The Importance Of Environmental Risk Assessments Environmental Sciences Essay

The Importance Of Environmental Risk Assessments Environmental Sciences Essay Environmental risk assessment is an integral part of a project. It is important that a project attributes due weight and consideration to the assessments conclusions, although it is just as imperative that an assessment identifies the assessment endpoints in order to determine the application and usefulness of the assessment. Depending on the specific project, an environmental risk assessment can be utilised to assist a project to assess strategic and or tactical uncertainties, as well as assisting in making the best informed decision given the circumstances. (Beer Ziolkowski, 1995, p. 6) Environmental risk assessment is the process (Joint Technical Committee OB/7 Risk Management, 1999) that analyses, considers and then places into a criterion framework the risks to human health, welfare and ecosystems that are the result of adverse developmental impacts on the natural environment. (Beer Ziolkowski, 1995) The placement of the foreseeable risks into a specified criteria, level and/or predetermined standard enables a project to consider, in comparison to the same, what environmental hazards have the greatest potential of occurring, as a result of a specific project, to the selected endpoints and what action (if any) is required. (Joint Technical Committee OB/7 Risk Management, 1999), (Beer Ziolkowski, 1995). The usefulness of environmental risk assessment can depend on what criteria, pre-determined standard and/or level is being utilised as an acceptable comparison. What may be important to one specific environment may not be important to another, therefore, it is important, prior to the commencement of the environmental assessment, that the environmental values to be protected (Stoklosa), the endpoints are agreed. The importance of environmental risk assessment as a necessary component of a project is evidenced in a recent predictive case study commissioned by Alcoa, the worlds largest producer of aluminium (Alcoa Inc.), with respect to an aspect of the construction of its proposed aluminium smelter in East Iceland. (Booth, et al., 2009) (referred to as The Aluminium Smelter Study). The Aluminium Smelter Study is an example of predictive risk assessment. The study was conducted to determine whether there would be a consequential difference in the level of risk to human and ecological receptors from constituents in air emissions from the aluminium smelter (prior to construction), either with or without wet scrubbers. (Booth, et al., 2009, p. 423) Gaseous emissions from the aluminium smelting process are minimized by existing controls, although not all emissions are captured by these basic controls. Prior to the commencement of the study, there was no certainty regarding whether the addition of wet scrubbers to the basic controls would provide any additional benefit as these also introduce an environmental cost. It is necessary for Icelands Permitting Authority, if they are to approve the Smelter without the need for the wet scrubbers, that an environmental risk assessment is conducted with the harm for both scenarios, with and without the wet scrubbers, explored in advance, in order that the authorities can make an informed decision. Although wet scrubbers can in some circumstances control gaseous emissions, the contaminants removed by the scrubbing are transferred into the smelters surrounding water ways, potentially causing harm to the surrounding ecology and humans alike. For the purpose of the assessment, the selection of the emissions/contaminants present in the smelter region, which may be emitted with or without wet scrubbers, were determined on the basis of what the principal constituents of gaseous emissions from primary aluminium production are. (Booth, et al., 2009, p. 429) These include, fluorides, particulates, sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, perfluorocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The design of the smelter and the operational controls already in place were considered prior to identifying the contaminants that may pose a potential risk to the pre-determined endpoints. Whether or not the wet scrubber process will cause substantial harm to the environment requires a risk assessment of weighing the environmental risks of exposure to humans and the environment to the emissions and waste generated with and without the wet scrubbers. . The environmental endpoints for the purpose of this environmental risk assessment were selected on the basis of a number of criteria, including, amongst others, the ecosystems and species that are present in the Hraun industrial tract and