INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OPTION

MODULE NAME: WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Module code: CCMEM701

Credits: 5

Level 7, Semester I

ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023

January 2023

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Table of Contents
LEARNING UNIT 1 - DESCRIBE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ....................................... 4
1.1 Explain the basics of environmental management............................................................................. 4
1.2: Describe the environment of earth ................................................................................................. 13
1.3: Describe Rwanda’s environmental features. ................................................................................... 17
LEARNING UNIT 2 - ASSESS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ......................................................... 21
2.1: Determine the environmental impact ............................................................................................. 21
2.2: Conduct environmental Impact Assessment ................................................................................... 28
2.3: Develop Environment Impact Assessment( EIA) report .................................................................. 31
LEARNING UNIT 3- CONTROL HUMAN PROJECTS IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT ............ 37
3.1: Adapt the planned project to environment for its management ................................................... 37
3.2. Control environmental pollutions .................................................................................................... 38
3.3: Apply climate change mitigation measures ..................................................................................... 40

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Purpose statement

This module describes the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to manage workplace
environmental management. Throughout this module, leaners will be able to describe
environmental management, to assess environmental impact and to control human projects
impact on environment.

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LEARNING UNIT 1 - DESCRIBE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Learning Outcomes:

1.1 Explain the basics of environmental management

1.2 Describe the environment of the earth

1.3 Describe Rwanda’s environmental features

1.1: Explain the basics of environmental management

1.1.1. Environmental management Key terms
Environment: Environment is a set of physical, chemical, and biological elements as well
as socio-economic, cultural, aesthetic, and intellectual factors likely to have a direct or
indirect, immediate or long-term impact on the development of the environment, human
beings, and human activities.
Management: Management is a set of principles relating to the functions of planning,
organizing, directing, and controlling, and the application of these principles in harnessing
physical, financial, human, and informational resources efficiently and effectively to
achieve organizational goals.
Environmental management: Environmental Management means a process to efficiently
and systematically consume the environment by planning, operating, monitoring,
improving, and enhancing, which concerns saving, highest utilizing, sustainability, long-
lasting, and providing the most beneficial to humans and nature.
Environmental policy: any measure by a government or corporation or other public or
private organization regarding the effects of human activities on the environment,
particularly those measures that are designed to prevent or reduce harmful effects of human
activities on ecosystems.
An ecosystem is a term that is commonly used in biology and environmental studies. In
general, it is defined as a system or community that includes all living organisms and their
non-living components in nature. All of these components work together, either directly or
indirectly, to maintain ecological balance.
International environmental policy: covers a number of issues: climate protection,
sustainable energy policy, preservation of biological diversity, and the conservation of
forests, seas, and soils. Further related topics are desertification, sustainable waste
management, and protection against hazardous substances.
The international standard ISO 14001 is a standard for management that aims to support
comprehensive environmental protection.

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The standard is written in a manner that is applicable to all types and sizes of organizations and
can be adapted to different geographical, cultural, and social conditions.

Characteristics of environmental management:

1. It deals with a world affected by humans; Humans impact the physical environment in
many ways: overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. Changes like these
have triggered climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality, and undrinkable water. These
negative impacts can affect human behavior and can prompt mass migrations or battles over
clean water.
2. It supports sustainable development;
It improves the quality of human life,
It minimizes the depletion of natural resources,
It teaches us to respect and care for all life forms,
Checking the pollution levels,
Making arrangements so that the future generation is able to meet their own demands
3. It demands a multidisciplinary approach;
4. It has to integrate different development viewpoints;
5. It concerns with short-term and long-term planning as well as from local to global scale;
and
6. It seeks to integrate natural and social science, policy-making, and planning.

Purpose of environmental management: An EMS helps your organization achieve

environmental goals and systematically address regulatory requirements in a cost-effective
manner. It provides a proactive approach to working towards environmental targets,
reducing risk, and improving health and safety practices. Better yet, an Environmental
Management System can help your company address and work towards non-regulated
issues that are more important globally, like energy conservation.

Advantages to undertaking Environmental management:

Most advantages of an EMS stem from savings your business can make, increased profitability,
and better sales opportunities:

• Better regulatory compliance - running an EMS will help ensure your environmental
legal responsibilities are met and more easily managed on a day-to-day basis.
• More effective use of resources - you will have policies and procedures in place that help
you manage waste and resources more effectively and reduce costs.
• Marketing - you can highlight your business' credentials as an environmentally aware
operation that has made a commitment to continual environmental improvement
through advertising or annual reporting.

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 • Finance - you may find it easier to raise investment from banks and other financial
institutions, which are increasingly keen to see businesses controlling their environmental
impact.
• Increased sales opportunities - large businesses and government departments may only
deal with businesses that have an EMS.
• Lighter regulation - even if an EMS is not a regulatory requirement, by showing your
commitment to environmental management, you may benefit through less frequent site
visits or reduced fees from environmental regulators.
• Certification to recognized standards - gaining external certification of your EMS through
ISO 14001, BS 8555 or EMAS can give your business credibility with customers and
stakeholders.
1.1.2. Types of environments
Natural: The natural environment consists of land-based ecosystems such as grasslands and
forests, aquatic ecosystems such as rivers and wetlands, and coastal and marine ecosystems such
as mangroves and sea-grass meadows. Ecosystems include animals and plants and the interactions
they have with each other and their physical environment. Climatic conditions, particularly rainfall
patterns and fire regimes, strongly affect the type and extent of an ecosystem and the animals and
plants that are present.
Industrial: An industrial environment is a term used to describe working conditions that may
be outside of optimal. Industrial environments are usually more harsh than normal work
environments, such as an office. In an industrial environment, people and equipment are exposed
to more extreme conditions. Depending on the job, these conditions can be very severe.
Most industrial environments are warehouses, plants, manufacturing, or fabrication facilities.
These industrial environments often lack advanced heating and cooling controls (HVAC), and are
sometimes partially exposed to the elements. Industrial environments may also increase equipment
exposure to dust and other contaminants.

Social: A person’s social environment is their society and all surroundings are influenced in
some way by humans. It includes all relationships, institutions, culture, and physical structures.

The natural environment is the natural world around us: the ground, the trees, and the air. The
social environment is, collectively, all of the things that humans have overlaid on top of our world:
our personal and societal relationships, our institutions, our cultures, and our physical surroundings
all of the aspects and products of human activity and interaction.

1.1.3. Constituents of environment

Physical elements: The physical component refers to the non-living part of the
environment. These are also called abiotic factors and include air, water, soil, climate etc.
Physical components can be broadly classified into 3 groups – Atmosphere,

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 Hydrosphere and Lithosphere. Additionally, scientists also use the term “biosphere” to
describe the zone of life (or the worldwide sum of ecosystems).
Biological elements: The biological component of the environment, as the name indicates,
includes all living things. Hence, it is also called the biotic component of the ecosystem.
Animals, plants, and microorganisms interact with the abiotic components, and these form
various ecosystems. Moreover, organisms in these ecosystems are classified into groups –
such as producers, consumers, and decomposers. They also occupy various trophic levels
on the food chain. For instance, all autotrophs are producers and occupy the lowest levels
on a food chain.
Cultural elements: Cultural environments are environments shaped by human activities,
such as cultural landscapes in the countryside, forests, urban areas, and cities, fixed
archaeological structures on land or water, constructions and built environments from
different ages, along with bridges, roads, power lines and industrial and harbor areas.
On the one hand, cultural environments are a non-renewable resource, on the other hand,
they are in a constant state of renewal and development.

