Environmental Impact of Building New Airports - Coursework Example

Environmental Impact Of Building New Airports Airports are a critical component of the complex international aviation system that supports the movement of passengers and goods. However, in providing these important services, airport operations as well as air travel have the potential to adversely affect the environment. Because the demand for air travel is growing each day, without careful planning, those impacts to the environment are expected to increase. According to graham (2014), Noise from aircraft as well as from traffic going to and from airports has traditionally been considered the most important environmental problem at airports. Building more airports will lead to an increase in noise pollution. In many cases, the noise is easily perceived and annoying, especially where this occurs frequently. Aircraft noise is created by both the engine and the airframe and is mostly manifested during landing and take-off as well as under frequently-used flight paths. Other sources of noise include noise generated from taxiing aircrafts, the application of reverse-thrust which is an optional braking aid on landing, on-site vehicular traffic and engine tests. The effects of noise pollution include: Sleep disturbance, Loss of concentration, Anger, Fear of accidents and of potential increase in frequency of noise, Cardiovascular effects, frustration and powerlessness to control the noise, Mental health, Diminished educational achievement as a result of either direct effect or loss of teaching time because of noise disruptions (Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, 2003), Adverse effect on performance for instance in reading, problem solving, attentiveness and memory, Continued or excessive exposure to noise can bring about hypertension and ischaemic heart disease, and Noise above 80dB may increase aggressive behavior Airport noise can also have negative effects on children’s health and development. A study by Cohen, et. al., in 1980, studied the impact of aircraft noise on childrens health and found higher systolic and diastolic pressure in children living to close the Los Angeles airport when compared to those living further away. In 1995, Evans, et. al., discovered a relationship between chronic noise exposure in addition to elevated neuroendocrine and cardiovascular measures in those children living close to Munichs International Airport. Studies have also linked exposure to aircraft noise with deficits in learning. A study by Lorraine Maxwell and Gary Evans in 1997 found that first and second-grade schoolchildren chronically exposed to aircraft noise had poorer reading skills than children attending elementary school in a quiet neighborhood. Noise from aircrafts also affects the breeding as well as feeding habits of birds. It also encourages unnecessary expenditure of energy as the move towards or away from the sound source, in so doing; the birds are exposed to predators (Rich & Longcore, 2006). Air quality is a major concern for many of the world’s busiest commercial service airports and is expected to become a more serious issue if new airports are built. The major source of air pollutant emissions generated at airports is vehicles that rely on fossils fuels and are used to access and operate the airport facility. These vehicles include aircraft; vehicles such as shuttles, automobiles and transit that transport people and goods to and from the airport; and ground support equipment used in the facility such as aircraft towing, baggage handling, food service vehicles, refueling, and maintenance or repair. There is also the combustion of aviation fuel which is mostly composed of kerosene and produces nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur oxides (SOx), hydrocarbons and particulates. It also releases the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) which when inhaled by people and animals, the carbon dioxide bonds to the hemoglobin in the blood reducing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the red blood cells. This results to lack of oxygen in the body causing cells to die. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) comprises of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Nitrogen Oxide has no significant impacts on human health. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) can increase a persons susceptibility to, and the severity of, respiratory infections and asthma. Long-term exposure to high levels of Nitrogen dioxide can cause chronic lung disease. High Nitrogen dioxide levels damage foliage, decrease plant growth, and reduce crop yield. Deposition of nitrogen compounds can lead to soil and water acidification. Nitrogen dioxide can cause eutrophication of soils and water, which alters the species composition of plant communities and can eliminate sensitive species. Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) is a gas which when combined with water forms sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid is the main component of acid rain. Sulphur Dioxide can cause coughing, make people more prone to respiratory infections, and aggravate chronic bronchitis and asthma. Sulphur Dioxide can attach itself to particles and, if these particles are inhaled, they can cause more serious health effects. Acid rain acidifies soils and water. This can affect aquatic life, cause deforestation, and alter the species composition of plant and animal communities. Acid rain can corrode building materials and paint (Graham, 2014). Building new airports will lead to an increase in vehicles travelling to and from the airport, as well as ground service equipment, for example, tugs for aircraft and baggage, fuel and catering Lorries, buses and vans that transport passengers, which generate Nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO2), particulates and ozone through the burning of diesel and petrol fuel. Particulate matter is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic substances. Particulates are worst for human health when compared to other air pollutants. Particulates are responsible for up to ten thousand premature deaths through respiratory problems in the United Kingdom each year. Particulates can penetrate deep into the lung and cause more damage, whereas larger particles are typically filtered out through the airways’ natural mechanisms. The planes’ fuel storage tanks and transfer facilities can lead to the release of Volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Complex chemicals which can release Volatile organic compounds are used in Aircraft and airfield maintenance, for instance, painting, de-icing and, metal cleaning, as well as emergency and fire training. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) comprise of a wide range of organic chemicals such as halocarbons, oxygenates and hydrocarbons, for example, Methane, toluene and benzene. Volatile organic compounds have no taste, smell, or color, and they easily turn to vapor at room temperature. Hydrocarbons can be dangerous to human health even at low levels, mostly if the exposure is long term. For instance, long-term exposure to benzene has been associated with an increased incidence of leukemia and anemia; toluene can affect the central nervous system; and moderate levels of formaldehyde can lead to irritation of the upper respiratory track, eyes, and nose. Some Volatile organic compounds can cause cancer. Odors from hydrocarbons are often annoying. Constructing of more airports will lead to an increase in water pollution and use. Airports, airport-related development and aviation affect water quality in several ways. Surface water discharge or run-off which goes into local watercourses from runaways, aprons, car parks and other land development maybe contaminated by anti-icing as well as de-icing fluids such as glycol which are used during winter months. The chemicals used in maintaining and washing aircrafts and vehicles, as well as fire training activities and fuel spillages, can also contribute to this pollution. Leakages from underground pipes, and grass fertilizers used in landscaping activities can contaminate the soil. Then there is the normal waste water from buildings and facilities such domestic sewerage. Aircraft often dump excess fuel before landing as a safety measure: to protect the aircraft’s structure and landing gear, reduce the chance of a brake fire, and or to ensure a safe landing. During fuel dumping, jet fuel, which is mostly kerosene, is ejected from the aircraft’s wing tips, tail or aft fuselage. Thus, fuel dumping from flying aircraft can cause water bodies to be polluted by kerosene. Construction of new airports and airport-related development will use water for instance, for mixing cement, washing wheels and damping down dust. Operation of such developments involves water use for food preparation, toilet flushing, cleaning of the airport and aircraft, fire drills. Over-abstraction of water can worsen problems of drought, including impacts on ecological habitats. Biodiversity impacts refer to impacts on plants and animals. Building of new airports will lead to a reduction in the type and extent of habitats; bird strike and road kill; disturbance from light pollution, noise and aircraft or vehicle movements; and air pollution. According to the Civil Aviation Authority (2001), bird strikes occur when aircraft hit birds during take-off and landing. Roughly eighty five percent of bird strikes involve aircraft below eight hundred feet, and up to forty percent of bird strikes take place beyond the airport perimeter (CAA, 2001). Road kill occurs when animals get hit by vehicles, for instance on access roads to airports. Light pollution from airports and roads can attract animals either directly or indirectly, for instance, they attract insect preys which, in turn, attract bats and birds – as well as their predators. This can affect migration patterns where animals travel off-course because they are attracted to light. Once they arrive at the light source, birds may circle the source, become disoriented and exhausted, and collide with structures or other disoriented birds. Light pollution can also affect