surrounding areas in Ewyarfjorour, Fjardabyggd, on the east coast of Iceland (Booth, et al., 2009, p. 425) in close proximity to the aluminium smelter site. In addition, further endpoints were selected by considering terrestrial and marine site studies (which) were conducted (Booth, et al., 2009, p. 425) in the early planning phase and using the information obtained to determine what plants and animals in the surrounding area could be at risk from the wet scrubber emissions. The human environment endpoints were also assessed, utilising studies completed in the planning stage of the smelter site and its surrounding Fjord area. The Aluminium Smelters location in East Iceland presents a unique environment, where there is little development and, due to both the weather and terrain, a relatively stable population level, see Figure 1 of Appendix A . The studies assessed the population of the surrounding area, noting that the terrain restricts much human population, the potential exposure pathways (i.e the drinking water for the residents in the villages is the river Delta and those outside the villages use bore water, neither of which there is any indication the smelter will affect.) and whether the populations source of food will be affected and, in turn, could indirectly expose the human population to harm. The Aluminium Smelter Study measured the harm to both human health and the ecology by developing a number of different conceptual models to assist in identify(ing) the controlling variables that affect exposure and risk, and to focus the risk assessment process on the most important pathways of potential exposure. (Booth, et al., 2009, p. 430) Figure 2, at page 431, is an illustration of a conceptual site model, which assists to identify the exposure pathways from the source, its transport, the media, (i.e air, soil, water) and then the effect on humans and the ecology. In particular, attention is directed when electing the endpoints to those plants, animals and humans that are potentially sensitive, or will be at greater risk of exposure, to the emission contaminants as identified as potentially being present. Further consideration must also be directed to ecologically important species and those species having special regulatory status (if appropriate) or social importance. (Booth, et al., 2009, p. 430) If, after having conducted all of the above and considered all the contributing factors of the models, a pathway was identified as having a potential to be complete, that factor was then assessed as posing a potential risk to the end point Alcoa engaged Earth Tech to conduct the air dispersion modelling, which was required to assess both the human and ecological risk assessments. Air dispersion modelling was chosen as the best method, considering the difficult Fjord landscape and complex wind conditions, to determine the effects on the receptors from the wet scrubber and no wet scrubber smelting scenarios. A copy of Earth Techs report is annexed at Appendix B. A copy of Earth Techs report is annexed at Appendix B.A number of air modelling scenarios were simulated in order to assess exposure to provide the relevant basis for comparison to standards that are protective of human health and the environment (Booth, et al., 2009, p. 434). These scenarios are illustrated in Table 2 and the time frames were chosen in order that the results could be compared to the corresponding regulatory limits that are protective of human health. The different environmental values to be protected require different measures of assessment. For example, in order to measure the harm of the risk to plant species in the Fjord, the model requires modelling for annual mean sulphur dioxide (SO2) (one of the identified emissions) exposure as toxicology-based screening values for plants are expressed as annual averages. The results of the dispersion models were exhibited on a geographic grid. For a more detailed explanation of the grid and a copy of the same, see page 437 (Booth, et al., 2009). (Katie, what does this add?) In order to assess the risk of the estimated air concentrations and deposition rates, with or without the effect of seawater scrubbers, the two scenarios were compared on a point-specific basis or were examined statistically or probabilistically to describe the nature of exposure to each constituent by sensitive receptors. The study not only conducted air modelling exposure modelling, the risk assessment process also utilised previously conducted marine dispersion modelling, which assessed the harm to the Fjord marine ecology, including modelling sediment and the concentration in water of elements such as fluoride, another of the identified end point contaminants. The marine dispersion models