Pollution and Environment Management within Abu Dhabi - Term Paper Example

Table of contents Statement of the problem 2 Objectives of environment management studies in United Arab Emirates 4 Significance of the studies on environment management systems 5 Theoretical framework on environmental management 6 Environment management plan 7 Contents of an organization’s environment management plan 7 Environmental management system 7 Major pollutant in United Arab Emirates 8 Emission of greenhouse gases from factories and industries 8 Use of ozone depleting substances in air conditioners and refrigerators 8 Oil industry and its role in pollution and global warming 8 Transport sector and its role in air pollution 9 Oil spills and its pollution effects 9 Industrial waste disposal and its role in pollution 9 Agricultural practices and role in pollution 10 The role of fire fighting in fueling pollution and global warming 10 Abu Dhabi civil defense methodologies for environment management 10 Strategies for fire fighting 10 Strategies towards proper toxic waste disposal 11 Strategies towards substitute substances for use in air conditioners and refrigerators 11 Strategies towards transport and its pollution effects 11 Legislation on unroadworth vehicles 11 Legislation on fuel characteristics that is on use 12 Expansion of the road network around the major united Arab Emirates 12 Use of supersonic aircrafts and ozone depletion 12 Legislation on oil handling to minimize spillage 12 Household and industrial gas use 13 Projects on inspection of industries on adoption of ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 14004:2004 13 Strategies towards improvement of air quality 13 Measures for compliance with global concerns on climate change 14 Plant growing projects to increase carbon sinks 14 Efficiency of production processes 14 Strategies on energy conservation 14 Conclusion 15 Recommendations 15 Bibliography 15 Statement of the problem United Arab Emirates is an industrial region whose economic activities are contributing to global warming that predisposes climate change. With growth in population, carbon sinks are decreasing as a result of deforestation to create room for urbanization1. Changing agricultural practices characterized by use of organic manures and artificial fertilizers is adding greenhouse gases into the air like nitrous oxides2, sulphur oxides3 and methane gas following organic decomposition of organic compounds. Increased emission of methane gas is subject to production of coal, natural gas, use of peat as fuel and uncontrolled catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons. Lack of procedures and standards in waste management from domestic and industrial refuse and effluents is also contributing to increased methane concentration. Roberts, Reiss and Monger (2000) indicates that overreliance on fossil fuels contributes to increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide in the air. Household and industrial gas use especially cooking gas4 increases concentration of carbon dioxide and water vapor in the air. Wever (1996) argues that many chemical manufacturing industries lack efficient systems and processes for recycling gases produced as by-products5. In other industries, gases like sulphur hexa-chloride is emitted into the atmosphere in trace amounts. There is wide use of hydroflourocarbons6 and perflourocarbons in refrigerators and air conditioners. According to federal facilities council report No. 138 (1999) global warming will witness increase in height of oceans and seas and water bodies will claim land that previously was used for human settlement or other economic activities. A change in temperature predisposes changes in world climate and affects the direction of flow of winds. This has an effect of leading into draughts and spondaic rainfall that leaves behind a trail of destruction. With more penetration of ultra-violet radiations, man is exposed to risks of eye diseases, skin cancer and bouts of infectious diseases. Aquatic life is negatively affected due to interference of the food web main producer planktons. Sheldon (2005) argues that disposal of oil and industrial wastes products into water bodies and failure to treat toxic waste products amounts into both water and soil pollution a factor that will witness many harmful chemical compounds being transferred into food chains since plants, as the primary food producers will absorb the chemical substances and incorporate them into food during photosynthesis. The balance and equilibrium of aquatic ecosystem is distorted following oil spills as birds of prey that depend on fish cannot fly after their wings are soaked in oil flakes. Use of artificial fertilizers and their subsequent surface runoff into water bodies enriches the water bodies with nutrients and leads into eutrophication7. Objectives of environment management studies in United Arab Emirates a. To investigate appropriate environment management plan that could help Abu Dhabi Civil Defense to reduce pollution within Abu Dhabi and other Emirate regions. b. To evaluate legislative and non-legislative issues that is functions of environment management systems c. To evaluate use