IMPACT OF POLLUTANTS

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 Impacts vary in:

• Type and nature

• Magnitude
• Extent
• Timing
• Duration
• Uncertainty
• Reversibility
• Significance

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 Types of Impacts
 Direct vs. indirect impacts

 Cumulative impacts

 Short-term vs. long-term impacts

 Adverse vs. beneficial impacts

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 Direct Impacts
 Occur through direct interaction of an
activity with an environmental, social, or
economic component.

 Eg: Discharge of any industry, from ETP –

increase the BOD & COD of the stream

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 Indirect Impacts
 not a direct result of the project – but as a
result of a complex impact pathway
 Also called secondary or even third level
impacts
 Eg: SO2 → H2SO4 → Acid rain →
reduced fish population & low productivity
of land → socio economic impacts

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 Cumulative Impacts
 Created as a result of the combination of
the project evaluated, together with other
projects in the same vicinity causing
related impacts
 Occur when incremental impacts of the
projects is combined with cumulative
effects of other past, present or future
projects

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 Induced Impacts
 Due to the induced actions of the projects
and activities that may occur if the action
under assessment is implemented.
 Difficult to quantify


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Short--term Impacts
Short

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Long--term Impacts
Long

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 Scale of Impacts
• Scale is the extent of the assessment (e.g.
size of area studied, distance from activity
causing the impact)
• Extent determines the size of the ‘window’
to view the world
• Local – Regional - Global

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 Significance of Impacts
 Worst – case – scenario
 Mitigation measures
 Indirect and cumulative impacts are more
complex than direct impacts

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 Impacts may affect
• Humans
• Flora & Fauna
• Land, water, air or climate
• Cultural heritage
• Landscape/ townscape
• Noise, vibrations, odours
• Ecosystem functioning
•Economy
•Society 12