were then assessed using data from further previous studies, as well as data collected from other Alcoa facilities, such as those in Canada and Norway as a means of verifying the reasonableness of the predictions at Fjord. (Booth, et al., 2009) In addition to the air dispersion modelling and marine dispersion modelling, the risk assessment also assessed the potential adverse effects from sediment bound substance and dissolved substances (Booth, et al., 2009, p. 438) from the discharge of water into the Fjord in the situation of the seawater scrubber. The constituents, in particular PAHs (emission of which is usually associated with effluent sediment from the wet scrubber), that were hypothesised to be released into the Fjord, were selected to be assessed. The harm of these constituents (see page 438) was measured by comparing modelled concentrations in sediment and water to available toxicity thresholds and screening benchmarks. (Booth, et al., 2009) Similar modelling was utilised to assess the effect of the scrubber discharge to wildlife, including food web modelling for species that forage on items that could potentially accumulate PAHs. (Booth, et al., 2009). Similarly, the harm to plants was measured by comparing the mo delled air emission concentrations of SO2 and fluoride to conservative toxicity thresholds for sensitive plant communities. Further, the risk to vertebrates was determined on the basis of predicted concentrations of fluoride and PAHs (sic) in the diet of herbivorous mammals and birds, based on the EarthTech air modelling results and plant uptake models, and comparing those dietary concentrations to toxicity thresholds developed from the scientific literature. (Booth, et al., 2009, p. 438) There were some limitations in the study on the effect of emissions from the two alternate scrubber scenarios, which are discussed in further detail at page 439. The quantitative results to the identified receptors and the concentration estimates of emission constituents in the air from inhalation exposure were measured to be considered in comparison with all relevant standards, and PAHs (sic) were compared with health-protective screening values for air and soil. In addition to the human risk of inhalation of the emissions, the study also assessed the harm from dermal (skin) contact to humans, one of the identified endpoint pathways. The soil concentrations, in accordance with the model (see page 439), were then compared to well-accepted health-protective soil preliminary remediation goals for BaP and HF developed by USEPA. The potential harm on human health from the discharge of constituents in the air and soil were measured by comparison to elected, accepted benchmarks. Each of the different models required different types of methods to measure the predicted harm. In order that the risk assessment provides the most accurate conclusions that can be relied on for decision making, the different end points required different benchmarks for assessment. For a more detailed assessment of the effect of the identified emission contaminants on the endpoints, see page 439. The results of the modelling predictions on the level of risk to human and ecological receptors indicated that both scenarios produce results that are lower that the identified risk thresholds and, by and large, the risk to all end points was lower for a smelter without wet scrubbers. Alcoa submitted the results of the environmental risk assessment to the Government of Icelands Permitting Authority and, in turn, the Authority approved an operating permit for the facility without the need to install seawater scrubbers. (Booth, et al., 2009, p. 440) It must be noted that some caution must be attributed to the risk assessments findings as it was financed by Alcoa, however a disclaimer appears on page 1 of this study, the opinions expressed are the independent scientific views of the authors (Booth, et al., 2009, p. 423) and it would appear that the Iceland Permitting Authority agrees. The benefit for Alcoa was threefold. Firstly, by successfully obtaining the Iceland Governments permit, they were not required to expend the additional cost of constructing the seawater scrubber. Further, the results of the environmental risk assessment were able to be distributed to the local community, assisting Alcoa in continuing to uphold its duties to the people of the area faithfully. (Alcoa Inc.) Finally, Alcoa have utilised the environmental risk assessment to demonstrate the long-term sustainability of operations, as well as environmental protectiveness. (Booth, et al., 2009, p. 440). The information obtained from the environmental risk assessment process was a necessary component of Alcoas aluminium smelter Iceland project.

