) emission control,
xii. 2000 on wards – Several Committees of Parties (CoPs), conferences,
meetings and so on.
Limits to Growth:
Civilizations have grown to a peak and vanished-The Greek civilization, the Roman
Empire, Harappan civilization and so on. The simplest of limits to growth is the traffic
control systems at road crossings. During very low traffic of pedestrians and bullock
carts, simple road crossings without any control did very well. As traffic density and
speed grew the simple crossings failed. This led to roundabouts at road crossings. This
did well for some decades. Then they reached a peak and failed. Then came traffic
signals which are failing now and being replaced by flyovers and butterfly crossings. Are
these the final solutions? Nobody knows. Air traffic at major airports has reached a peak.
Space ventures have created debris that is creating concerns. Dinosaurs ruled the globe at
one time and suddenly vanished for causes not precisely known as yet. The Club of Rome
issued the first “Limits to Growth” concept for industrial growth. The following diagram
The prediction by computer modelling shows the collapse should start in a couple of
decades. The predictions are based on Carbon energy system of economy of non-
renewable resources. If a break through is made to change to a perpetual source of
infinite energy based on Nuclear Fusion Technology and Hydrogen as fuels, then the
scenario can change dramatically which is likely to happen in the next few decades if not
before the collapse of carbon based economy starts collapsing. So there is hope and mans
ingenuity has no limits! But there are limits to other non-renewable resources like
minerals where recycling is a potential answer in a limited way.
2025
The growth of population and projections Vs. agricultural growth over the
millenniums is depicted in the following diagram:
Environment, Ecosystem and Biosphere: We start with simplest definitions of these terms
and then come to formal definitions:
ii. Ecosystem: Refers to life in relation to surrounding earth, water and air,
iii. Biosphere: Refers to that part of the surrounding earth, water and air
where life exists.
i. Environment:
Thin layer of life and life-supports called the biosphere, including the Earth’s air,
soil, water, and living organisms. (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopaedia 2003),
ii. Ecosystem:
First developed in the 1920s and 1930s, takes into account the complex
interactions between the organisms—plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi—that
make up the community and the flows of energy and matter through it. (Microsoft
Encarta Encyclopaedia 2003),
iv. Biosphere:
The part of the earth, water and atmosphere that inhibits living organisms. (Text
book definition),
The Earth's relatively thin zone of air, soil, and water that is capable of supporting
life, ranging from about 10 km (6 mi) into the atmosphere to the deepest ocean
floor. (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopaedia 2003),
Nature:
Earth, water,
Atmosphere,
solar system, and
Life system.
Ecosystem:
Life system in
relation to
Biosphere:
Environment: Nature that
Surroundings in surroundings
inhabits Life
relation to life system
system
Environmental Aspect and Impact: The following are the formal definitions of Aspect
and Impact under ISO-14001:
i. Environmental Aspect:
Element of an organization’s activities, process, or services that can interact with the
environment. Note: A significant environmental aspect is an environmental aspect that
has or can have a significant environmental impact. (ISO-14001, Clause-3.3).
Environmental Pollution and Acid Rain: Environmental pollution is the greatest hazard of
industrialization. Acid Rain, a form of air pollution, currently a subject of great
controversy because of the widespread environmental damage for which it has been
blamed. It forms when oxides of sulphur and nitrogen combine with atmospheric
moisture to yield sulphuric and nitric acids, which may then be carried long distances
from their source before they are deposited by rain. The pollution may also take the form
of snow or fog or be precipitated in dry forms. In fact, although the term “acid rain” has
been in use for more than a century—it is derived from atmospheric studies that were
made in the region of Manchester, England—the more accurate scientific term would be
“acid deposition”. The dry form of such precipitation is just as damaging to the
environment as the liquid form.
i. A British Antarctic expedition team observed the size of the ozone hole
over the Antarctic sky during October spring period between 1977-1984
and found 40% depletion of ozone as compared to the 1960 base line as
observed by the previous teams of Antarctic expedition. The results
published in “nature” during 1985 stunned the world.
ii. On the contrary, the arctic ozone hole is different and more stable!
Observations revealed only a 5-10% depletion of arctic winter ozone layer.