1.1.4. Types of environmental management

The construction environmental management plan: Construction environmental
management plans often detail the implementation of measures in accordance with
environmental commitments outlined in; an Environmental Statement, an environmental
policy or environmental plan, requirements of planning conditions, Section 106
agreements, or other legislative requirements. They are ‘live’ documents that are reviewed
and updated at regular intervals throughout the project life cycle.
The operations environmental management plan: An Operations Environmental
Management Plan (OEMP) provides specific guidance related to the operational activities
associated with the facility. The roles and responsibilities for mitigation, monitoring, and
performance assessment during the facility’s operational life are also specified.
The OEMP should not become an additional requirement separate from the day-to-day
activities of the site, to avoid it being seen by operations staff as an obstruction to their
normal duties and operations, hence it must be part of a facility’s routine operations and
the environmental requirements should be integrated into existing procedures, rather than
becoming a new layer of control.
An Operations Environmental Management Plan (OEMP) provides specific guidance related
to the operational activities associated with the facility. The roles and responsibilities for
mitigation, monitoring and performance assessment during the facility operational life are also
specified. The OEMP should not become an additional requirement separate from the day-to-day
activities of the site, to avoid it to be seen by operations staff as an obstruction to their normal
duties and operations, hence it must be part of a facility’s routine operations and the environmental
requirements should be integrated into existing procedures, rather than becoming a new layer of
control.

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In new operational facilities, the OEMP is usually prepared using the framework defined by the
project EIA Study and/or the CTO. When an EIA Study is not available, the result from
environmental assessments conducted during earlier stages of the project, as well as updated
information on the project as per the detailed engineering design implemented, would be used as
a starting point when preparing the OEMP. For projects within existing operational areas, the
proposed OEMP becomes a part of the existing facility’s OEMP.

Objective

The key objectives of OEMP are summarized as follows:

• Compliance with environmental law and project commitments

• Avoidance, minimization, and or mitigation of environmental impacts
• Facilitate the timely distribution of information and increase awareness
• Manage assets in accordance with design criteria
• Provide a guide to the management and notification of environmental incidents
• Effective response to community requests and complaints; and
• General improvements in environmental maintenance methods.

Components of the OEMP

Environmental concerns defining this OEMP are unique to the project's operational phase.

• Environmental issue
• Environmental objectives
• Environmental intent
• Control measures
• Responsibility
• Monitoring
• Reporting
• Performance Indicators
• Corrective Action

The decommissioning environmental management plan: Decommissioning Plan means

a plan to retire the physical facilities of the Project, including decontamination,
dismantlement, rehabilitation, landscaping, and monitoring.

The Principles of Environmental Management

▪ Polluter Pays Principle (PPP): The ‘polluter pays’ principle is the commonly accepted
practice that those who produce pollution should bear the costs of managing it to prevent
damage to human health or the environment.

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For instance, a factory that produces a potentially poisonous substance as a by-product of its
activities is usually held responsible for its safe disposal. The polluter pays principle is part of a
set of broader principles to guide sustainable development worldwide (formally known as the 1992
Rio Declaration).
The Polluter Pays Principle means that the absolute liability for harm to the environment extends
not only to compensate the victims of pollution but also the cost of restoring the environmental
degradation. Thus, it includes environmental costs as well as direct costs to people or property.
Remediation of the damaged environment is part of the process of sustainable development and as
such the polluter is liable to pay the cost to the individual sufferers as well as the costs of reversing
the damaged ecology.

▪ The User Pays Principle (UPP): It is considered as a part of the PPP. The principle
states that all resource users should pay for the full long run marginal cost of the use of a
resource and related services, including any associated treatment costs. It is applied when
resources are being used and consumed.
▪ The Precautionary Principle (PP): The main objective of the precautionary principle is
to ensure that a substance or activity posing a threat to the environment is prevented from
adversely affecting the environment, even if there is no conclusive scientific proof of
linking that particular substance or activity to environmental damage.
▪ Principle of Effectiveness and Efficiency: It is essential that efficiency of resources use
may also be accomplished by the use of policy instruments that create incentive to
minimize wasteful use.
▪ The Principle of Responsibility: It is the responsibility of all persons, corporations and
states to maintain the ecological processes.
▪ The Principle of Participation: It is the duty of all the persons to participate in
collectively environmental decision-making activities. Some participation areas are
related to the use of trees and other plants, minerals, soils, fish and wildlife for purposes
such as materials and food as well as for consumptive and non-consumptive recreation.
▪ The prevention principle: This principle requires preventive measures be taken to
anticipate and avoid environmental damage before it happens.
Environmental management tools
▪ Environmental management systems
▪ Environmental auditing
▪ Environmental labeling
▪ Life cycle assessment
▪ Environmental indicators
▪ Environmental policies
▪ Eco-balances
▪ Environmental reporting
▪ Environmental charters

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An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a framework that allows your company to
reduce environmental impact while maintaining operational efficiency. An EMS can be a
powerful tool for managing the environmental aspects of an organization, and particularly the
negative impacts on the environment. Think of an EMS like a framework that helps your
company achieve its environmental goals and address government regulations. Practices like
consistent review, evaluation, and improvement of environmental performance are some of the
key factors. With regular evaluation and review of a company’s processes, you can identify
opportunities to improve and implement environmental performance, bringing your organization
in line with a more sustainable future.

Each company’s EMS is tailored to their objectives and goals. For example, a publishing
company might implement an EMS framework to:

• manage and reduce its paper use by switching to email-only internal communication
• review and evaluate waste management processes
• create a policy for responsible disposal of used toner cartridges
What does an Environmental Management System do?
An EMS helps your organization achieve environmental goals and systematically address
regulatory requirements in a cost-effective manner. It provides a proactive approach to working
towards environmental targets, reducing risk and improving health and safety practices.
Environmental Management System EMS under ISO 14001

Figure1: The continuous improvement cycle.

The five main stages of an EMS, as defined by the ISO 14001 standard , are described below:

1. Commitment and Policy - Top management commits to environmental improvement and

establishes the organization's environmental policy.

2. Planning - An organization first identifies environmental aspects of its operations.

Environmental aspects are those items, such as air pollutants or hazardous waste, that can have
negative impacts on people and/or the environment. An organization then determines which
aspects are significant by choosing criteria considered most important by the organization.
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For example, an organization may choose worker health and safety, environmental compliance,
and cost as its criteria.

3. Implementation - A organization follows through with the action plan using the necessary
resources (human, financial, etc.). An important component is employee training and awareness
for all employees.

4. Evaluation - A company monitors its operations to evaluate whether objectives and targets
are being met. If not, the company takes corrective action.

5. Review - Top management reviews the results of the evaluation to see if the EMS is working.
Management determines whether the original environmental policy is consistent with the
organization's values. The plan is then revised to optimize the effectiveness of the EMS.

An EMS encourages an organization to continuously improve its environmental performance.

The system follows a repeating cycle (see figure 1). The organization first commits to an
environmental policy, then uses its policy as a basis for establishing a plan, which sets objectives
and targets for improving environmental performance. The next step is implementation. After
that, the organization evaluates its environmental performance to see whether the objectives and
targets are being met. If targets are not being met, corrective action is taken. The results of this
evaluation are then reviewed by top management to see if the EMS is working.

Management revisits the environmental policy and sets new targets in a revised plan. The
company then implements the revised plan. The cycle repeats, and continuous improvement
occurs.

Environmental auditing
The definition of EA is found in many national and international documents (e.g, ISO 1996,
NEMA 1998, and REMA 2006). Environmental Audit is defined in the General Guidelines and
Procedure for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Rwanda (REMA 2006) as: “the
systematic documentation and periodic and objective evaluation of protection and management
of the environment and the conservation and sustainable use of resources”.

