Part 1b Wk 3-4 Environmental Risk EENV 101
Transcript of Part 1b Wk 3-4 Environmental Risk EENV 101
Lecture Presentations onEnvironmental Engineering
Course EENV101Part 1b Wk 3-4 (Jan 21- Jan 28)
Environmental RisksChapter Six of Textbook
By Engr. Jessica. M. Castillo
Rev. 3T 2015-16
Week 3 : Learning Objectives
Discuss how the different areas of the
environment (air, water and soil) are damaged
or destroyed. (CO2)
Identify the different Scenario in the
environment and its effects.(CO2)
Discuss the meaning of green chemistry, the
toxic release inventory and the pollution
prevention hierarchy. (CO2)
Explain how pollutants of the different
environments are produced. (CO2)
Explain the effects of pollutants on the
different environments. (CO2)Rev. 3T 2015-16
Rev. 3T 2015-16
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Threats to Biosphere• OVERUSE OF RESOURCES (FOOD etc.)
• DISRUPTION OF THE BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE
• POLLUTION IN AIR WATER AND SOIL
• NATURAL ATMOSPHERIC CHANGES
• DISTURBANCE/IMBALANCE OF THE
ECOSYSTEM
Threats to Biodiversity
• OVERHARVEST
• HABITAT DESTRUCTION
• NEW SPECIES INTRODUCTION (includes GMO)
• POLLUTANTS INTRODUCTION
• GLOBAL ATMOSPHERIC CHANGES
Environmental Risk
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• Environmental Risk is the measure of the impact
resulting from exposure to an environmental hazard
(unsafe condition).
Example of environmental hazards:
Chemicals
Biological Pathogens
Ozone depletion
Water scarcity
Food shortage etc.
Risk = f (hazard, exposure)
• Note: Since hazard may not be completely
eliminated we can reduce also the risk by reducing
the exposure.
Rev. 1T 2013-14
Types of Environmental
Hazards
• Ecotoxicity : environmental risk applied to the
health of plants, animals, and the entire ecosystem,
which support human life.
Physical
Toxicological
Global hazards
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Rev. 1T 2013-14
Green Chemistry
• In green Chemistry, RISK is reduced
by using chemicals and materials that
would not pollute the environment or
or harm humans (living things) if they
are exposed to them.
• Green chemistry
reduces toxicity,
minimizes waste,
saves energy,
cuts down depletion of natural
resources
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• Examples of Green Chemistry
Initiatives:
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Taking chromium and arsenic, which are
toxic out of pressure-treated wood.
Using less toxic chemicals for bleaching
paper.
Substituting yttrium for lead in auto paint
Using enzymes instead of a strong base
for the treatment of cotton fibers.
Etc.
Hazardous wastes and
Chemicals
Effects of Exposure to toxic or hazardous chemicals
Death
Diseases like cancer
Birth defects
Infertility
Stunted growth
Neurological disorder
etc
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Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)
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The Toxic Release Inventory or TRI, is a
database that contains specific
toxic chemical release, transfer, waste
management and pollution prevention activities
from manufacturing facilities throughout the United
States.
www.epa.ohio.gov/portals/27/tri/tri/right2kn.pdf
Toxicitydeals with the effects of chemicals on living organisms
Bioaccumulation
Concentration of a chemical builds up in an organism
over time.
POLLUTION?
the introduction into the environment
of a substance or thing that has harmful
or poisonous effects.
Rev. 1T 2013-14
Disciplines in
Environmental Engineering
Pollution Control
Water and Wastewater management
Solid waste management
Toxic and hazardous waste management
Environmental Management
Pollution
Air
Water
Land/Soil
Noise pollution
Thermal pollution
Radiation pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants
into the natural environment that cause adverse
change (in its composition and use).(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Contaminants
• Contaminants : unnatural presence of particles, substances such as poison or hazardous material
• …not naturally-occurring
• Man-made (anthropogenic)
• …changes in the natural environment
• Impairs the environment in performing its intended task
• Leads to the destruction of the ability of the environment to perform its intended function in the future.
Pollution Prevention Hierarchy
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Source Reduction
Recycling/Reuse
Treatment
Disposal
Example
The non-renewable resources have to be conserved as they cannot be replenished. The reserves of the resources such as fossil fuels are limited and man is heavily dependent on these resources for his day to day needs.
The renewable resources too have to be judiciously used. Though they are replenished, they are subjected to a lot of pollution that renders them useless. E.g. water
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RISK ASSESSMENT
Hazard Assessment
Dose-Response Assessment
Exposure Assessment
Risk Characterization.
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Hazard Assessment
Dose-Response Assessment
“ What health problems are caused
by the pollutant when released
into the environment?”
What is the probability that humans (living things)
will experience an adverse effect when exposed
to a specific concentration of a chemical
(pollutant)?”
Exposure Assessment
Risk characterization
“ How severe will the adverse response
(effect) be based on the extent and
frequency of exposure?”
Based on the hazard and the exposure,
what is the level of the risk?
What is the acceptable level of risk?
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12 Principles of Green Engineering
Developed by Paul Anastas and Julie Zimmerman
1. Inherent Rather Than Circumstantial Designers need to strive to ensure that all materials and energy
inputs and outputs are as inherently nonhazardous as possible.
2. Prevention Instead of Treatment It is better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up waste after it is
formed.
3. Design for Separation Separation and purification operations should be designed to minimize energy
consumption and materials use.
4. Maximize Efficiency Products, processes, and systems should be designed to maximize mass, energy,
space, and time efficiency.
5. Output-Pulled Versus Input-Pushed Products, processes, and systems should be "output pulled" rather
than "input pushed" through the use of energy and materials.
6. Conserve Complexity Embedded entropy and complexity must be viewed as an investment when making
design choices on recycle, reuse, or beneficial disposition.
7. Durability Rather Than Immortality Targeted durability, not immortality, should be a design goal.
8. Meet Need, Minimize Excess Design for unnecessary capacity or capability (e.g., "one size fits all")
solutions should be considered a design flaw.
9. Minimize Material Diversity Material diversity in multicomponent products should be minimized to
promote disassembly and value retention.
10. Integrate Material and Energy Flows Design of products, processes, and systems must include
integration and interconnectivity with available energy and materials flows.
11. Design for Commercial "Afterlife“ Products, processes, and systems should be designed for
performance in a commercial "afterlife."
12. Renewable Rather Than Depleting Material and energy inputs should be renewable rather than
depleting.
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a) R.A. 9275 Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004b) R.A. 8749 Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999c) R.A. 9003, Ecological Solid Waste
Management Act of the 2000d) R.A. 6969, Toxic Substances and Hazardous
and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990
Government Lawsto protect the environment and prevent pollution