Environment Aspect and Impact Assessment

Environment Aspect and Impact Assessment is a basic but important activity in the Environment
Management System set up under ISO 14001 Standard. It lays down the basis on which all
objectives, legal compliances, operating procedures, emergency situations and the risks arising out
of these are identified and assessed. Therefore, it is very important to do a thorough Environment
Aspect and Impact Analysis. The requirements of risk assessment, aspect and impact analysis and
compliance obligations are given in clauses from 6.1.1 to 6.1.4 in the newly released standard ISO
14001:2015. This article explores an easy, structured and methodical approach to do an
Environment Aspect and Impact Analysis. This method was applied during the Impact Aspect
Assessment at Landis+Gyr Ltd. facility at Joka, Kolkata.

Identification of facilities
Before the Environment Aspect and Impact Assessment is started, it is essential to list down all the
facilities and process which consume resource or generate waste. As shown below, this includes the
facilities and a short description of the facility or process. It is important to ensure that all the
process/facilities are listed. A truncated list is given below in Table 1 as an example.

S. N Facility Description

1 Diesel Generator Provide emergency power

Sewage Treatment
2
Plant
3 Compressor
4 Scrap Yard
(hazardous /non-hazardous)
5 Assembly
Treat waste water from
canteen, toilets etc.
Provide compressed air
requirement
Store scrap generated
Assembly of meters

Mapping the process

The next process is to take each facility or process and map the input and the output. The input
should contain all the raw material(s) including the consumable items and resources like water,
electricity, compressed air applicable. During this process it is beneficial to quantify the inputs with
respect to one unit of output as it will help in the Aspect and Impact Analysis in a later stage. Once
all the inputs were mapped, then subsequently all the outputs are mapped. In this context, it is
important to note that outputs are classified into 2 categories, namely- i) the expected output or
the useful/wanted output and ii) the effluent or emission or the non-useful/unwanted outputs.

An example of a diesel generator is used to explain and demonstrate the process. The diesel
generator is used to provide emergency power during power failure from utility. The generator uses
diesel as its input and converts into electrical energy. Apart from electrical energy, it also produces
noise and smoke. Also during maintenance (preventive or breakdown), it can use liquids like coolant,
lubricant, grease etc. Also during maintenance, the mechanic can use cloth to wipe his/her hands.
Therefore, there is also generation of some used oil, oil soaked clothes, used spare parts which
appear as unwanted output. It is recommended to capture the quantities used in terms of per unit
output using previous data (where available).

The below diagram gives the basic process for the emergency power generator

Input Process
• Fuel (HSD)
• Convert diesel into Output
• Lubricants
electrical power • Electrical energy 415V
• Coolant
• Cloth • Capacity- 380kVA 50Hz 3 phase AC
• Spares

Emission/Effluent
• Noise
• Stack Gas
• Used oil
• Oils soaked/
cloth/used spares

Identification of legal requirement

After identification of the process input and output, it is now required to identify all the legal
requirements for the process. In India, there are no. of related acts and rules which are applicable to
the diesel generator.
i. The Bengal Electricity Duty Rule 1935 -registering the Diesel Generator
ii. The Bengal Electricity Duty Rule 1935 -duty to be paid on electricity generated
iii. The Environment Protection Act Second Amendment Rule 2002- setting limits for noise and
stack gas
iv. The Hazardous Waste and Transboundary Movement Rule 2010- requirements for hazardous
waste handling and storage and disposal
v. Indian Petroleum Rule 2002 – requirement for storage of diesel (emergency power fuel)
The above requirements can be now depicted in the flow chart to give a better understanding. It
would be beneficial to note legal requirements as exactly as possible.
Legal
Legal
Legal • The Bengal Electricity
• Petroleum Rule 2002 • The Bengal Electricity Duty Rule 1935
Duty Rule 1935

Input
Process
• Fuel (HSD)
• Lubricant/Mobile
• Convert diesel into Output
electrical power • Electrical energy 415V
• Coolant
• Cloth • Capacity- 380kVA 50Hz 3 phase AC
• Spares

IdentificationsLegal
of emergency situations Emission
• The Environment
• Noise
Protection Second
• Stack Gas
Amend rule 2002
• Used oil
• The Hazardous Waste
and Transboundary • Oils soaked/ cloth/used
Movement Rule 2010 spares
The emergency situations now can be identified. In the present context, the probable emergency
situations that can occur are:-
i. The diesel can catch fire either from administrative lapse (e.g. smoking near the diesel
generator)
ii. The diesel can catch fire from sparks arising out of any electrical short circuit etc.
iii. The diesel can spill on the ground while filling up the tank or during any maintenance
process.
The flow chart can now be updated with the above information