An environmental audit is an important process for assessing risks of harm to human health or
the environment. The primary goal of an EMS audit is to certify that a company’s EMS is
working effectively. An environmental audit provides advice on risks of harm to human health
or the environment and may consider the suitability of site uses.

The purpose of an environmental audit is to:

• assess the nature and extent of the risk of harm to human health or the environment. This
may be from contaminated land, waste, pollution or any activity.

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 • recommend measures to manage the risk of harm to human health or the environment.
• make recommendations to manage the contaminated land, waste, pollution or activity.

Environmental auditors are responsible for examining and reviewing the company’s
environmental policies and procedures. From the results obtained, and if they are not
satisfactory, they then prepare protocols to implement better environmental policies and
standards.

Environmental audit is a management tool for evaluation of how well Environmental

Management Systems (EMS) are performing with the aim of preventing environmental damage;
assessing compliance with regulatory requirements; facilitating control of environmental
practices by a company/enterprise or facility management; and placing environmental
information in the public domain.

The benefits of an environmental audit.

Environmental audits and their results provide useful input to:

• Provide management with information about the management and performance of the
company’s environment as input for making decisions,
• Identify risks related to environmental responsibility and take action to implement them,
• Ensure company operations comply with environmental laws and requirements and, if
not, take necessary corrective actions,
• Identify environmental management system weaknesses before they cause problems,
• Develop organizational culture and increase environmental awareness among people
within the company.
• Identify opportunities for improvement in environmental management and performance
to drive increased efficiency and cost savings.
• Improve company transparency to stakeholders such as government, customers, and
investors to support long term good relationships with them.

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Figure 2: Environmental auditing process.

▪ Environmental labeling
Environmental labels provide information about a product or service in terms of its overall
environmental benefits, such as the recyclability of its packaging, or the absence of noxious
ingredients.

1.2: Describe the environment of earth

The Earth and its environment may be divided into several realms, the names of which end in -
sphere. These spheres include the atmosphere (air), lithosphere (land), the hydrosphere (water),
the biosphere (living things).

1.2.1. Earth environment key terms:

 Environment: An Environment is everything that is around us, which includes both

living and nonliving things such as soil, water, animals and plants, which adapt
themselves to their surroundings.

Environment plays an important role in healthy living and the existence of life on planet earth.
Earth is a home for different living species and we all are dependent on the environment for
food, air, water, and other needs.

The atmosphere or air, lithosphere, or rocks and soil(land), hydrosphere, or water, and the
biological component of the environment, or biosphere, are the four basic components of the
environment.

 Earth: the planet on which we live.

The Earth can be divided into two main systems: the geosphere and the biosphere.

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The geosphere: The geosphere also includes the abiotic (non-living) parts of soils. The nonliving
part of the environment has three main parts: the atmosphere(air), the hydrosphere(water), and
the lithosphere(land).The biosphere: The word biosphere came from the Greek “bios” that refers
to “Life” and “sphaira” that refers to the earth's shape.

 Environment of earth: All the physical surroundings on earth are called the
environment. The environment includes everything living and everything nonliving.

The nonliving part of the environment has three main parts: the atmosphere, the hydrosphere,
and the lithosphere.

1.2.2. Components:

 “Atmosphere(air) is a protective layer of gases that shelters all life on Earth, keeping
temperatures within a relatively small range and blocking out harmful rays of sunlight.”

An atmosphere contains the air that we breathe and is a blanket of gases that surrounds Earth. It
is held near the surface of the planet by Earth’s gravitational attraction. A barometer is used to
measure air pressure.

Features of the Atmosphere:

o Helps retain the sun’s heat and prevents it from escaping back into space.
o Protects life from harmful radiation from the sun.
o Plays a major role in Earth’s water cycle.
o Helps keep the climate on Earth moderate. The atmosphere of earth is composed
of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), argon (0.9%), carbon dioxide (0.04%) and trace
gases.

Structure of atmosphere.

Figure 3: Structure of atmosphere.

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Advantages of atmosphere: The atmosphere contains the air that we breathe; protects us from
the harmful radiation of the Sun; helps to keep the planet's heat on the surface, and plays a very
important role in the water cycle.

 Hydrosphere (Water).

A hydrosphere is the total amount of water on a planet. The hydrosphere includes water that is on
the surface of the planet, underground, and in the air. A planet's hydrosphere can be liquid,
vapor, or ice. It includes surface water (oceans, seas, rivers, streams, lakes, glaciers, ice caps),
ground water and water vapor. 97% of the hydrosphere is in form of salt water in seas and
oceans while the rest is in form of fresh water.

Advantages of hydrosphere

Hydrosphere provides a place for many plants and animals to live in. water is essential for
cooking, drinking, cleaning, washing and even for the functioning of so many industries. In
addition to this, water is necessary for agriculture and the generation of electricity through
hydropower. Each cell in a living organism is composed of at least 75% water. This promotes the
normal functioning of the cell. Most of the chemical reactions that occur in living organisms
involve materials that are dissolved in water. No cell would survive or be able to carry its normal
functions without water.

 Lithosphere (Land)

The lithosphere contains all of the cold, hard solid land of the planet's crust (surface), the semi-
solid land underneath the crust, and the liquid land near the center of the planet.

The lithosphere consists of land, soil, rocks, stones, and minerals.

The lithosphere is composed of the earth's crust and the uppermost part of the mantle.

The 3 main layers are the core (inner, outer), mantle and crust.

Figure 4: Earth’s internal structure.

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Lithosphere provide us forests, grasslands for grazing land for agriculture and human settlements
and also rich source of minerals. The lithosphere is also the major source of fuels such as coal,
petroleum and a natural gas. The lithosphere in combination with the hydrosphere and the
atmosphere plays a vital role in the growth of plants and animals. It provides nutrients to the
plants. The plants are the source of food for man and all other animals.

We use the lithosphere for different types of purposes from food for us to fuel for cars. Our
lithosphere contains lots of valuable items which we can use in everyday life. We use these land
use methods to make the stuff we need: agriculture, livestock, forestry, mining, urbanization, and
recreation.

 Biosphere (Living things)

The biosphere, which includes the ground and the air, is characterized as the region of the planet
where organisms live. The biosphere is that part of the earth inhabited by living organisms,
including land, ocean and the atmosphere in which life can exist.

Biosphere: It is part of the earth where life exist.it consists of living organisms and the dead of
organic matter.

Figure 5: image of biosphere

Advantages of biosphere: the biosphere provides the ecosystem that is needed for survival.
Some people get food directly from the biosphere e.g., picking fruit, fishing and hunting and
trapping animals. Fish can also be farmed in tanks or pens. Many plants have medicinal qualities,
that keep people healthy and cure illnesses.

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1.3: Describe Rwanda’s environmental features.

1.3.1. Natural environment

In Rwanda, like everywhere else, Environment is divided in natural and human environment, and
is governed by a policy, institutional and legal framework with a view to ensuring its functioning
and its protection and management. Natural environment comprises the soil and the subsoil,
water resources, air, biological diversity and landscape, sites and monuments, while human
environment concerns land-use management and living environment.

a. Geophysical features

Rwanda’s physical environment can be explained partly by its geographical location in the east
of Central Africa between 1°04 and 2°51 latitude south, and between 28°45 and 31°15 longitude
east. Stretching over a surface area of 26,338 km2 which constitutes the bedrock of the local
environment, the principal geographical elements are particularly the relief, the soils, the climate,
the vegetation and the hydrographic network.