This is explained by the fact that the arctic stratosphere warms up faster in
winter as compared to the Antarctic stratosphere. This avoids winter cloud
and ice crystal formation in the arctic stratosphere necessary for ozone
depletion.
iii. However, in 1988-89, the arctic winter was unusual in being coldest in
25 years and resembled the Antarctic winter, and found much larger
depletion of ozone
Phasing out of Chlorinated Fluoro Carbons (CFCs) and use of alternative Hydro
Chloro Fluoro Carbons (HCFCs )
Developed world Ecological issues Developing world Solution
Ecological issues
Newer HCFCs have come in to the High cost and import 12-meetings of
market that have much lower Ozone dependence. The Parties of Montreal
Depleting Potential (ODP) amongst alternative HCFCs Protocol (PMP)-
Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) also belong to ODS 1989-2000 created
with ODP bench mark of CFC-11. and have ODP though Technology
less than CFC. Assessment Panel
(TeAP) on ODS-
destruction
technologies, control
illegal ODS trading.
There is no ultimate
solution on ODS!
Macro Ecological Issue-3: Industrial Wastes and Clean Technologies:
Developments in Clean Technologies:
Developed world Ecological issues Developing world Solution
Ecological issues
Large number of bulk and fine Developing countries Adoption of Clean
chemicals like detergents, and drugs are mostly depending Technologies
and pharmaceuticals are produced on old Unclean
using conventional reaction technologies
processes involving use of strong producing enormous
acids and alkalis like sulphuric acid, industrial pollution of
hydrochloric acid, caustic soda, environment.
solvents and so on. Recent
developments in Clean technologies
are replacing acids, alkalis and
solvents by solid catalysts and water.
THE EARTH
SUN RAYS
THE TROPOSPHERE
2. Secured dump sites are not fully secure: They are not Earth quake resistant,
The liners may get ruptured by uneven sinking of earth and by slow brittling of
liners by loss of plasticizers.
3. Burial grounds are getting exhausted: Cities have grown and encircled all
Burial grounds which were outside cities.
A generic definition:
Hazardous waste may be defined as a product or by-product that has no value and its
disposal is a hazard.
Anything not produced by nature and/or not compatible in quantity and/or quality
with nature’s first law of “No ultimate waste” and Natur’s handling capacity is a
hazardous waste
1. Large scale mortality of fish life in aquatic streams and lakes often reported in
india,
2. Phyto toxicity due to heavy metal contamination in soil.
3. Ground water pollution and soil fertility degradation due to indiscriminate
disposal of hazardous wastes.
4. Health effects on human population and animals due to water pollution.
5. Health hazards on lungs & internal organs due to air pollution
1st Principle: Catch Wastes at source in Segregated and most concentrated forms.
1. Heavy metal waste in Effluent aqueous waste: All heavy metals if collected at
source in concentrated form (See 1st Principle), then they can be selectively
precipitated and recovered for recycling. The technologies are based on pH
Non Bio
COD Removal
degradable
and
Organics
Detoxification
Heavy
Metal Heavy Metal
precipitation and Final combined
Compound recovery Disposal
treatment
s
High BOD
Waste BOD Removal
High TDS
Waste TDS Removal
Municipal solid waste (MSW) i.e. Domestic and commercial hazardous waste
segregation:
Plasma Gasification:
Plasma Gasification is the most Eco-friendly solution to all hazardous waste except
Radio active waste:
The Plasma gasification does not apply for Radio active waste.
Plasma level
Photosphere:
5,500 deg C
HSE-management Models that are Globally acceptable are the Following ISO-Certifiable
Standards about which we shall deal in detail in End Semester course:
Integration with Business requires developing these Certifiable management Systems and
getting certified by a Certifying Agency.
Now it is possible to have an Integrated Certification for both ISO-14001 and OHSAS-
18001.
Basically there are five codes of practices and Standards for OHS Audit:
How to do an OHS-audit?
2. To ensure that the Occupational Health and Safety standards fully satisfy the
moral, legal and economic requirements and meet the company’s stated
objectives, policies and Programs.