Legal
Legal
Legal • The Bengal Electricity
• Petroleum Rule 2002 • The Bengal Electricity Duty Rule 1935 -
Duty Rule 1935

Input
Process
• Fuel (HSD)
• Lubricant/Mobile • Convert diesel into Output
• Coolant electrical power • Electrical energy 415V
• Cloth • Capacity- 380kVA 50Hz 3 phase AC
• Spares

Legal
Emission Accident
• The Environment
• Noise • Fire from smoking etc
Protection Act Second
• Stack Gas • Fire from electrical
Amendment rule 2002
• Used oil • Spillage of diesel
• The Hazardous Waste
and Transboundary • Oils soaked/
Rule 2010 cloth/used spares

Carrying out Assessment

There are several methods to carry out the assessment. One of the method is to assign numerative
values to the various factors and derive a product which will indicate the overall risk. A higher score
indicates an higher risk. Values are assigned on a 1-5 rating.
The below method is an example how it can be carried out. The definitions are given to make the
scoring table understandable.
a. Aspect: Environmental aspect is an element of an organization's activities, products or services
that can interact with the environment.
b. Impact: Change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partially, resulting
from an organization’s environmental aspects. A low impact is rated as 1 and severe impact is
rated as 5.
i.Direct: Environmental impact is directly at the site e.g. contamination caused by spill
ii. Indirect: Environmental Impact is indirect. Caused at other location or secondary process
e.g. Impact of potential spill caused by waste handler at their site. Impact of energy
produced by utility/grid compared to on site generator.

c. Condition:
 i. Normal: Expected or normal working condition- Does the aspect occur during a normal
situation?
ii. Abnormal: Unexpected or unplanned working condition- Does the aspect occur during an
abnormal situation?
iii. Emergency: a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate
action. Does the aspect occur during an emergency situation?
d. Quantity- The amount of resource generated or emission discharged. A low quantity is rated 1
and high amount is rated 5
e. Occurrence- The time during which the activity or the aspect occurs. A rare event is rated 1 and
continuously occurring event is rated as 5
f. Detection Mechanism: the fact of noticing or discovering something (come to know or become
aware)- What is the time required for detection? What is the method?. An automatic detection is
rated 1 and if there is no detection mechanism is rated as 5
g. Control: the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events- what is the
control mechanism available?. An automatic shutdown control is rated 1 and lack of any control
is rated as 5.

The below table gives the overall scoring which has been carried out. The scores are indicative in
nature and depend on individual situations. It has been added to demonstrate the method.

QTY. OCCU- IMPACT CONT SCORE

ENV. CONDITION ENV. IMPACT LEGISLATION DETECTION
ACTIVITY RANCE ROL G=
NO. ASPECT N/A/E IMPACT D/I (D) (E)
(A) (B) (C) (F) A*B*C*D*E*F

Noise
1 Noise emission N D 2 3 2 5 1 3 180
Pollution
2 Flue gas emissions N Air Pollution D 2 3 2 5 1 3 180
Soil /Water
3 Spill or leakage of oil A D 1 1 4 5 2 3 120
Pollution
Operation & Generation & disposal Soil /Water
4 Maintenance of A I 2 2 2 5 1 3 120
waste oil Pollution
Diesel Generation & disposal
5 Generator contaminated N Landfill I 1 2 4 5 1 2 80
cloth/spares
Resource
6 Consumption of HSD N D 3 3 3 1 1 1 27
consumption
Consumption of Resource
7 A D 2 2 3 1 1 1 12
lubricating oil & coolant consumption

(The values are given on 1-5 rating. The scores are indicative in nature and depend on individual situations. It has been added to demonstrate the method)

Actions to mitigate the risks

From the above analysis the below actions are now identified.
i. A Standard Operating Procedure to govern the management of the diesel generator
ii. Actions to monitor the legal requirements periodically including measurement of noise
and stack gas and ensure compliance.
iii. Emergency response procedures to take care of the potential emergency situations
identified
iv. Mock drill plans on the potential emergency situations
v. Training on the above to those who are responsible to operate the generator
vi. Other actions to reduce the high risk aspects
Conclusion

The Environment Aspect and Impact Analysis is an important activity. It needs to be given sufficient
time and to make it effective, it must be done with the involvement of all stakeholders. A visit to the
site to identify all possible factors which can affect the assessment is recommended. An on-site visit
is required to reveal finer aspects which are often overlooked in the table top assessment.
Author
Vivek Namboodiripad