• Relief

Rwanda’s relief presents varieties. From east to west, the altitude varies between 1000 and
4500m. The setting of this relief is composed mainly in the east by lowlands; in the center by
hills and in the west by high mountains.

a. The Congo-Nile Ridge: This is a range of mountains, with an altitude ranging between 2500
and 3000m. Overhanging Lake Kivu, it divides Rwanda’s waters in two parts: those which flow
into the Congo basin in the west, and those which flow into the Nile in the east. The Congo-Nile
Ridge is dominated in the northwest by the volcanoes range which consists of five massifs, the
highest of which is Kalisimbi with an altitude of 4507m.

b. The Central Plateau: With an altitude ranging between 2000 and 1500m, the central plateau’s
relief is made of hills with tops that are sometimes stretched, sometimes round, separated by
deep valleys of 50 to 15m, often filled up with alluvial deposits.

c. The lowlands of the East: The lowlands are dominated by a depression of the relief, generally
undulating between 1500 and 1100m of altitude.

d. The lowlands of the South West in the plain of Bugarama: This is part of a tectonic depression
of the African Rift, and it has an altitude of 900m.

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 • Climate

Rwanda enjoys a temperate continental tropical climate. The thermal rhythm is relatively
consistent. In the course of the year, temperatures vary between 16° and 17°C in the high-altitude
region, between 18° and 21°C in the Central Plateau, and between 20° and 24°C in the lowlands
of the East and West. Annual rainfall varies 10 between 700mm and 1400mm in the lowlands of
the East and West, between 1200mm and 1400mm in the Central Plateau, and between 1400mm
and 2000mm in the high-altitude region. The rainfall regime has a strong influence on the
hydrological regime. There are floods during the long rainy season from March to May, and they
subside during the long dry season of June to September. Rwanda has increasingly been
experiencing long periods of drought which tend to become cyclical and persistent, particularly
in the East and South East. These climatic changes may have a direct relationship with those
recorded in the world due particularly to the global warming of the planet.

• Hydrography

Rwanda has an abundant water system situated on either side of two hydrographical basins,
namely the Congo and the Nile basins. The Congo basin consists of insignificant and short rivers
which flow into Lake Kivu. The Rusizi river is its outflow into Lake Kivu. Its principal tributary,
the Ruhwa, marks the border between Rwanda and Burundi in the western part of their common
border, while the Sebeya in the north flows into Lake Kivu at Gisenyi. The Nile basin covers the
greatest part of the country. Most rivers, namely the Nyabarongo and the Akanyaru with their
numerous tributaries form, downstream from Lake Rweru, the river Akagera. They are closely
associated with vast marshes and numerous shallow lakes found along these rivers.

• Vegetation

The vegetation varies according to the relief and the distribution of the rainfall. There is a whole
plant diversity from the dense forests in the West to the semi-arid savannah of the East.

b. Natural resources and soil features

• Soil

In Rwanda, land is a resource of inestimable value. It occupies a first-rate place in the national
economy since farming employs more than 90% of the working population and contributes about
93% of exports.

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 • Wetlands

Rwanda’s wetlands consist of marshes, lakes and rivers and water courses and represent about
14.9% of the national territory, including 6.3% for marshes and 8.6% for lakes, rivers and
permanent or seasonal fresh water pools. In the high-altitude region of the north west are found
lakes Bulera and Ruhondo and the marshes of Rugezi. In the central and eastern parts of the
country are found big marshes of Nyabarongo, Akanyaru and Akagera. Several deep lake basins
communicate with these rivers and most of them are found in the Akagera National Park. From
south-east to north-west are found lakes Cyohoha Sud, Mugesera, Rweru, Sake, Cyambwe,
Ihema, Milindi, Rwanyakizinga, Kivumba, etc. Wetlands have several functions and provide
numerous services to man, some of which are floods water control and replenishing underground
water. They constitute also biological diversity reservoirs.

Rwanda recognizes the importance of wetlands and the need to manage them proactively. For
example, current legislation classifies wetlands into total protected wetlands, or non-protected
wetlands. The latter category is further divided into those with status of use under specific
conditions, and those with a status of use without conditions.

These conditions are documented in the Prime Minister’s Order gazetted in 2017, which lists all
swamp lands, their characteristics, boundaries and determining modalities of their use,
development and management.

To ensure sustainable utilization of wetlands:

• In the short term, all illegal activities in wetland must be avoided.

• Over the long term, we need to work together so that other unsustainable activities
operating within wetlands come to an end.
• Achieving these goals will only be possible with the involvement of all partners and
stakeholders.
• Forests and protected areas

Rwanda is covered by varying ecosystems: natural ecosystems consisting of mountain

rainforests, gallery forests, savannah, wetlands and aquatic areas and man-made reforestation.

a. Protected areas and natural reserves

Rwanda’s protected areas consist of the Natural Forest of Nyungwe, the Volcanoes National
Park and the Akagera National Park, while natural reserves are the natural forest of Mukura and
the forests of Cyamudongo, Busaga and the savannah of the east.

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i)Natural Forest of Nyungwe Dominating the shores of lake Kivu in the south west of Rwanda,
the forest of Nyungwe, which is adjacent to the national park of Kibira in Burundi, is probably
the largest mountain rainforest in the whole of east Africa.

ii) Volcanoes National Park

The Volcanoes National Park stretches in the southern part of the volcanoes range which
constitutes Rwanda’s northern border with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. It is
characterized by a high altitude alpino-african vegetation, a heavy rainfall and cool temperatures.
The Park is the sanctuary of mountain gorillas (Gorilla Gorilla Beringei). There are other
endemic and CITES internationally protected species, and it hosts several species of plants,
mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and arthropods.

iii) Akagera National Park

The Akagera National Park is situated in the eastern part of the country. It covers a surface area
of about 90.000 ha and shelters several species of plants, big mammals, amphibians and reptiles.

iv) Forest outliers and savannah of the East Forest outliers found around the Akagera National
Park accommodate a range of endemic and rare species mostly used in traditional medicine.

c. Human environment

• Socio-demographic and economic features

• Economic aspect

The economic aspect refers to the importance of social responsibility, broad consideration of
society and businesses, contribution to public interest, and corporate voluntary participation.

A country's economic conditions are influenced by numerous macroeconomic and

microeconomic factors, including monetary and fiscal policy, the state of the global economy,
unemployment levels, productivity, exchange rates, inflation and many others.

Social and economic factors, such as income, education, employment, community safety, and
social supports can significantly affect how well and how long we live. These factors affect our
ability to make healthy choices, afford medical care and housing, manage stress, and more.

The main aspects of economic development

Areas that development economics focuses on include health, education, working conditions, and
market conditions. The Rwanda Economic Update boosting exports through technology,
innovation, and trade in services.

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 • Human settlement

Human settlement is an organized group of human inhabitations in a specific location. These

groups tend to focus on important aspects of human life, such as economics, transportation,
domestic living, communication, entertainment, and education.

There are many functions of human settlements. These include protection, pooled economics,
shared natural resources, and socioemotional connections.

LEARNING UNIT 2 - ASSESS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Learning Outcomes:
2.1 Determine the environmental impact
2.2 Conduct environmental Impact Assessment
2.3 Develop Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report

2.1: Determine the environmental impact

2.1.1. Environmental impact key terms

Environmental Aspect is an element of an organization's activities, products or services

that can interact with the environment.

An environmental aspect is the way your activity, service, or product impacts the
environment. For example, one of the environmental aspects of car washing may be a
cleaning agent that has potential for water pollution.