Prostitution: Brothel and Strong Religion Essay

Social effects that usually happens to individuals is that individuals will continue to be involved with symptoms of brothels. Future individuals will be destroyed by evil issues. Among them are regarded by society despised around. Usually prostitutes will be isolated when not whore himself due to age, health and others. In the family, the prostitutes will be sorted from the lives of family members with normal. This is because family members can not receive part of the family of prostitutes and it can be embarrassing if erudition by family contacts and the general public. This contempt because prostitutes regarded by the community east of specific communities that have a strong religion. This has been proven when a child in a family in Kuala Lumpur recently been removed because at the time the young mother, her mother has been in the brothels. This is shown family members wanted the family name clean from prostitution. In society, the prostitutes are considered as a polluting pariah image of a place. For example, around Jalan Haji Taib is known for prostitution since the first again. In addition, the number of cases to remove children is increasing. Some people do not give the family past by the road and they approach the area although other aims. Name the country will also be contaminated and will be the focus of the public. National social problems will continue to increase with many activities because prostitution happens this will lead to symptoms such as rape, murder and so forth. This can worsen the situation. In the economic system, the effects of prostitution can bring good and bad. for example, in Malaysia adverse effects arising from prostitution area is known for prostitution will not be visited by the family customers. This is because parents do not want their children near the area of prostitution. In addition, the area will be filled with prostitute- prostitute and the customer waiting area into the cause of black people who have a strong religion. Malaysia in the area if possible will always be a concern for the authorities and led to fewer young customers do business there. government also had to spend some money to treat the diseases caused by HIV prostitution directly or indirectly. This case, causing the government provision of education, welfare and others reduced. If countries in Asia other, prostitution is a major source of income. For example, Thailand has made the activity of prostitution as a pull tourists from within and outside the country. This will lead to the establishment of Thailand is famous for its house of prostitution are controlled by the government. People overseas who wish to obtain services to prostitutes to visit Thailand. It also introduces various side effects with other tourism products. Beside that also, prostitution affects the lifestyle of poor communities. For example, prostitution can cause disease outbreaks or epidemics of HIV among comumitty. Spread of the disease can spread if individuals who do not follow how to avoid sexual diseases such HIV. A person who has been infected with HIV have to produce more spending to treat this disease. Fitness level of people who are infected this will result in decreased productivity and produced no worthwhile and less quality. For example, individuals who are infected with HIV do not work with the spirit and focus on something jobs will be lost.

The Rubber Processing Industry in Ghana

Chapter ONE1.0 Introduction1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDYNatural gum elastic is an elastomer ( an elastic hydrocarbon polymer ) that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some workss. ( Wiley,2002 ) . Wiley farther provinces that natural gum elastic is used extensively in many applications andproducts, as is man-made gum elastic. Recent research has found that the economic impact of the industrial processing of gum elastic had at the clip of find is, besides an industry that provides occupations and returns on nest eggs, and besides contributed a batch to economic development ( Oluwalana et al 2007 ) . Ghana has non merely achieved sustainable growing and important poorness decrease in the recent old ages, province and establishment edifice has made rapid advancement in the same period. Ghana has become a stable democratic province as demonstrated in a peaceable passage of power in two back-to-back free and just elections in 2000 and 2008. Administration indexs have been steadily bettering over the past old ages and in 2007, Ghana ranked in front of regional norms of Asia, Latin America and Africa in most of import administration indexs, including authorities effectivity, regulative quality and control of corruptness ( Kaufmann et al. 2008 ) . The state is ranked among the top 10 African states in footings of freedom of the imperativeness and academic freedom ( Freedom House, 2008 ) . Industrial development has been recognized as one of the surest agencies of guaranting higher and sustained growing rates. Hence African states including Ghana pursued import permutation industrialization in the sixtiess and 1970s. The principle was to travel African economic systems from its agricultural province to modern industrialised economic systems as has been the instance of the East and south-east Asiatic economic systems. Consequently, policies to advance import permutation industrialization were pursued and this led to the constitution of light ind ustries to bring forth goods locally and run behind duty barriers. Like many African states, Ghana’s industrial scheme was meant to cut down economic dependance ; hence, fabricating industries were established to bring forth points that were antecedently imported. Ghana became a success narrative in Africa in the