of internationally accepted standards for development of environmental management systems and how Abu Dhabi could benefit from adopting ISO 14001 and ISO 14004 requirements standards of ISO 14000 series. Significance of the studies on environment management systems The studies on pollution and environment management within Abu Dhabi and other Emirate regions will ensure industries and factories satisfy and comply with ISO 14001 and ISO 14004 requirement standards. Industries will improve their efficiency and will produce less waste products through recycling of by-products and waste products. The studies will lead into substitute substances that can be used in refrigerators and air conditioners instead of hydroflourocarbons and other stable compounds that have negative effects on ozone layer. The studies will help in reduction of ozone depletion and emission of greenhouse gases and ozone depleting substances. The study will lead into better energy utilization and reduce energy output that leads into global warming. The study will lead into measures of dealing with unroad-worthy vehicles that are a major source of pollution. The study will put forward measures for evaluating roadworthiness of vehicle based on type of vehicle, age, service life of the vehicle, vehicle maintenance profile and mileage. The study will also propose better fuels that have less impact on environment to replace the leaded and sulphur containing fuels. Theoretical framework on environmental management Cascio, Woodside and Mitchel (1996) agree that ISO 14000 series are environmental management protocols and standards that ensure organization’s operations have minimal negative effects on the environment. Wever (1996) indicates that ISO 14000 series ensure organizations comply with applicable legislations and regulations meant to reduce soil, water and air pollution that impact negatively on biodiversity and predispose global warming. ISO 14000 standards are similar to ISO 9000 guidelines on quality management because they concern only with efficiency of processes rather than the product or service. ISO 14000 was amended in 2004 and renamed ISO 14000:2004 whose subsets include ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 14004:2004. ISO 14001:2004 is a requirement standard for the ISO 14000 series and outlines guidelines for efficient environment management systems on which organization can be certified by a third party and calls for commitment of the organization to continuously improve and comply with the legislation. Organizations that adopt ISO 14001:2004 standards have lesser energy output, lower waste production and have better human resource strategies towards production processes and disposal of both human and industrial waste products. Such organizations update on their environment management plans and carry out routine inspections and maintenance to ensure the organization complies with the requirements. Keywords: waste products, pollution, global warming, energy output, legislation, environment management systems, environment management plan. Environment management plan Environment management plan is a document that shows position of an organization with respect to its strategies towards control of pollution and management of pollution risks associated with its activities. Contents of an organization’s environment management plan a. Strategies in place for identifying and controlling risks associated with pollution b. Structural framework for pollution risk management c. Procedural control mechanism for pollution risk management d. Pollution risk training and awareness programs for the staff e. Measures in place for inspection and maintenance f. Detailed description of organization’s activities that are carried out and pollution risk need analysis of each g. Roles and responsibilities designated to different personnel with respect to pollution control and procedural mechanisms Environmental management system Marguglio (n.d.) suggests that environmental management system is a basic requirement for any organization regardless of its type and size to implement ISO 14001:2004 guidelines. It requires organizations to identify their environment effects of their activities and put forward a framework for improving on environmental performance. The organizations are supposed to have objectives towards sustainable environmental management and work towards achieving their set objectives. Major pollutant in United Arab Emirates Emission of greenhouse gases from factories and industries Sullivan (2006) suggests that many industries don’t have measures to put into good use by-products of their production processes. These gaseous by-products especially sulphur hexafluoride, hydroflourocarbons, perflourocarbons, hydrobromocarbons, and perbromocarbons have effect of depleting ozone layer8. Once ozone layer is destroyed, harmful ultra-violet b rays enter the biosphere. Use of ozone depleting substances in air conditioners and refrigerators Most of the substances used in refrigerators and air conditioners are very stable and have long life span and half life. These substances diffuse out of the biosphere into stratosphere when their chemical activity is