An environmental impact is defined as any change to the environment, whether adverse

or beneficial, resulting from a facility's activities, products, or services. In other words, it
is the effect that people's actions have on the environment.

2.1.2. Categories of environmental aspects

An environmental aspect is the way your activity, service, or product impacts the
environment. For example, one of the environmental aspects of car washing may be a
cleaning agent that has potential for water pollution.

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 Emissions to air are discharges of a pollutant from a particular source (e.g a flue-gas
stack) or a group of sources (e.g vehicles) into the air).
 Pollution of land refers to the deterioration of the earth's land surfaces at and below
ground level. It is caused by the accumulation of solid and liquid waste materials that
contaminate groundwater and soil.
 Discharge of water is the outflow of water from a river or lake or other body of water.
 Natural resources are used to make food, fuel and raw materials for the production of
goods. All of the food that people eat comes from plants or animals. Natural resources
such as coal, natural gas and oil provide heat, light and power.
 A "solid waste" is defined as any discarded material that is abandoned by being disposed
of, burned or incinerated, recycled or considered "waste-like." A solid waste can
physically be a solid, liquid, semi-solid, or container of gaseous material.
 Solid-waste management, the collecting, treating, and disposing of solid material that is
discarded because it has served its purpose or is no longer useful.
 A hazardous waste is a waste with properties that make it dangerous or capable of
having a harmful effect on human health or the environment.

2.1.3. Categories of environmental impact

 Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air pollutants collect in
the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s
surface.
 Ozone depletion: When chlorine and bromine atoms come into contact with ozone in the
stratosphere, they destroy ozone molecules.
 Soil acidification is a process where the soil pH decreases over time. This process is
accelerated by agricultural production and can affect both the surface soil and subsoil.
 Soil pH is a measure of the acidity of the soil.
 Ocean (water)acidification refers to a reduction in the pH of the ocean over an extended
period of time, caused primarily by uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.
 Eutrophication is considered to be a serious environmental concern since it often results
in the deterioration of water quality and the depletion of dissolved oxygen in water
bodies. Eutrophic waters can eventually become “dead zones” that are incapable of
supporting life.
 Photochemical smog is a mixture of pollutants that are formed when nitrogen oxides and
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react to sunlight, creating a brown haze above cities.
It tends to occur more often in summer, because that is when we have the most sunlight.
 Photochemical smog is formed by mixing air with pollutants and exhaust gases resulting
from human activities. The factors which are responsible for this include factories, an
increasing number of cars, burning coal, wood and other solid fuels in stoves.

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  Abiotic depletion refers to the depletion of nonliving (abiotic) resources such as fossil
fuels, minerals, clay, and peat. Abiotic depletion is measured in kilograms of Antimony
(Sb) equivalents.
 Fossil fuels are gas, liquid resources that are burned to generate power. They include
coal, natural gas, and oil, and are used as an energy source in the electricity and
transportation sectors.

• Human toxicity: Chemicals can be emitted to the environment (air, water, soil, etc.)
during all life cycle stages of products, services and systems. Emission inventories of
different products may contain hundreds of chemicals, of which many will have the
potential to cause toxic impacts on humans, including cancer and various non-cancer
effects, leading to damages on human health.The impact pathways for human toxicity
builds on the combination of an environmental fate factor, a human exposure factor, a
human toxicity effect factor, and a toxicity-effect damage factor. The fate factor indicates
the distribution and transformation of chemicals in the environment, the exposure factor
relates the chemical mass in the environment to human exposure, the effect factor
indicates potential human toxicity effects per unit of chemical exposure, and the damage
factor finally relates potential effects to damages on human health.

The emission of some substances can have impacts on human health.

Figure 6: Cause-effect chain for toxicity-related damages on human health (and ecosystem quality)
from chemical emissions.

Chemicals can be emitted to the environment (air, water, soil, etc.) during all life cycle stages of
products, services and systems. Emission inventories of different products may contain hundreds
of chemicals, of which many will have the potential to cause ecotoxic impacts on aquatic and
terrestrial ecosystems, leading to damages on ecosystem quality.

• Freshwater is a vital component in the global ecosystem. Freshwater is a unique

environmental habitat and also essential for human life. Freshwater pollution not only
poses a risk to the environment, but it can also impact human health as well.

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 • Ecotoxicology is the study of toxic effects caused by natural or man-made substances on
biota. Through ecotoxicology we are able to determine the levels and types of
contaminants that cause harm to animals and plants.
• Terrestrial ecotoxicity is dominated by pesticide emissions to agriculture soil as well as
the use of both sulphuric acid and steam during the conversion process.
• Water pollution is the contamination of water sources by substances which make the
water unusable for drinking, cooking, cleaning, swimming, and other activities.

Water pollutants may cause disease or act as poisons. Bacteria and parasites in poorly treated
sewage may enter drinking water supplies and causes diarrhea, skin diseases, malnutrition, and
even cancer and other diseases related to water pollution.

The best ways to reduce water pollution

Use fewer chemicals to clean your home: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides
a list of cleaning products that are considered "green," meaning they won't pollute the water
supply. Common household supplies like white vinegar and baking soda can be used for
everything from washing windows to scrubbing bathroom tiles, and they're completely non-
toxic.
o Dispose of waste properly:Never pour something that isn't biodegradable down the drain.
When it is necessary to use something that's toxic to the water supply, such as paint or ammonia,
take care to dispose of it properly. If you're not sure how to get rid of something, contact your
sanitation company to find out how toxic waste should be disposed of in your community.

The following materials should never be poured down the drain:

• Paint
• Engine oil
• Cleaning solvents
• Ammonia
• Pool chemicals
o Don't flush medication: Medication is made with a variety of substances that can be
detrimental to the water supply. Local "take back" programs allow you to turn in
medication so it can be disposed of properly and without any risk of contamination.
That way it won't end up back in the drinking water, where it can harm people and
animals.
o Don’t flush trash: Use a trash can instead of the toilet to dispose of all wipes, hygiene
products, tissues and other items that don’t break down. Even if the label says
“flushable”, wipes should never be flushed! Trash can build up in the sewer system and
cause overflows, which damages property, hurts the environment, and can make people
sick.
o Never pour something that isn't biodegradable down the drain.

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 We all know how the pollution of our water is a major issue, especially as we ramp up our
production of potentially harmful substances. Not only does water pollution result in
contaminated water, but it also hurts the wildlife that depends on safe water for
survival.With increased global warming and climate change, our planet is already reeling
under an acute water crisis.

• Air pollution refers to any physical, chemical or biological change in the air. It is the
contamination of air by harmful gases, dust and smoke which affects plants, animals and
humans drastically.

The main causes of air pollution

Vehicle emissions, fuel oils and natural gas to heat homes, by-products of manufacturing and
power generation, particularly coal-fueled power plants, and fumes from chemical production are
the primary sources of human-made air pollution.

Air pollution affects the environment

Air pollution can damage crops and trees in a variety of ways. Ground-level ozone can lead to
reductions in agricultural crop and commercial forest yields, reduced growth and survivability of
tree seedlings, and increased plant susceptibility to disease.

The effects of air pollution on humans

Exposure to high levels of air pollution can cause a variety of adverse health outcomes.
It increases the risk of respiratory infections, heart disease and lung cancer. Both short and long
term exposure to air pollutants have been associated with health impacts. More severe impacts
affect people who are already ill.

Air pollution affects all things. It is harmful to our health, and it impacts the environment
by reducing visibility and blocking sunlight, causing acid rain, and harming forests, wildlife, and
agriculture. Greenhouse gas pollution, the cause of climate change, affects the entire planet.