animals’ rhythms of waking, sleeping and hibernation (Rich & Longcore, 2006). The sensitivity of wildlife to the noise of aircraft, airport ground operations and airport access roads varies greatly from species to species. Such noise can cause some wildlife especially a range of grassland and woodland birds to avoid areas near them, reducing the density of those animal populations (Kaseloo and Tyson, 2004). Animals’ breeding success can also be reduced by noise. Studies have shown that some birds are disturbed by noise affecting noise and migration, although other species can tolerate exposure at the same level. Animals can be disturbed by the movement of aircraft and vehicles. For instance, a study of birds near the Liverpool John Lennon Airport found that aircraft movement had limited effect on the birds, but the cumulative impact of multiple sources of disturbance, including dog walkers and vehicles, was significant. Building new airports will lead to habitat loss. Habitat loss occurs when previously ‘green’ areas are built on, destroying the habitats of the plants and animals that live there. Habitat fragmentation happens when a larger area of habitat is split into smaller areas, for instance if it is split by a road or fence. This can make it difficult for animals to forage for food, breed and migrate. Animals with very consistent foraging patterns like badgers or breeding patterns like toads may continue to move from one habitat fragment to the other, and may be hit by cars. Some animal species have large land requirements, and may be affected by habitat loss or fragmentation even if these reduce the animals’ habitat a little bit. Habitat degradation can also occur due to construction of new airports. Habitat degradation reduces the attractiveness of the habitat for the plants and animals on it. This could result, for instance, from the ground being churned up and/or compacted, vegetation clearance, replacement of one type of vegetation by another for example herb-rich grassland by turf, storage or disposal of rubble on the site, litter, or land contamination. Heritage or cultural assets include archaeological remains, both above ground and buried; historic buildings and sites such including listed buildings, cemeteries, parks, village greens, bridge and canals; historic areas and landscapes; and other structures of architectural or historic merit. Heritage designations include, at the international level World Heritage Sites for example Blenheim Palace; and at the national level Scheduled Ancient Monuments, Areas of Archaeological Importance, listed buildings of different grades, conservation areas, and parks and gardens of historic interest. Heritage assets can be affected when building new in airports several ways which include; they can be razed or built over to make way for airport-related development, their structure can be affected by vibrations from aircraft or road traffic, their building materials can weather faster due to air pollution, the vegetation of historic parks and landscapes can be harmed by air pollution, their curtilage, that is, the enclosed area of land surrounding a house, or general landscape setting can be eroded, so that one can no longer view them in context. Airports and airport-related developments affect the landscape by removing existing landscape features such as trees and hedges and replacing them with buildings and tarmac. At night, the lights of the runways, aircraft and terminals increase light pollution. Airports and airport-related development can also change the overall character of an area to make it look harder and more urban. They can also have visual impacts. These refer to the impacts of landscape change on people: on the views that people have from their homes, offices, footpaths, cars as they drive past. All developments have a ‘zone of visual intrusion’ from which they can be seen, and an environmental statement will often show this on a map. The more people can see the development, the closer they live and work to the development, and the clearer their lines of sight are, the bigger the visual impact will be. References Civil Aviation Authority (2001) Large Flocking Birds: An International Conflict Between Conservation And Air Safety. http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/1437/srg_acp_00018-01-030303.pdf Cohen, S. Krantz, D.S., Evans, G.W., A &Stokois, D. Cardiovascular And Behavioral Effects Of Community Noise, American Scientist, 1961, 69:528-535; Graham, A. (2014). Managing Airports: An International Perspective. (4th Ed., P. 220). Newyork: Routledge. Kaseloo, P.A. & K.O. Tyson (2004) Synthesis Of Noise Effects On Wildlife Populations, Report For Us Department Of Transportation. https://www.ntis.gov/Search/Home/titleDetail/?abbr=PB2006114649 Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (2003) Post note Number 197 http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/POST-PN-195/aviation-and-the-environmentreport-summaryapril-2003 Rich C, & Longcore T. (2006) Ecological Consequences Of Artificial Night Lighting. Washington Dc: Island press Read More