Scope of OHS-audit:
The following Acts along with their Amendments, Rules, Notifications, Codes and
Standards there under have OHS relevance:
i. There are in the main 4-Acts, related Rules and several Regulatory Orders issued
by the Central Government,
ii. The main Act is the Petroleum Act, of 1934 and deals with Licensing, Production,
Blending, Imports, Testing, Storage and Inspections,
iii. Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Rights of User in Land) Act,
1962 deals with acquisition of land for petroleum pipelines,
iv. The Oil Fields Regulation Act, 1948, intends to Regulate the Oil Fields,
v. The Various Rules and Regulatory Orders provide for control over the entire
Petroleum Production, Transportation, Storage and Handling activities including
the specialized products like Motor Spirit, Diesel, Kerosene, ATF, HSD, LDO
Etc.,
vi. The Petroleum lays down classification of Petroleum Products in to Class-A, B
and C based on Flash Point (FP): A-FP<23 deg. C, B-FP>=23<65 deg. C. C-
FP>65 deg. C.
vii. The main Act lays down standards for storage, transport and import of A, B, C
class petroleum Products,
viii. All Petroleum Gases are covered under special Rules on Petroleum and Natural
Gas Rules-1959,
ix. All other specialized Petroleum Products are Regulated under respective Orders.
OHS Guidelines:
i. ILO has issued Health and Safety Guide lines for various industries. There is also
the “Encyclopedia of Occupational Health” by ILO which comprehensively deals
with Occupational Health issues in almost all industrial activities.
Note: OECD Country Energy consumption is almost static while non OECD
consumption is rising. This is Developed Vs. Developing country scenario.
Note: Consumption of all the three Fossil Fuels is rising while Renewable and
Nuclear is almost static. For sustainable development, it should be the other way
Note: Oil price has two projections made consequent to Global meltdown of 2008.
One is Crude Oil prices may start rising right from 2009 and the other the
Recession may continue till 2015 and the one can expect rise in Oil prices.
Global Energy Management-Liquid HC Production:
ii. Consumption of all the three Fossil Fuels is rising while Renewable and
Nuclear is almost static. For sustainable development, it should be the other
way,
iii. Oil price has two projections made consequent to Global meltdown of 2008.
One is Crude Oil prices may start rising right from 2009 and the other the
Recession may continue till 2015 and the one can expect rise in Oil prices.
Prepare a Case Studies on the following with specific reference to India. Use
information from websites and Library work:
Each Group to have a Name, a Slogan and a Flag depicting some theme in Environment,
Energy, Ecology, Sustainability etc.
Depict in your Flag your Group Name, UPES Logo and your Slogan. Use this flag in
your presentation. Show in the first slide of your presentation your Flag, Names of all
students in the Group.
Each group will have 10 mins for presentation and 10 mins for discussions.
Sub topics:
i. Ecosystem Engineering
ii. Defining Industrial Ecology
iii. Industrial Ecology Design Principles
iv. Challenges of Industrial Engineering
v. The Ecological-Societal System Interface
vi. Adaptive Ecosystem Approach to Industrial Ecology: Industry Experience
Nature:
Earth, water,
Atmosphere,
solar system, and
Life system.
Ecosystem:
Life system in
relation to
Biosphere:
Environment: Nature that
Surroundings in surroundings
inhabits Life
relation to life system
system
We learnt in Part-1, about the nature’s harmony, Interdependence and balance and No-
Ultimate waste as the first law of nature. One waste is a feed to another. Industrial
Ecology is to obey the laws of Nature and making Industries free from waste generation.
i. Industrial ecology is the shifting of industrial process from linear (open loop)
systems, in which resource and capital investments move through the system
to become waste, to a closed loop system where wastes become inputs for new
processes.
ii. Industrial ecology is an interdisciplinary framework for designing and
operating industrial systems as living systems interdependent with natural
The Kalundborg industrial park is located in Denmark. This industrial park is special
because companies reuse each others' waste (which then becomes by-products). For
example, the Energy E2 Asnæs Power Station produces gypsum as a by product of the
electricity generation process; this gypsum becomes a resource for the BPB Gyproc A/S
which produces plasterboards. This is one example of a system inspired by the biosphere-
techno-sphere metaphor: in ecosystems, the waste from one organism is used as inputs to
other organisms; in industrial systems, waste from a company is used as a resource by
others.
Chirapunji once worlds highest rainfall area became scant in rain as a result of cutting
down trees. In China, school children were asked to kill sparrows with Rubber band stone
ejector and get paid for each sparrow to prevent grains being eaten by sparrows. Result,
there was a surge of insects that the sparrows ate and these insects brought heavy
destruction of food grains. There are numerous cases of this kind.
Project work: Search website for “Silent spring” the best selling book of Rachel
Carson in 1962 and prepare a report on the delicate balance of Ecosystem.