Prevention of Air Pollution

o Use of Public Transport: The burning of fossil fuels is one of the most important causes
of air pollution. ...
o Reduce the Consumption of Electricity: We can reduce the electricity consumption in our
homes by switching off the lights and appliances when not in use.

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 o Planting trees will help us get enough fresh air we need. Trees enhance air quality in
many ways: they consume carbon dioxide and produce O2 via photosynthesis. They can
actively collect pollutants on the exterior walls of leaves and the root system of the plant.
o Increasing greenery is one of the most basic techniques to reduce the impacts of air
pollution. Growing trees, bushes, an organic farm, indoor plants, etc. help us in reducing
air pollution. They help to remove pollutants from the air. Plants help people concentrate
better at home and work.
o Maintain your wood stove or fireplace.
o Recycle & buy recycled products.
o Consume less & choose sustainable products.
o Dispose of Medical Waste Properly
o Recycle and Reuse. ...
o Reduction of forest fires and smoking. ...
o Use of fans instead of Air Conditioner. ...
o Use of solar energy: Solar power can save a ton of energy for you and, on top of that, it
could also end up saving you a lot of cash in the long run as well. Solar energy, being a
sustainable source of energy, plays a crucial role in cutting emissions of greenhouse
gasses. Furthermore, dealing with climate change is crucial to preserving human and
wildlife, and habitats. Solar energy can help enhance air quality and minimize water
usage linked with energy production. Therefore, we need to reduce air pollution and
maintain healthy living conditions.

Figure 7: There are many solutions to air pollution

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 • Global warming is a gradual, long-term increase in the average temperature of Earth's
atmosphere due to the greenhouse effect where gasses from various human activities,
including the burning of fossil fuels, trap heat from solar radiation.Global warming is
another important cause of water scarcity. When our average air temperature becomes
warmer, water from rivers and lakes evaporates faster, which may contribute to the
drying up of water bodies.Therefore, people who rely on those water bodies for drinking
water significantly suffer from the consequences of global warming.
2.1.4. Procedures for determining environmental aspects and impacts

Identification of environmental aspects

First, let’s explain the terms activity, service, and product. An activity is a part of the core
business (e.g., production process steps). Service means an auxiliary service that supports core
activities (e.g., boilers, heating & cooling, maintenance). A product is the goods you offer for
market. An environmental aspect of the product could be, e.g., excessive packaging of the
product, or level of recyclability of the product at the end of its lifecycle.
As ISO 14001 states, “The organization shall establish a procedure to identify environmental
aspects and determine those aspects that have or can have a significant impact to the
environment.”

Ways to influence the control of indirect aspcects and their impact

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2.2: Conduct environmental Impact Assessment

2.2.1.Environmental Impact Assessment meaning

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool used to assess the significant effects of a
project or development proposal on the environment. EIAs make sure that project decision
makers think about the likely effects on the environment at the earliest possible time and aim to
avoid, reduce or offset those effects. Environmental Impact Assessment is a process of
evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into
account inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts, both beneficial and
adverse.

Environmental Impact Assessment EIA is a systematic, reproducible and multilevel process of

identification, prediction and analysis of significant environmental impacts (positive or negative)
of a proposed project or activity and its practical alternatives on the physical, biological, cultural
and socio-economic characteristics of a particular geographic area in order to provide
information necessary for enhancing decision making.

EIA is used to prevent and mitigate adverse impacts, enhance positive impacts and assist the
rational use of resources, hence maximizing the benefit of socio-economic development projects
and ensuring sustainable development. EIA assists in determining whether a proposed project is
ecologically viable and facilitates decision-making on its authorization and certification.

EIA is a legal procedure in wich a project developer is required to provide environment

information to a consenting body so that thi information can be used for better informed
decision making.This information is usually provide in an EIA report(also called environmental
impact statement (EIS),environmental social(health) impact assessment(ES(H)IA.

2.2.2.Environmental Impact Assessment purpose

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool used to assess the significant effects of a
project or development proposal on the environment. EIAs make sure that project decision
makers think about the likely effects on the environment at the earliest possible time and aim to
avoid, reduce or offset those effects.

2.2.3. Environmental Impact Assessment Benefits

i) Enabling incorporation of environmental considerations in design and site selection for a

project or development activities.

ii) Providing information beneficial to decision making.

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iii) Enhancing responsibilities of relevant parties in the development process.

iv) Mitigating and minimizing environmental damage.

v) Avoiding costs and delays in implementation of projects that would arise from unanticipated
environmental problems.

vi) Making development projects more financially and economically efficient.

vii) Making an active contribution to sustainable development.

2.2.4.The major environmental issues surrounding our environment

Environmental issues include many types of human activities which cause pollution, waste
disposal, climate change, global warming, greenhouse effect, etc.

• Global Warming

Global Warming is caused by the increased temperature of the earth’s environment due to the
burning of fossil fuels, emissions from automobiles and chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere.

• Ozone Layer Depletion

The ozone layer is a layer which protects the earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. The
ozone layer is an extremely important layer for the earth.

• Water Pollution

Water pollution is caused by the introduction of harmful substances into rivers, oceans, lakes and
ponds. These lead to changes in the physical, chemical or biological condition of the water,
resulting in water pollution.

• Air Pollution

Air Pollution is a type of pollution that is caused as a result of emissions from industries,
automobiles, and the increasing use of fossil fuels by human beings.

• Deforestation

Deforestation is another major reason for environmental issues, which is caused by the depletion
of trees and forests at an alarming rate.

• Global Warming

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Environmental asset abuse is also an important environmental concern. Fossil fuel utilization
brings about the discharge of greenhouse gasses, which causes environmental change.

• Soil and Land Pollution

Land pollution simply means degradation of the earth’s surface as a result of human activities
like mining, littering, deforestation, industrial, construction, and agricultural activities.

Radioactive waste is a type of hazardous waste that contains radioactive material.

2.2.5. Types of environmental impact assessment (EIA) Principles

• Polluter Pays Principle(PPP):The ‘polluter pays’ principle is the commonly accepted
practice that those who produce pollution should bear the costs of managing it to prevent
damage to human health or the environment.
• The Precautionary Principle (PP): The main objective of the precautionary principle is
to ensure that a substance or activity posing a threat to the environment is prevented from
adversely affecting the environment, even if there is no conclusive scientific proof of
linking that particular substance or activity to environmental damage.

2.2.6. Steps of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) process.

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Figure 8: Environment impact assessment process.

2.3: Develop Environment Impact Assessment( EIA) report

2.3.1. Environment Impact Assessment( EIA) report meaning

Environmental Impact Assessment: The process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and
mitigating the bio- physical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals prior to
major decisions being taken and commitments made.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool used to assess the significant effects of a
project or development proposal on the environment. EIA report is decision document. It is
necessary for developers, decision-makers and stakeholders.
An impact assessment is a planning and decision-making tool used to assess the potential
positive and negative effects of proposed projects. Impact assessments consider a wide range of
factors and propose measures to mitigate projects' adverse effects.

The EIA Report is a compilation of several important project components, including the project
description, the assessment of its environmental and social impacts, mitigation measures, and
related management and monitoring plans.