recent old ages. The growing and poorness decrease scheme volume 2 provinces that, after more than 20 old ages of steady economic growing and important poorness decrease, Ghana is taking to go a in-between income state in following 10 old ages. Result of transmutation in many Asiatic states is frequently characterized by a declined portion of agribusiness in GDP and progressively of import function of fabrication in taking growing in the transmutation procedure ( GPRS,2009 ) . Industrialization has enjoyed important good will and virtues of history as the impeling force in the planetary economic sciences of national development. Technology underlines industrializatio n and the appropriate blend of the two provides the technology substructure for growing and development. Ghana has made important efforts at industrialization, particularly in the immediate post-independence epoch through definite programs. The nucleus scheme of the GPRS is to prosecute industrial development through the private sector as the footing of wealth creative activity, growing and poorness decrease ( GPRS, 2009 ) .1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENTGhana’s economic system has displayed less transmutation than might be expected for a state that has late achieved middle-income position harmonizing to National Development Planning Commission ( NDPC, 2010 ) . The function that transmutation dramas in the class of development is good understood by both development economic experts and policymakers in the underdeveloped universe. NDPC ( 2010 ) argues further that, transmutation which is a procedure in which labour moves from traditional activities in agribusiness and other primary sect ors to modern industry and besides a procedure in which population moves to urban Numberss, making chances for the development of industrial activities and improved public assistance. In Ghana, a important per centum of the working population is employed by the informal sector, The Ministry of Trade and industry ( MTI ) ( 2000 ) cited that, little houses can more propel growing in the economic system than big one time due to their figure and niches they occupy in the national economic system. In the rural economic development, little graduated table industries and endeavors play a cardinal function in bring forthing income for running of households and financing most activities in the rural countries of the state ( MTI, 2002 ) . With this great impact and part to the economic development of the state, these little graduated table industries are weighed down with a batch of jobs ( Ankomah, 2012 ) . Ankomah in his research further stated that, most of these industries barely grow in t he rural economic system to go medium and big graduated table. They still faces challenges such as hapless working status, low engineering, low substructure installations, unequal web, hapless distribution system, low quality merchandise and hapless regulative systems ( MTI, 2002 ) . They face difficult competition from big graduated table industries in the formal sector in marketing their merchandise. Ghana’s Medium Term Development Policy Framework provinces in NDPC ( 2010 ) that, the midterm development program in Ghana is to â€Å"lay the foundation for the structural transmutation of the economic system within the decennary stoping 2020, through industrialisation, particularly fabricating, based on modernised agribusiness, industries and sustainable development of Ghana’s natural resources, peculiarly minerals, oil and gas† ( NDPC 2010 ) . It is against this background that the research seeks to supply adaptable agencies to advance the gum elastic industry for economic development through architectural inventions and progress substructure installations.1.3 AimThe research objectives seek to ; 1. Measure the gum elastic processing industry in Ghana and place the design considerations in puting up a modern gum elastic processing industry in Apemanyim. 2. Propose a gum elastic processing industry in the territory capital to act upon the socio-economic development and to make employment in the territory capital.1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONSThe undermentioned research inquiries were used to accomplish the aims of the survey. These include ;What is the current province of the gum elastic industry?What architectural design intercessions can be disposed of in response to the demands of the gum elastic industry in Ghana?1.5 ScopeThe range of this research is geared towards the processing of natural gum elastic, and how the industry can be advanced in production engineering and substructure to farther procedure the gum elastic into concluding merchandises and besides to act upon the socio-economic development in the territory capital. It besides focuses on the design principles to setup a reputable gum elastic processing industry. This survey will look out for the needed infinites, machines or equipment and criterions for the constitution of a g um elastic processing industry. A item certification and analysis for locating a gum elastic mill will besides be amalgamated into this thesis as an experimental or presentation undertaking being a foreshadow of how executable the country’s programs of work outing her economic jobs will be best addressed.1.6 JustificationThere is an addition in the government’s attempt to accomplish economic growing and poorness decrease in rural and urban countries. Harmonizing to Ghana statistical service ( GSS ) , ( 2000 ) , In their life criterion study, it indicate that approximately 69 % of the Ghanese population is employed in the micro and little endeavor sector with a important figure of them located in the rural countries. The Ministry of trade and industry ( MTI ) ( 2002 ) cited in the ( ADTF ) diary