Industrial Ecology examines societal issues and their relationship with both technical
systems and the environment. Through this holistic view , IE recognizes that solving
problems must involve understanding the connections that exist between these systems,
various aspects cannot be viewed in isolation. Often changes in one part of the overall
system can propagate and cause changes in another part. Thus, you can only understand a
problem if you look at its parts in relation to the whole. Based on this framework,
Industrial Ecology looks at environmental issues with a systems thinking approach.
This calls for “Green Technologies” phasing out of Non-Renewable Resources and
involving use of Renewable resources, with Sustainable development allowing for
regeneration of Renewable Resources being consumed and Recycling of all Non-
Renewable Resources used..
Sustainable development has been defined by the United Nations World Commission on
Environment and Development as “meeting the needs of the present generation without
sacrificing the needs of future generations.
i. Use of Plastic waste bin Road making-Approved by CPCB and first used in
Bangalore and Channai,
ii. Several Industrial wastes like Silica Gel, Asbestos and cement asbestos, can also
be used in Road making,
iii. Fuel storage tank sludge, Furnace residues containing heavy hydrocarbons, free
carbon and sand is a hazardous waste from which Heavy hydrocarbons and Free
carbon can be dissolved and suspended in lighter fuel like naphtha and the sand
separated and used in Road making,
iv. Effluent sludge and fly ash can be used in Brick making with added cement and
water proofing compound,
v. Poly phosphoric acid wastes from organo phosphate pesticide manufacturing can
be used as slow release phosphate fertilizer.
vi. Electrical insulation Lacquer residue can be used in Road making with Bitumen.
Project work:
Sub-topics:
Legislative measures:
The major policy initiatives taken to encourage private/foreign direct investment to tap
energy from renewable energy sources, include provision of fiscal and financial
incentives under a wide range of programs being implemented by the Ministry of Non
Conventional Energy Sources, and simplification of procedures for private investment,
including foreign direct investment in renewable energy projects.
There is also a package of incentives for renewable energy projects. These include:
The fiscal incentives provided for this purpose include 100 per cent depreciation in the
first year of the installation of the project, exemption from excise duty and sales tax and
concessional customs duty on the import of material, component and equipment used in
renewable energy projects. In addition, the Government provides financial incentives,
such as interest subsidy and capital subsidy from the Ministry and soft loans from Indian
Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) . Fourteen states have so far
announced such policies in respect of various renewable energy sources.
A three-fold strategy has been adopted by the Ministry of Non Conventional Energy
Sources for promotion of renewable sources of energy:
i. The present installed capacity for power in the country is about 1,00,000 MW.
ii. Almost 71% of this is from thermal sources,
iii. About 24% is from hydro.
iv. Nuclear accounts for about 2.9%
v. The rest is derived from wind.
vi. It has been estimated that in order to meet the demand for power by 2012, an
additional 1,00,000 MW of installed capacity would be required.
vii. This implies that the power sector has to grow by approximately 10,000 MW
every year for the next 10 years.
viii. This involves a huge quantum of investments which is estimated to be US$ 200
billion.
ix. This includes investments to be made for matching transmission and distribution.
x. The short term goals aim to fulfill the minimum energy needs of the entire
population and reach the remote and isolated corners of the country at the earliest.
Energy conservation and efficiency is an important thrust area of the government and the
Energy Conservation Bill was introduced in Parliament. The Bill, at present, is under
discussion and once it is passed by Parliament, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)
would come into being. This would be responsible for energy audits, labeling, setting of
Research & Development in cleaner fossil fuels is an ongoing activity and a number of
options regarding clean coal technologies are being explored. They include the Fluidized
Bed Combustion, Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion, Pressurized Fluidized Bed
Combustion Combined Cycle, and Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle.
In the renewable sector also, a number of new technologies are being explored in the
following areas:
i. Solar energy
ii. Energy from Urban and Industrial Waste
iii. Biogas Technology
iv. Biogas combustion based power generation
v. Biomass Gasification technology
vi. Small Hydro Power
vii. Wind power technology
viii. Fuel cell technology
ix. Hydrogen energy
x. Alternative fuel for surface transportation
xi. Ocean energy
xii. Geo-thermal energy etc.