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2.3.2. Purpose of developing EIA report
The purpose of EIA is (i) to identify, predict and evaluate the economic, environmental and
social impact of development activities (ii) to provide information on the environmental
consequences for decision making and (iii) to promote environmentally sound and sustainable
development through the identification of appropriate alternatives and mitigation measures.
Advantages of developing EIA report
• Reduced cost and time of project implementation.
• Cost-saving modifications in project design.
• Increased project acceptance.
• Avoided impacts and violations of laws and regulations.
• Improved project performance.
2.3.3. Structure of EIA report format
▪ Table of contents
▪ Acronyms and abbreviations
▪ Executive summary
▪ General information
▪ Project and alternatives description
▪ Environmental setting
▪ Assessment of impacts
▪ Mitigation and monitoring measures
▪ Environnemental management plan
▪ Commitment statement
▪ Annexes
The EIA Report is a compilation of several important project components, including the project
description, the assessment of its environmental and social impacts, mitigation measures, and
related management and monitoring plans.

• Project description
The EA expert (Only RAPEP licensed expert) will provide a description of the project, its
activities during the execution, in sufficient details to benefits decision makers.

General description of the project should include:

- Name and address of the owner (Individual, company or enterprise);

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- Year of establishment or registration (attach registration evidence) if any;
- Are the premises owned or leased?
- Indicate the dates, ownership, and use(s) of the properties prior to the date of acquisition or lease
by this organization
- Outline below the environmental organization at the site (use chart if possible or attach separate
sheet)
- Provide the spatial and temporal boundaries, location (location address like village, cell, sector
etc.).

• Key biophysical, resources use and socioeconomic issues of the project

- Description of the geographic area of the project includes the map;
- Project aims, objectives, and size;
- Give a brief description of the project, operational and processing activities;
- State any process modifications or expansions currently being planned;
- Describe the major pollution facilities employed at your site and those planned in the future;
- List any areas of non-compliance associated with your operations over the last six months;
▪ Baseline data
Analysis, evaluation and presentation of the current state of the site on relevant environmental
characteristics of the study area:
- Description of the study area;
- Detailed description of the existing environment;
- Description of present land use of the project and areas contiguous to it;
- Summarize the information on the status of the location;
- Highlight areas of environmental concerns at the premises including any areas of regulatory
uncertainties;
- Provide the current number of staff at the premises and those planned in the future

• Legislative and Regulatory Framework

Identification of laws, regulations and guidelines (national and international), that govern the
conduct of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment. This includes standards and norms
related to waste disposal, site location, project site management and construction practices and
technologies, operational and processing regulations and standards, etc.

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 • Environmental impacts
Description of direct and indirect impacts of the project on the environment:
- Description of the methods used in the analysis, description and classification of impacts;
- Analysis of direct and indirect environmental impacts of the project;
- Description of the likely significant effects of the project on the environment;
- Identification and description of the potential adverse impacts and environmental risks associated
with implementation of the project.
- Identification and evaluation of effects, description of their impact on biological and physical
environment and on the sensitive ecosystems such as air quality, water, river, wetland, forests;
- Descriptions of the impact of the project on the socio-economic environment as follow:

• Material Management
Describe any best practices on management of materials on construction site leading to good
environmental performance (e.g., Use of recycling technics, water recycling, energy saving etc.);
Is there any company/individual policy to enable reviews of supplies and materials for
environmentally friendly alternatives:

• Eliminate/minimize use of environmentally unfriendly materials;

• Eliminate/ minimize waste generation;
• Recycling and reuse
Describe new measures that can be implemented to improve management of materials.

• Water Supply and Consumption

- Indicate the source of water supply at your premises
- Outline the uses of the water supplied to your premises
- Provide the water consumption to your premises
- Describe any on-site water treatment systems
- Do you have plans to sample (monitor for quality) the raw water at source and the treated water?
▪ Energy management
- Are there records of energy use at the site? Provide location of record
- Is there commitment to reduce energy use? If so, attach a written copy.
- Has the responsibility to reduce energy use been formally allocated in writing?

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- Are there programs to monitor energy use and to quantify reduction? Provide records.

• Biodiversity conservation
- Describe the biodiversity (fauna and flora) status of the site before the project with its various
components and functions,
- Describe the current status of biodiversity and the expected status during operation and appreciate
the impact that has been caused by the project and that to be caused.

• Air quality monitoring and Control

- Describe any policy on air quality (e.g., dust, etc.).
Describe if any measure has been planned to minimize and control dust emissions during the
operational of the factory;
- Is air pollution monitored? If so, provide records
- Is there a program to monitor the air quality at this premise? If so, describe briefly.

• Noise monitoring and control

- Identify all operations or activities that may generate substantial noise levels beyond normal
premise background levels;
- Describe any current or planned practices to reduce noise levels at the premises;
- Have there been any noise monitoring programs undertaken at the premises? If so, describe
briefly.
- Have there been any formal complaints received on noise generated within the area? If so, provide
details.

• Occupation Health and Safety

▪ Do workers have health insurance and personal protective equipment?
▪ Does the company have first aid kits and trained staff to use them?
▪ Waste management
Describe how:
▪ Solid waste is managed at site;
▪ Liquid waste is managed at site;
▪ Provide details of wastes at your premises (including waste samples brought in for analysis,
used, etc.)
▪ Dangerous waste
▪ Chemical waste
▪ Biological/infectious waste

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▪ Solid waste (including obsolete equipment)
▪ Radioactive waste
▪ Other wastes (specify)
▪ List the sources of waste (Solid and liquid), current and future type of waste and daily volumes.
▪ Provide details of any on-site waste disposal system or pre-treatment systems
▪ Briefly describe any waste recycled (i.e., type, source, characteristics, treatment and use).
▪ Briefly describes any current waste minimization programs (i.e., reduction, reuse and
recycling) and indicates responsible staff.
▪ Provide information on any off-site facilities used for waste treatment, storage or disposal
▪ Is there any program for compliance audit in place? Describe briefly
▪ Has there been any internal investigation in relation to waste generation, storage, handling or
disposal? If so, describe briefly.
▪ The ESIA expert will develop recommendation/strategy on how wastes would be managed to
enhance and maintain compliance with Rwanda regulations.
▪ Labor force management
Describe labor system in the company and assess if Rwanda labor law is complying especially
exclusive of child labor force and inclusion of gander balance among site workers. The expert can
check also if the company/developer has its internal code of conduct.

• Staff Awareness and Training

The expert will verify the following:
- Regular meetings on the improvement of the working environment?
- Awareness on any environmental management issues at the project site (e.g., reduction in paper,
water and energy usage)
- Are members adequately informed on the objectives, approach etc. of such activities?
- Describe any environmental training (topics and nature) workshops, seminars or campaigns
offered for the project site management.
The report should also include all information necessary to the project review such as lists of data
sources, and any other relevant information to which the consultant’s attention should be directed.

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LEARNING UNIT 3- CONTROL HUMAN PROJECTS IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT

Learning Outcomes:

3.1 Adapt the project to environment for its management

3.2 Control environmental pollutions

3.3 Apply climate change mitigation measures

3.1: Adapt the planned project to environment for its management

Adapt the planned project to the environmental for its management:is to be able to implement the
proposed mitigation measures for every stage of the project.

3.1.1.Project activities and its impact on environment

The nature of the project initially comprises the identification and description of the works to be
performed.

• Project scope is the part of project planning that involves determining and documenting
a list of specific project goals, deliverables, features, functions, tasks, deadlines, and
ultimately costs.
• Dimensions of the environment

The main factors considered in the physical environment are geographic location, topography,
geologic structure, climate, hydrology, soil, natural vegetation and animal life.

Consider the general environment (seven dimensions):

1. Demographic
2. Economic
3. Global
4. Political/legal
5. Sociocultural
6. Sustainable physical
7. Technological) and how it affects an industry that you are interested in.