still high. They include methyl chloride, chloroform and other chlorine derivative alkyls9. Oil industry and its role in pollution and global warming In United Arab Emirates, oil and gas industries are main sources of gas emissions. The main pollutants are point sources like power plants, line sources like major roads in United Arab Emirates, diffuse sources like petrol stations and storage areas both for large and small scale industrial set-ups. Transport sector and its role in air pollution A great percentage of vehicles are old and poorly maintained. The old vehicles fuel combustion not efficient and air-fuel mixture is not sufficient enough for complete fuel combustion. This leads into production of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead vapors and sulphur oxides that are very hydrophilic and dissolve in water vapor to form acidic vapors that fall as acid rain leading into destruction of vegetation as carbon sinks and corrosion10 of building roofs especially those that contain iron sheets. Oil spills and its pollution effects Oil spills is very common in many oil dispensing outlets and garages. Poor disposal of oil based products are washed away as surface run-off into water bodies that include rivers and oceans. Oil is less dense than water and floats hence interfering with aeration of the water bodies. This deprives aquatic life oxygen for respiration leading into death of many aquatic lives. Industrial waste disposal and its role in pollution Many industrial waste products are disposed off into sewers without prior treatment to make them harmless. They therefore kill decomposers leading into accumulation of waste. The sewers end up being blocked. These toxic substances are absorbed by plants and enter into the food chain where they are eaten by man. Agricultural practices and role in pollution Use of artificial fertilizers that are eventually washed off into water bodies leads into eutrophication that affects aquatic life, leads into emission of greenhouse gases and death of decomposers. The role of fire fighting in fueling pollution and global warming Fire fighting incidents involving use of foam contributes into release of greenhouse gases and ozone depleting substances when it is decomposed by heat. Use of carbon dioxide as fire extinguishers adds more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Abu Dhabi civil defense methodologies for environment management Strategies for fire fighting According to Tinsky and Pillai (2006) buildings should be installed with automatic water sprinklers that should extinguish the fire. Community training on fire control should be carried out. Community should be given information on activities that can lead into fire outbreak. These involve improper use of candles and overloading of gas and electricity. Lack of maintenance of electricity sockets leading into electrical fires caused by short circuit when two naked live wires come into contact. Fire risk assessment should be carried out in buildings. The buildings should also be installed with smoke detectors and alarms. Strategies towards proper toxic waste disposal Abu Dhabi civil defense should ensure industries detoxify toxic substances to make them harmless before they are discharged into sewers. Organizations should have measures for ensuring they don’t emit toxic gases into the atmosphere. Strategies towards substitute substances for use in air conditioners and refrigerators Air conditioners and refrigerators should use substances that have a short life span and have no effect on ozone layer. Industries should have mechanisms for recycling chloroflourocarbons and other halogen alkyls. There should be legislations towards imposing tax on industries that produce ozone depleting substances and don’t have measures to reduce their emission into the atmosphere. Strategies towards transport and its pollution effects Legislation on unroadworth vehicles Old vehicles should be phased out of the road. The criteria should be governed by factors such as evaluation of the vehicle’s maintenance profile, color of its emissions that show efficiency of the vehicle’s combustion, age of the vehicle and vehicle type. Legislation on fuel characteristics that is on use There should be reduction in use of leaded fuel for unleaded fuel. Low sulphur fuels should used instead of high sulphur fuels. This should be implemented on a decreasing scale depending on output of the gases in parts per million (ppm). Technology in use of fuels that produce water as a waste product of combustions should be researched and implemented for use. Expansion of the road network around the major united Arab Emirates Traffic congestion leads into increased use of fuels. The gases are emitted into the atmosphere. The situation is worse for vehicles with poor maintenance profile and old vehicles that lack idling time11. Abu Dhabi civil defense should work with local authority to implement expansion of road network to ease traffic congestion. Use of supersonic aircrafts and ozone depletion Supersonic aircrafts produce a lot of greenhouse gases and ozone depleting substances. Abu Dhabi civil defense should work with research institutions on aircraft fuels that