The problem of C02 emissions is a major concern to the Indian energy sector where coal
accounts for over 60% of total energy resources used. In order to minimize C02
emissions, efforts are underway to improve efficiency levels in the generation and use of
energy. In addition, renewable energy technologies and afforestation measures to increase
the "carbon sink" function are being promoted. Coal India Limited (CIL), a holding
company of seven coal producing companies, coordinates the implementation of
sustainable development programs in the Indian Coal Sector. There is a special focus on
ensuring conservation of coal sources during exploitation and use, and conserving energy
in the production and transportation of coal.
The Government of India had announced a policy in 1991 which allowed private sector
participation in power generation and distribution schemes. Since 1991, generation has
been thrown up to private including foreign investment. Twenty five power projects
(wholly) and one power project (partially) with an installed capacity of 5489.75 MW has
already been commissioned in the private sector and another about 5200 MW are under
construction. The private sector is likely to contribute about 40% of the generating
capacity of 1,00,000MW required to be added during 2002-12. The Government of India
has also enacted the Electricity Laws Amendment Act, 1998 to promote private sector
investments in transmission. The Government has also issued guidelines for private
sector participation in January, 2000.
Most large and Medium Industries now have their own Captive Power Plants (CPP) and
are also musing energy conservation techniques like Heat recovery and efficiency and
Pollution control techniques.
The importance of increasing the use of renewable energy sources was recognized in
India in the early 1970s. During the past quarter century, a significant effort has gone into
the development, trial and induction of a variety of renewable energy technologies for use
in different sectors. The country has today among the world’s largest programs for
renewable energy. The activities cover all major renewable energy sources of interest to
us, such as biogas, biomass, solar energy, wind energy, small hydro-power and other
emerging technologies. Several renewable energy systems and products are now
commercially available, and are also economically viable in comparison to fossil fuels.
The Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES) created in 1992 is the nodal
agency of the Government of India for all matters relating to non-conventional/renewable
energy. It undertakes policy making, planning, promotion and coordination functions
relating to all aspects of renewable energy, including fiscal and financial incentives,
creation of industrial capacity, promotion of demonstration and commercial programs,
R&D and technology development, intellectual property protection, human resources
development and international relations.
India is now also in a position to offer its goods, technical expertise and services in this
sector, particularly to developing countries. Technical guidance and help has been
provided to many developing countries for the construction of bio-gas plants. Products,
which are being exported include solar photo-voltaic systems, wind turbine equipment,
selectively coated sheets for thermal applications and solar cookers. Indian made wind
turbine and wind turbine components have been exported to Europe, Australia and Sri
Lanka. Indian designs of gasifiers have attracted countries like Switzerland, Indonesia
and the USA. A Swiss company has installed Indian designs of gasifier based
decentralized power generation units in Switzerland.
Since a large part of energy needs in the rural economy is through collection of firewood
this leads to deforestation. The reduction of tree cover is a serious problem though
several programmes have been launched by the government towards afforestation.
Problems of deforestation are primarily on two counts. While the first is the lack of
access to commercial forms of energy, the second is the sheer lack of purchasing power.
The government has been trying to mitigate the problems by giving subsidized kerosene
to people subsisting below the poverty line. There is compulsory compensatory
reforestation for power projects and other projects which cause any forest degradation.
Government is taking several steps on the pollution control front and there are strict
pollution control norms for all energy generation projects.
Any effort towards economic growth comes in conflict with Environmental protection.
High economic growth entails high consumption of natural resources and environmental
pollution and contradicts the concept of sustained development. Economic planning for
sustained development should include the costs of maintaining environmental resources
and ecological services. In other words our planning budget shall include economic
growth budget along with ecological sustenance budget. This is planning and budgeting
for sustained development. As mentioned earlier, the concept of sustained development
came in to focus with report of the Brundtland commission-“Our Common Future (1987)
which stated that our economic growth has to be environmentally sustainable and there is
no economic growth without ecological costs. The national accounting and budgeting
should reflect both economy and environment. Industrial Ecology is a concept where
every industry complies fully with the fundamental laws of Nature where there is no end
product or waste product. Ultimate answer lies in ensuring zero discharge of solid, liquid
and gases pollutants and ensuring recycling everything at the micro and macro level
exactly as nature does it so efficiently and effectively.
Plastic, Rubber, saw dust and Agricultural Waste like paddy husk is now used in India
and in other countries for Power generation and in Cement Kilns by substituting up to
10% of coal in coal based boilers.
EHS-Policy:
Project work:
Sub-Topics:
What is Ecology?