3.1.2.Ways to protect environment

• Reduce, reuse, and recycle

• Volunteer for cleanups in your community

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 • Use cold water in the washer.
• Shop wisely. Buy less plastic and bring a reusable shopping bag.
• Use long-lasting light bulbs: Energy efficient light bulbs reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. Also flip the light switch off when you leave the room.
• Save electricity
• Using reusable bags
• Conserve water. The less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater that eventually
end up in the ocean. Avoid taking cars as much as possible.
• Growing more trees and plants
• Reducing pollution
• Saving natural resources
• Recycle all paper and cardboard packaging
• Support environmental friendly practices
• Plant a tree. Trees provide food and oxygen. They help save energy, clean the air, and
help combat climate change.

3.2. Control environmental pollutions

3.2.1.Pollution meaning
Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful materials
are called pollutants. Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash. They can also be created by
human activity, such as trash or runoff produced by factories
Contamination of air, water, or soil by substances that are harmful to living organisms. Pollution
can occur naturally, for example through volcanic eruptions, or as the result of human activities,
such as the spilling of oil or disposal of industrial waste.
The methods to control environmental pollution are as follows:
• The use of paper should be avoided.
• Replace disposal items with reusable items.
• Conserve water and electricity.
• Support environmentally friendly practices.
• Recycle the waste to conserve natural resources.

3.2.2.Disadvantages of pollution

It increases the risk of respiratory infections, heart disease and lung cancer.Adverse air quality
can kill many organisms, including humans. Ozone pollution can cause respiratory disease,
cardiovascular disease, throat inflammation, chest pain, and congestion.

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3.2.3.Types of environmental pollution

The types of pollution are air pollution, water pollution, land pollution, noise pollution, thermal
pollution, radioactive pollution.

• Air pollution is the introduction of harmful substances in the air that results in detrimental
impacts to the environment and humanity.Air pollution simply makes air unclean or
contaminated. It occurs when harmful substances such as foreign gases, odors, dust, or
fumes are released in the air at levels that can harm the comfort or health of animals and
humans, or even destroy plant life.
• Water pollution is the contamination of water sources by substances which make the
water unusable for drinking, cooking, cleaning, swimming, and other activities.
Pollutants include chemicals, trash, bacteria, and parasites.
• Land pollution or the degradation of our soil by outside contaminants — is largely the
result of unsustainable agricultural practices, the improper disposal of waste (both
hazardous and non-hazardous), mining (often called “mineral extraction”), illegal
dumping and littering.
• Noise pollution harmful or annoying levels of noise. Not all sound is considered noise
pollution. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines noise above 65 decibels (dB)
as noise pollution.
• Radioactive contamination, also called radiological pollution, is the deposition of, or
presence of radioactive substances on surfaces or within solids, liquids, or gases
(including the human body), where their presence is unintended or undesirable.
• Thermal pollution, sometimes called "thermal enrichment", is the degradation of water
quality by any process that changes ambient water temperature.

3.2.4. Causes and effects of environmental pollution

• Air pollution is caused by solid and liquid particles and certain gases that are suspended
in the air. These particles and gases can come from car and truck exhaust, factories, dust,
pollen, mold spores, volcanoes and wildfires. The solid and liquid particles suspended in
our air are called aerosols.Both short- and long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to
a wide range of diseases, including stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
trachea, bronchus and lung cancers, aggravated asthma and lower respiratory infections.
• Air pollution can damage crops and trees in a variety of ways. Ground-level ozone can
lead to reductions in agricultural crop and commercial forest yields, reduced growth and
survivability of tree seedlings, and increased plant susceptibility to disease, pests and
other environmental stresses (such as harsh weather).

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 • Water pollution causes diarrhea, skin diseases, malnutrition, and even cancer and other
diseases related to water pollution.
• Land pollution occurs when trash, compost, and other toxins are dumped on the land,
contaminating or polluting it. Land pollution is caused by human activities such as
littering and waste washed ashore from boats, oil rigs, and sewage treatment plants.
• Radioactive pollution is caused by the release of radioactive substances into the
environment through human activities.
• Thermal pollution is caused by industrial activity, which introduces heat into the
environment in an uncontrolled manner, for example: The use of water as a cooling
system: the main causes of this pollution are industrial and manufacturing plants.

3.3: Apply climate change mitigation measures

3.3.1. Climate change indicators

The key climate change indicators — greenhouse gas emissions, sea level rise, ocean heat ,
ocean acidification, production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances Oceans and sea
levels, Global warming ,air pollution due to ozone and health impacts ,Production, sales and
emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases).

Mitigation strategies include retrofitting buildings to make them more energy efficient; adopting
renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and small hydro; helping cities develop more
sustainable transport such as bus rapid transit, electric vehicles, and biofuels; and promoting more
sustainable uses of land.

• Mitigation measures are means to prevent, reduce or control adverse environmental

effects of a project, and include restitution for any damage to the environment caused by
those effects through replacement, restoration, compensation or any other means.
Examples of mitigation measures include:
• Hazard mapping, adoption and enforcement of land use and zoning practices.
• Implementing and enforcing building codes,
• Reinforced tornado safe rooms, burying of electrical cables to prevent ice build-up.
• Climate technologies that help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions include renewable
energies such as wind energy, solar power and hydropower.
• To adapt to the adverse effects of climate change, we use climate technologies such as
drought-resistant crops, early warning systems and sea walls.
The four types of risk mitigation
There are four common risk mitigation strategies.

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These typically include avoidance, reduction, transference, and acceptance.

• Avoidance: With a risk avoidance strategy, you take measures to avoid the risk from
occurring. This may require compromising other resources or strategies to make sure
you’re doing everything you can to avoid the risk.

• Reduction: With this mitigation approach, once you’ve completed your risk analysis,
you would take steps to reduce the likelihood of a risk happening or the impact should it
occur.

• Transference: Transferring risks involves passing the risk consequence to a third party.
For many businesses, that might involve paying an insurance company to cover certain
risks.

• Acceptance: Lastly, we have the acceptance strategy, which means accepting the risk as
it stands. Sometimes the possibility of reward outweighs the risk, and it’s more beneficial
in the long run to take the chance. It could also be that the probability of the risk
occurring is extremely small, or the negative impact is minor.

3.3.2. Socio-economic implication of climate change

Human socioeconomic activities, particularly energy (fossil fuel) use, lead to climate change,
and affect the natural environment. These outcomes then influence the socioeconomic system in
various directions through the feedback effects between the natural environment and
socioeconomic system. Such feedback effects include decreases in land area because of rising
sea levels and changes in agricultural productivity due to changing climate. Climate change's
impact on future economic activities through changes in labor productivity.

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References:

1. REMA. (2012). Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessment (Eia) for Mining
Projects in Rwanda.
2. REMA (2018). Inventory of Sources of Air Pollution in Rwanda.
3. RURA (2018). Radiation protection. Kigali, Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority.
4. REMA (2011). Assessment of e-wastes status and trends in Rwanda.
5. REMA (2018). Inventory of Sources of Air Pollution in Rwanda.
6. Coker, A. O. (2011). Environmental Pollution: Types, causes, impacts, and management
for the health and socio-economic.
7. Official Gazette of the Republic of Rwanda, Law No. 37/2008 of 11/08/2008 on Mining
& quarry exploitation.
8. Official Gazette of the Republic of Rwanda, Year 44 n° 9, 1st May 2005. Organic Law
n° 04/2005 of 08/04/2005, determining the modalities of protection, conservation and
promotion of environment in Rwanda.

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