have lesser polluting effect. Legislation on oil handling to minimize spillage There should be legislation towards better measures to ensure oil spillage is minimized. Oil tankers should be well maintained without possible leaks for oil. Garages and petrol stations should have measures to control spillage of oil and fuels. Cleaning of water bodies with substances that can dissolve oil should be implemented12. Waste oil recycling procedures should be put in place in industries that handle oil and oil products to save the ecosystem. Household and industrial gas use Abu Dhabi civil defense should work towards use of compressed natural gas. There should be a legislation to ensure compressed natural gas is used widely to reduce control global warming. Projects on inspection of industries on adoption of ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 14004:2004 Abu Dhabi civil defense should form and carry out assessment to ensure organizations comply with legislations on environment management and environment management systems. Every organization should have a working environment management plan and should be in a position to demonstrate its activities are a function of the environment management plan. Strategies towards improvement of air quality Abu Dhabi should ensure substances used to create inert atmosphere are ozone friendly. There should be measures to minimize high photo dissociation of trace gases that provide unreactive environment for many troposphere and biosphere natural reactions. Oxidants like hydrogen peroxide use should be minimized. Measures for compliance with global concerns on climate change Abu Dhabi civil defense should ensure organizations abide by Kyoto protocol, clean development mechanisms, conference of parties legislations, Montreal protocol for international cooperation agreement and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). Plant growing projects to increase carbon sinks Abu Dhabi civil defense should work with communities towards growing of plants to create carbon sinks for carbon dioxide and conserve biodiversity and balance of bio-geo-chemical cycles. This will help in carbon sinks and carbon source balance that is a function of biosphere-atmosphere feedback. Efficiency of production processes Abu Dhabi civil defense should formulate strategies for organizations to improve on their efficiencies and reduce production of waste products. The organizations should have recycling processes for waste products that are produced. Strategies on energy conservation Abu Dhabi civil defense should formulate strategies and ensure organizations adopt measures for conserving energy in order to reduce energy output that contributes into global warming. Use of energy saving bulbs should be campaigned for and implemented. Conclusion Abu Dhabi organization should ensure compliance with ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 14004:2004 standards. Industries should formulate strategies for management of their toxic waste products and strategies towards environmentally friendly disposal of waste products. There should be measures to control spillage of oil and petroleum based products. Buildings should be installed with active and passive fire protection. Residents and employees should be educated on fire safety and safety precautions and ensure handling of chemicals adheres to manufactures’ guidelines. There should also be measures to ensure planting of trees is carried out to increase carbon sinks and reduce greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. Recommendations Abu Dhabi should work with research organizations to investigate on suitable substances that can be used as substitutes to Carbonflourocarbons in refrigerators and air conditioners. Industries should be evaluated on basis of their strategies for waste disposal management and efficiency of their production processes. Companies whose production processes lead into increase of energy output should be made to adopt measures that reduce their energy output in order to minimize global warming. Bibliography Cascio, Joseph, Woodside, Gayle and Mitchel, philip (1996). The new international environemental management standards. (P. V. Amoroso, Ed.) USA: McGraw-hill. Federal facilities council report No.138. (1999). Environmental management systems and ISO 14001. Washington DC: National academy press. John Brady:The institute of Environamental management and assessment (IEMA) (2005). Environmental management in organizations: the IEMA handbook. The institute of Environamental management and assessment (IEMA) . Marguglio, B. W. (n.d.). Environmental management systems. Marcel Dekker ,Inc and ASQC quality press USA. Roberts, michael, Roberts, Reiss. and Monger, Grace (2000). Advanced biology. London: MacMillan. Sheldon, christopher. (2005). Environmental management systems: A step-by-step guide to implementation and maintenance. Earthscan publication. Sullivan, Rory. (2006). An introduction to corporate management striving for sustainability. Corporate governance , Vol. 6 (Issue 1). Wever, Grace. (1996). Strategic Environment management: using TQEM and ISO 14000 for competitive advantage. John Wiley and sons, Inc. Read More