We have learnt about Ecology in both Part-1 and Part-2. Here we give more formal
definitions on Ecology:
Ecology is the branch of biology that deals with organisms' relations to one
another and to the physical environment in which they live; (the study of)
such relations as they pertain to a particular habitat or a particular species.
The study of the relationship of plants and animals to their physical and
biological environment. The physical environment includes light and heat or
solar radiation, moisture, wind, oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients in soil,
Nature:
Earth, water,
Atmosphere,
solar system, and
Life system.
Ecosystem:
Life system in
Biosphere:
Environment: relation to
Nature that
Surroundings in surroundings
inhabits Life
relation to life system
system
The Ecological balance is the closely inter related, dependent and harmonious balance
amongst Biosystem and Environment in the Ecosystem. Rachel Carson’s best seller of
1962 “Silent Spring” had for the first time an immense awakening of the hard reality of
the Ecological Balance. She pointed out that resulting from extensive use of pesticides,
birds and beneficial insects have been destroyed and the spring time no more brings us
the sweet songs of birds and pollinating insects but the roar of helicopters spraying
pesticides! To prevent destruction of food grains by sparrows, the Chinese provided
incentives for children to kill sparrows and get paid, the result: insect population
multiplied immensely and destroyed all of food crops! They had to reintroduce sparrows
to keep insect population under control! So the Ecological Balance is so delicate, a small
change will lead to a chain reaction and destroy the delicate balance.
Biodiversity:
Term for variety or diversity within the biological world. In its widest sense, biodiversity
is virtually synonymous with “Life on Earth”. The word was coined in 1985 and during
the 1990s has become very widely used in the popular media and in government and
scientific circles. It has become customary, partly as a matter of convenience, to consider
biodiversity at three hierarchical levels that have special significance in human affairs:
It is important, however, to recognize that these are just some of the ways in which
biodiversity may be assessed, and that there is no precise definition of what the word
means and thus no agreement on how biodiversity can best be measured. (Microsoft
Encarta, 2003).
Habitat:
All Natural time rhythms like breeding of animals and flowering of plants in springtime
linked to season, the menstrual cycle linked to the lunar cycle, precise time of flowering
of specific flowers (There is one or more flower varieties flowering every hour of the
day! and so on there are numerous rhythms that constitute the Biological clocks or
Biorhythms. All Biorhythms are, said to be, linked to some cosmic cycles. Our sleep-
wake cycle is linked to the diurnal cycle of day and night.
The Flower Clock of Carlos Linnaeus from “The Living Clocks” by Ritchie R Word
recreated by the Author using flower images from websites:
Russian ecologist Georgii Frantsevich Gause formulated the law of competitive exclusion
based on laboratory competition experiments using two species of Paramecium, the
Paramecium aurelia and Paramecium caudatum. Following a lag phase, the Paramecium
aurelia was consistently able to drive the other to extinction. The conditions were to add
fresh water everyday and input a constant flow of food. However, Gause was able to let
the Paramecium caudatum survive by driving differently the environmental parameters
(food, water). This explains why the Gause law is valid only if the ecological factors are
constant. Also used were two species of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and
Schizosaccharomyces kefir. S. kefir consistently out-competed S. cerevisiae by producing
a higher concentration of ethyl alcohol.
The Food Cycle, Food chain, Food pyramids and Food webs:
i. The Producers: The Plants are Producers of primary food from solar
energy, water and minerals and Nutrients.
ii. The Primary Consumers: The herbivores are the consumers of this
primary plant food and produce enriched food for carnivores
iii. The Secondary Consumers: Carnivores are consumers of secondary food.
iv. The Decomposers: Bacteria and fungi are the decomposers of the dead
plant and animal remains producing primary nutrients for plants
completing the food chain or the food cycle. Fig. in the next slide illustrates
the overall Food cycle.
Revisit our Graphic presentation on Eco-Balance of Part-1:
WATER CO2
SUN EARTH
from Air
Manure produced Herbivores are
from decomposers primary
feeds plants in turn Plants are PRODUCERS of Primary food from solar CONSUMERS
completing the energy, water, earth and CO2 from air plant food
cycle.
Nature’s Harmony and Balance of Ecosystem with no waste no Hazard! Man in the middle meddling with this
Harmony and Balance by creating Hazards & Waste leads to disasters for our Health and the Ecosystem.
i. The overall Food cycle looks simple and elegant but behind this simplicity
lies a very complex system of infinite Food pyramids and Food Webs.