that, the authorities of Ghana has policies for micro and little endeavor. The end of this policy is to make a contributing environment to turn and ease the development of a vib rant, productive and competitory micro and little endeavors sector in the state. The authorities seeks to advance dynamic enterprise civilization for invention, promote employment growing within the informal sector and develop micro and little endeavor to function as a agency to set up linkages between the formal and informal sectors of the economic system. Besides the policy province to better the engineering based merchandise quality and productiveness of the micro and little endeavor sector and upgrade the application of autochthonal engineerings. Rubber processing is concentrated at Apemanyim as a consequence of the presence of natural stuffs. The GREL processing works is the chief industry into the processing of natural gum elastic in the territory capital. An interview conducted at GREL identified that, 120 people are employed with a production capacity of five metric tons per hr. With deficiency of substructure development and engineering, this gum elastic industry is unable to farther procedure the gum elastic into finish goods therefore its inability to make more employment for the young person and more over to contend the urban market with their merchandise. The part of GREL in the economic systems of the Western, Central and parts of Ashanti parts is tremendous as it presently provides employment for over 6,000 husbandmans through its Rubber Out-grower Scheme. There would be more value added to the gum elastic if it is farther processed into tyres before it is exported to assorted states.1.7 RestrictionThe major restriction encountered was the trouble of acquiring some critical information with regard to the inaccessibility of bing mills to be used as local instance surveies and equipment as proficient surveies which are in conformity with gum elastic industry installations. The lone mill available within the state is the gum elastic mill located at Apemanim. However, this mill does non farther procedure the gum elastic into finished goods.1.8 ORGAN ISATION OF THE STUDYThe survey has been organised under five chief chapters. Chapter One focuses on the general debut to the survey and defines the research job, aims, range and justification. The 2nd chapter reviews literature on the construct and economic sciences of gum elastic production. Chapter Three covers the profile of the survey Region and Districts every bit good as the methodological analysis that has been employed to transport out the survey. The 4th chapter nowadayss an in-depth analysis and presentation of informations. The fifth and concluding chapter covers the major findings and policy deductions of the survey, recommendations and decision. 1.9 Summary The chapter has presented an overview of the whole survey with general issues facing the gum elastic industry. The following chapters will hence, present a critical reappraisal of the organic structure of literature related to the processing of gum elastic.

ABC accounting versus Traditional Accounting Free Essay Example, 3000 words

That is to say, a company can tell what it will gain or lose even before carrying out a certain activity. For instance, a company may calculate the cost of a certain product without looking into account the extra expenses that could or will occur consequently, the traditional method gave the wrong data concerning the exact cost as opposed to ABC, which normally calculates every expense (Bromwich, & Hong, 1999). However, even before the aforementioned individuals introduced the ABC accounting methods, people long way before used to do accounting. It has been often claimed that accountancy can be traced back to the ancient Egypt. Iran is also mentioned as another place where accounting used to exist many thousands of years ago. This happened during the reign of a certain emperor named Augustus. After, that accounting found its way to Europe mostly in England in 1880 where business people started using it (Huntzinger, 2007). 2. Traditional Accounting Overview (a) Historical practice As explained above, traditional accounting existed way before the introduction and the subsequent development of the ABC method. Firstly, this term is also called conventional in some quarters and it normally allocates indirect expenses to items produced in a factory based on the volumes. We will write a custom essay sample on ABC accounting versus Traditional Accounting or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Unlike the ABC, this method does not put into consideration other expenses that may arise from the production of a particular product. Instead, the allocation of cost is done as per the output (Huntzinger, 2007). It is for this reason that the proponents of the ABC expressed the weakness of this method. (b) Reasoning It could also be seen that the traditional accounting was focused primarily on the eventual outcome as opposed to exact expense incurred in the production of a product. Carnegie and Napier (2009) noted that in the 21st century, the traditional accounting would not give managers the best results especially because of the consumer behavior. In these times, consumers are having different tastes many of which would require additional expenses being incurred. As a result, it would be pretty hard to estimate the exact cost of producing a particular service using the traditional accounting. The companies that support and implement the ABC technique are often seen that they do not lose bids due to overpricing. In short, there the ABC helps in calculating the cost and if a company is involved in a bidding situation, it becomes easier to bid because the exact cost has been calculated.