Improving Health through a Clean-up - Research Proposal Example

Running Header: Project Management Your name: Course name: Professors’ name: Date Title: Improving health through a clean-up To: Zinifex Port Pirie Smelter (company) From: Consultants… Copy to: Dr Carmen Joham, University of South Australia Date: Background Outline Zinifex Port Pirie Smelter is the biggest lead smelting company in the world. It produces considerable volumes of silver, zinc, gold and copper. Its value of production is approximately $280 million every year, with an export of $70 million. Although its production has been on a slight increase in 1990s, its direct work force in Pasminco has dropped from 1,330 to 690, from 1990 to 2006. This company is located in the Port Pirie region; a city situated 225km on Spencer Gulf north of Adelaide. There are other remote townships in the region that include Gladstone, Laura, Redhill, Wirrabara, Booleroo Centre, and Crystal Brook. The region’s economy is heavily dependent on resource processing and agriculture. Some of the major economic drivers in the area are aided by a variety of service industries. Port Pirie and the remote townships offer the area commercial, community and retails services for about 23,400 people (Ross & Bidwell 2006, pp. 49-56). Despite the benefits that the smelter has brought to the region, there are several, adverse effects that it has on the environment. The company is top contributor to Port Pirie’s economy, but it has also cost many people’s lives. Owing to the fact that the company processes lead and produces metals like gold, copper, zinc and silver, many people’s health statuses have been greatly ruined by these activities (Ross & Bidwell 2006, pp. 49-56). The production and processing activities in the smelter have caused a lot of environmental pollution in the region. As the world’s leading lead smelter, dealing in 320,000 tons annually of fine lead-rich new concentrates, over the last 10 decades or more, the company has caused considerable contamination of the port’s environment with arsenic, zinc, cadmium, lead and other heavy metals (Gupta 2011, pp. 428-430). There is a lot of exposure of lead on the people in the region. According to studies, high levels of exposure to lead elements are detrimental to human health. It is known that lead interferes with transport of constituents especially calcium across cell membranes. Hence inhibiting enzymes and disturbing the growth and development of various body organs especially the central nervous system. It has permanent negative effects on human neurobehavioral function, especially impaired hemoglobin, the intellectual performance and vitamin D metabolism (Gupta 2011, pp. 428-430). According to Ross and Bidwell (2006, pp. 49-56), toddlers and infants are the ones that are at greater risk than adults in the region because they are still developing. Moreover, the young children’s behavior of carelessly putting anything in their mouths makes them more prone to its adverse effects than anybody else. Besides, the fact that young children have a high ability of lead absorption and fast developing central nervous systems put them at great danger. On the other hand, the older children, adults and adolescents demonstrate average blood lead levels unless if they had early exposures in life. Rationale In order for the company to continue enjoying its position as the leading lead smelter in the world, it must comply with environmental rules and regulations. Further, it should take up its social corporate responsibility of creating a favorable environment for the immediate community and its workers. Currently, the company is working on the modalities of ensuring safety to the people at the same time maintaining its position in the corporate world (Ross & Bidwell 2006, pp. 49-56). Therefore, this project intends to help the company out by conducting a clean-up on the polluted areas in relation to the company’s activities. Additionally, the project is worth carrying out because it will help the communities and workers remain healthy as well as enjoying the benefits of the smelting company. There is also a serious need to ensure that toddlers and infants in Port Pirie region develop properly into healthy and productive adults in future. Apart from people’s health, there is a need for a conservation of the environment so as to enhance agricultural activities, and for future generations. Overall aim and purpose Aim The project is aimed at enhancing health status of the people in Port Pirie region through conserving the environment. The project intends to conduct a clean-up activity in the surrounding environment of the lead smelting company. These include the fields, soils, rivers and other water bodies situated adjacently around the company. Scope The project will be carried out around the company and not at places far away from it. This implies that the project’s focus will be on the people working in and living close to the company area. Furthermore, it intends to clean rivers and water sources, collect any litter in and around the company, ensure that waste products are disposed and channeled well to appropriate places, neutralize soils, and plant many trees around the company so as to purify air. Nevertheless, the company will neither involve controlling the company fumes that causes air pollution, nor control noise pollution in the region, but it will attempt to minimize the effects of these fumes on the environment. Objectives The main objectives of the project include: 1. To improve children’s health by cleaning water sources in the area. 2. To enhance people’s safety by neutralize soils in the contaminated areas around the company. 3. To promote people’s health by ensuring that there is proper disposal of company waste products. 4. To ensure safe air for people in the area by planting many trees around the firm so as to improve air circulation. Outcomes After the project has been carried out successfully, there will be a number of results. The company will manage to carry out its activities smoothly without endangering people’s lives. This, in turn, will increase its sales because it will capture a wide market share as compared to other companies. People want to be associated with companies that have a good reputation as regards environmental sustainability and conservation. Specific outcomes Some of its specific outcomes include: There will be a substantial reduction in children’s health complications in Port Pirie, especially at the company’s immediate environment. This is because of the reduced people’s exposure to the people working in and living around the smelter. Because trees will be planted around the company, there will be consistent circulation of fresh air in the environment. The detrimental fumes from the company will considerably reduce. The company will restore its top position in the world market. This is because the company will improve on its social corporate responsibilities in the region. The creation of a clean and safe environment for people living around the company. This is because of the collection of litter and lead materials around the factory. This implies that people’s exposure to lead will be greatly minimized. People will enjoy safe drinking water because of the properly channeled waste materials in the company. Fifthly, the soils around the area will be neutralized and lead elements will disappear. Consequently, farming activities will improve because of favorable environment. Population’s health will also improve a great deal since the crops are not longer exposed to lead from the company. Measures to confirm outcomes These outcomes will be determined by certain measures, which are: A research will be conducted to check if there anymore elements of lead in the soil around the company. Studies will be carried out to determine whether water around the area contains lead elements. Children’s and adults’ blood samples will be taken to test for lead elements in them. Studies will be conducted to determine people’s health status after the clean-up. A test will be done on the quality of air in circulation around the area. Samples of crops like vegetables will be taken to test whether they contain elements of lead. Deliverables At the end of the project, a research report will be compiled and presented to the company. The report will contain problem statement; aim, rationale, objectives of the study; literature review, methodology, results, conclusions and recommendations. Approach and Methodology In order to achieve the project’s objectives, an appropriate approach methodology will be highly indispensable. To begin with, the project team will be divided into various groups so as to address all the issues. Impliedly, there will be an appointment of the of the project leader who will be responsible for the whole project; overseer or supervisor. The project will also require a treasurer and organizing secretary who will be concerned with the project’s funds and the implementation of the activities respectfully. Upon the selection of the key officials, the project team will set a plan of activities and the timeline. Various responsibilities of each group will also be outlined so as to minimize conflicts in the team. The first activity of the project will be to identify the polluted areas, and issues that need to be addressed. This will entail visiting the area to assess various issues relating to the project, as well as accommodation details of the team. Then, the team will request and collect resources necessary for the implementation of the project. When everything is set, the project will start rolling as per each group’s roles. The following is the outline of the activities collection of litter and lead materials in the fields around and in the company ensuring proper waste disposal in the company; this will include checking and fixing appropriate systems in the company soil neutralization cleaning water sources around the company so as to ensure safe water for domestic use planting trees around the company to aid clean circulation of air carrying out a study of the outcomes of the project compiling a project report Time line Phase Estimated completion time Phase I: Making an agreement with the company March 2012 Phase II: Identification of areas and issues to be addressed March 2012 Phase III: Requesting for and collecting resources to be used April 2012 Phase IV: Collecting litter and lead material May 2012 Phase V: Cleaning water sources June 2012 Phase VI: Creating proper waste systems July 2012 Phase VII: Soil neutralization Phase VIII: Planting trees around the company August 2012 Phase IX: conducting a research on the project outcomes September to October 2012 Phase X: compiling project report November to December 2012 WBS Resources both domestic and international donors friends and well-wishers various financial institutions in south Australia the company; Zinifex Port Pirie Smelter the university; University of south Australia Timeline So far, the project is working on the project proposal. Project details The project will require enough human labor that will conduct all the clean-up activities. For instance, those that will clean water sources and neutralize soil. Secondly, the costs involved in the project include money paid to manual workers, to buy materials used in the project, for transport and accommodation services. Additionally, the project implementation will require a minimum time of 12 months and a maximum duration of 16 months. This time limit is appropriate for carrying out all the outline activities of the project. Some of the officials involved in the project include: 1. Project leader- charged with the responsibility of supervising and overseeing the whole project. He will be reporting to the company management. 2. Secretary- involved in organizing activities of the project, and writing minutes of all the project meetings. He will report to the project leader. 3. Treasurer- involved with collection, allocation and proper use of finances in the project. He will report to the project leader. 4. Research and evaluation manager- charged with a responsibility of supervising the study, its evaluation and the compiling of the project report. He will report to the project leader. Possible risks Weather changes Sickness due to failure to adjust to the new environment Inadequate time Lack of corporation from the company employees and community Resources Human labor- will be contributed by the company Chemicals for cleaning and neutralizing soil-provided by the company Overalls- provided by the company Stationery-provided by the project team Computers-provided by project team Wheelbarrows and other equipments-provided by the company Funds for transport and accommodation services- provided by the company Estimated costs Transport and accommodation funds: approximately $10,000 Human labor costs: approximately $15,000 Risks The risks involved in the implementation of the project include: 1. Weather changes 2. Sickness due to failure to adjust to the new environment 3. The project might run out of time 4. Lack of corporation from the company employees and community 5. There might be a shortage of resources Ways of managing risks The project will overcome weather changes risk by adjusting its timeline. Shortage of resources will be ensuring that there is adequate supply of resources before the commencement of the project. The project team will overcome the risk of sickness due to new environment by going to the place earlier than the appointed time of project commencement. This will enable the team to acclimatize. Shortage of time risk will be managed by extending the timeline of every activity to be carried out. The risk of lack of corporation will be addressed by visiting the company so as to interact with employees; hence forming a rapport. Conclusions and recommendations The project is aimed at improving the health of the people working in and living around Zinifex Port Pirie Smelter Company in northern part of South Australia. The current situation in the company is that people are highly exposed to lead elements, substances that are detrimental to their health. Explicitly, this problem largely affects toddlers and infants in the region because of their mouth behavior, easy absorption of lead, and development of the central nervous system. The project will involve various activities, such as, cleaning water sources; neutralizing soils; collecting litter and lead materials in and around the company; ensuring use of proper waste disposal in the company; and planting trees around the area. Upon implementing the project, the company will acquire a bigger market share than before due to improved reputation regarding its social corporate responsibility; children will grow healthily; waste will be disposed appropriately; and reduced people’s exposure to lead. Therefore, it is recommended that the project should be implemented in order to realize the aforementioned benefits. References Gupta, R C 2011, Reproductive and developmental toxicology, Elsevier, Amsterdam Boston. Pp. 428-430. Reynolds, CR & Fletcher-Janzen , E 2004, Concise encyclopedia of special education, New Wiley, York Chichester. Pp. 567-570. Ross & Bidwell 2006, ‘Multi-level endpoint assessment of pollution’, Australasian Journal of Ecotoxicology, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 49-56. Read More