Following is an example of a food pyramid
ii. An Example of Food pyramid: Grass and vegetation at the base of a Food
pyramid produce primary food consumed by rabbits snakes consume
rabbits Vultures consume snakes. There are pyramids within pyramids. For
example, snakes live on rats and frogs, frogs live on insects, insects live on
many types of food and so on.
iii. Note that a Food Pyramid is a vertically placed food chain where the
number increases down the pyramid with highest number at the base and
least number at the top of the pyramid. (Source: ww.explorelearning.com).
Note in the following example of Food Pyramid, rabbits are food to snakes and snakes in
turn are food to Vultures. The number of species in the lowest level of any food pyramid
e.g. Rabbits have to be largest for survival and the ones in the next food pyramid namely
Snakes have to be less than Rabbits and finally last top species in the Food Pyramid i.e.
The Food chain looks pretty simple and straight forward. However, there are no simple
specific Food chains in the Ecosystem. In fact the use of the term “Chain” is a misnomer
as there are no chins and dead end processes in Nature (see 1.1 The Fundamental Laws of
nature). Ecosystem is a complex web of cycles. The Food web is a part of this system of
cyclic webs in the Ecosystem as depicted in the next slide. Food webs are essentially
composed of a number of discrete food pyramids. A Food pyramid is nothing but a
vertically placed food chain in which the number increases down the pyramid with
highest number at the base of pyramid and lowest at the top.
The following diagram illustrates the Energy flow through the food chain.
(Source:http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/F/FoodChains.html#
The_Pyramid_of_Numbers):
Net production is only a fraction of gross production because the organisms must expend
energy to stay alive. Note that the difference between gross and net production is greater
for animals than for the producers - reflecting their greater activity.
i. Much of the energy stored in net production was lost to the system by
a. Decay,
b. Being carried downstream
ii. Note the substantial losses in net production as energy passes from one
Trophic level to the next.
iii. The ratio of net production at one level to net production at the next higher
level is called the conversion efficiency. Here it varied from 17% from
producers to primary consumers (1478/8833) to 4.5% from primary to
secondary consumers (67/1478).
iv. From similar studies in other ecosystems, we can take 10% as the average
conversion efficiency from producers to primary consumers.
There is the Principle of 10% Energy conversion at each Trophic level as brought out
earlier. This Principle is well depicted by the following Ecological pyramid:
It is the Photosynthetic production of plants minus what they use for their own life
process. It is the GNP of the Ecosystem. NPP is measured in terms of Pg/yr where 1
Pg.(Pico gram) = 10^15 g. Total Terrestrial NPP=132 Pg/Yr. of which 39% is lost to
human exploitation. (Source: dieoff.org).
Ecological services:
Constitute the life sustaining and Ecosystem balancing services in the ecosystem.
Maintenance of right proportion of Oxygen and Carbon dioxide is essential for
maintenance of plant and animal life on earth. Maintenance of dissolved oxygen in water
is essential to marine life. Increased pollutants affect these balances destroying life on
earth and water.
i. Resources: Air, water food, and minerals are the primary services in the
Ecosystem,
ii. Eco-cycles: The Fundamental Laws of Nature.
iii. Regulatory services: Maintenance of temperature, pollination, climate
control, ozone layer maintenance are regulatory services in the Ecosystem.
iv. Scavenging services: Pigs, vultures, ducks, dung beetles are some of the
common examples of garbage scavengers of nature.
The above is a very simple listing of the categories of Ecological services. The entire
gamut of cycles and webs in the ecosystem is the totality of Ecological services.
Project:
The Economic growth and Environmental issues and Industrial Ecology: Revisited:
Any effort towards economic growth comes in conflict with Environmental protection.
High economic growth entails high consumption of natural resources and environmental
pollution and contradicts the concept of sustained development. Economic planning for
sustained development should include the costs of maintaining environmental resources
and ecological services. In other words our planning budget shall include economic
growth budget along with ecological sustenance budget. This is planning and budgeting
for sustained development. As mentioned earlier, the concept of sustained development
came in to focus with report of the Brundtland commission-“Our Common Future (1987)
which stated that our economic growth has to be environmentally sustainable and there is
no economic growth without ecological costs. The national accounting and budgeting
should reflect both economy and environment. Industrial Ecology is a concept where
every industry complies fully with the fundamental laws of Nature where there is no end
product or waste product. Ultimate answer lies in ensuring zero discharge of solid, liquid
and gases pollutants and ensuring recycling everything at the micro and macro level
exactly as nature does it so efficiently and effectively.
These are at the very core of civilization and global issues. “Poverty is the greatest
pollutant” was the Indian stand at the Global meets on Pollution. Health and Education
are at the core of poverty elimination. India is endowed with rich resources. India is a
very large market. There are very few markets in the world of the size of India and China.
As for intellectual ability is concerned “Indians are one of the most intelligent people on
earth!” Why do we have a growth rate of just 6-7% against 10% of China? One of the
main problems not well recognized so far is that we have too many leaders and very few
followers. We are a country of leaders without followers at every stage. What is the
reason and what we can do about it? This takes us to Attitude and Culture.
As a nation we never agree or unite on any issue except when there is a Terrorist attack or
War!. An ideal Democracy indeed! The author had invited Dr. Groeberg a management
expert from USA who conducted a series of lectures on Productivity in leading industrial
organizations in India. The problem of productivity in India is depicted in the following
three pulls and pushes in three continents on any productive task
TASK ATTITUDES
JAPAN
(HARMONY)
1. FAMILY?
2. ORGANIZATION?
3. COMMUNITY?
4. SELF?
5. NATION?
Note: Never think what should be ideally but only think what you inherently feel and do.
For example if you need leave as your wife is not well or you have to help your child for
exams and you do not get leave do you accept this or simply go in for Medical leave?
a. Family (parents),
b. Self,
c. Organization (school),
d. Community,
e. Nation.
a. Self,
b. Family,
c. Community,
d. Organization,
e. Nation.
a. Family,
b. Community,
c. Organization,
d. Self,
e. Nation.
a. Nation,
b. Organization,
c. Community,
d. Family,
e. Self.
a. Organization,
b. Nation,
c. Community,
d. Self,
e. Family, (Family in the west has value till maturity of children).
What is Culture?
ATTITUDES
CULTURE
BELIEFS VALUES
Culture as the fertile Delta of Attitudes, Beliefs and
Value system in a society.
Conclusions:
Sub- Topics:
Sustainable Development:
i. Increasing the efficiency in the selection and use of materials and energy
sources,
ii. Control of impacts on ecosystems,
iii. Development and permanent improvement of cleaner processes and
products,
iv. Encouraging more environmentally-benign behaviour,
v. Introducing environmental management systems in the production and
services sectors, and
vi. Development of activities for increasing awareness of the need for
environmental protection and promotion of sustainable development by the
general public.
Autogenic succession:
Autogenic succession can be brought by changes in the soil caused by the organisms
there. These changes include accumulation of organic matter in litter or humic layer,
alteration of soil nutrients, change in pH of soil by plants growing there. The structure of
the plants themselves can also alter the community. For example, when larger species
like trees mature, they produce shade on to the developing forest floor that tends to
exclude light-requiring species. Shade-tolerant species will invade the area.
Allogenic Succession:
Allogenic Successions are caused by external environmental influences and not by the
vegetation. For example soil changes due to erosion, leaching or the deposition of silt
and clays can alter the nutrient content and water relationships in the ecosystems.
Animals also play an important role in allogenic changes as they are pollinators, seed
dispersers and herbivores. They can also increase nutrient content of the soil in certain
areas, or shift soil about (as termites, ants, and moles do) creating patches in the habitat.
This may create regeneration sites that favor certain species.
Climatic factors may be very important, but on a much longer time-scale than any other.
Changes in temperature and rainfall patterns will promote changes in communities. As
the climate warmed at the end of each ice age, great successional changes took place.
The tundra vegetation and bare glacial till deposits underwent succession to mixed
deciduous forest. The greenhouse effect resulting in increase in temperature is likely to
bring profound Allogenic changes in the next century. Geological and climatic
catastrophes such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, avalanches, meteors, floods, fires,
and high wind also bring Allogenic changes.
Seral Community:
Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the
Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests during 21st
Century were adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janerio,
Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992.
Chapter-1: Preamble
Chapter-2 International Cooperation for Sustainable Development
Chapter-3 Combating Poverty
Chapter-4 Changing Consumption Patterns
Chapter-5 Demographic Dynamics & Sustainability
Chapter-6 Human Health