Environment – Full Detail Notes

Solid Waste Management

Solid Waste

Introduction:

• Solid waste refers to the useless, unwanted, and discarded solid materials arising from day-to-day human and animal activities.
• It includes everything from:
  • household garbage
  • industries
  • scraps to agricultural residues
  • construction debris

Solid Waste Management

Introduction:

• Solid Waste Management is the systematic process of collecting, transporting, and disposing of solid waste.
• Solid waste management improves human health and keeps the environment safe.
• Its goal is to reduce the:
  • health risks
  • environmental pollution
  • resources wastage

Types and Characteristics of Solid Waste

Types of Solid Waste

The solid waste in Nepal's municipalities is categorized by its source and its physical makeup:

Types by Source

The main sources of municipal solid waste (MSW) are:

• Households: Domestic waste such as food refuse, paper, plastics, and yard clippings.
• Commercial establishments (shops, hotels)
• Institutions (schools, offices)
• In rural-dominated municipalities, household waste is the primary fraction, while commercial waste is higher in tourist or economic hubs.

Physical Characteristics (Composition)

On average, MSW in Nepal consists of:

• Organic Waste: Organic waste consists of biodegradable materials. 66% (the largest component). Eg: paper, food remains, banana peels. Paper and paper products: 9%
• Inorganic Waste: Inorganic waste is non-biodegradable which is generated by human-made material like plastics, metals, glass etc. Eg: Plastics: 12%, Glass: 3%
• Others: Includes metals (2%), textiles (2%), rubber/leather (1%), and miscellaneous items (5%).

Characteristics of Solid Waste

The characteristics of solid waste are given below:

Physical Characteristics

• Physical characteristics are the visible and measurable properties of solid waste.
• They depend upon the following factors:
  • Density
  • Moisture content
  • Size and shape
  • Color and odor

Chemical Characteristics

• Chemical characteristics describe the chemical composition of solid waste.
• They depend upon:
  • Organic matter: Biodegradable materials such as food waste and paper
  • Inorganic matter: Non-biodegradable materials such as plastic, glass, and metals
  • Elements: Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur
  • Toxic substances: Heavy metals and hazardous chemicals

Biological Characteristics

• Biological characteristics explain the decomposition process and health effects of solid waste.
• They depend upon:
  • Biodegradability: Ability of waste to decompose naturally
  • Microorganisms: Presence of bacteria and fungi
  • Pathogens: Disease-causing organisms
  • Gas production: Formation of methane and carbon dioxide during decomposition

Garbage Collection and Disposal

Garbage Collection

• Garbage collection is the process of collecting the garbage or solid waste from homes, streets, and public places and transporting it to a treatment plant or disposal site.

Disposal

• Disposal is the final stage of solid waste management, in which solid waste or garbage is safely treated and the act of placing it in an approved site or facility (such as a sanitary landfill, incinerator, or composting facility) is called disposal.
• Garbage collection is the process of collecting solid waste from houses, streets etc.

Garbage Collection Methods

• Door-to-door collection: Waste is collected directly from houses.
• Community bins: Residents drop waste into large bins placed in their neighborhoods.
• Roadside pick-up: Waste is collected from designated points along the streets.
• Fees and Management: Municipalities often collect service fees for door-to-door collection.

Method of Solid Waste Disposal

In the context of Nepal, several methods are used for final disposal which are given below:

Sanitary Landfill

• In this method the waste is spread in thin layers, then compacted, and covered with soil daily to prevent odors and leakage.
• Approximately 37% of municipal solid waste in Nepal is disposed of in sanitary landfills.

Dumping

• This is a common practice where waste is disposed of in open spaces which can lead to public health hazards and environmental pollution.

3R Method

There is a growing focus on the 3R principle (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle).

• Reduce: Minimizing generation of waste in the first place by repairing and reconditioning whole/part of products
• Reuse: Utilizing products again with the same/a different purpose
• Recycle: Disintegration of products and using its components as inputs for new processes/items

Composting

• Composting is similar to sanitary land-filling and it is popular in developing countries because decomposable organic matter is separated and composted in this procedure. They can be used as a base for fertilizers.
• Due to the high organic content (66%), composting is a preferred method for recovering resources.

Incineration Method

• Incineration is the process of removal of waste through thermal combustion.
• Wastes are collected and burnt in incinerators (boilers) at temperatures greater than 600°C.
• During burning, the heat is converted into energy.

Concept of Environmental Assessment

• Environmental assessment is the process of identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the various types of problems in air, water, soil, forests, and human health before the implementation of any project.
• If any project is done without approved Environment Assessment, then Fine/Compensation is added:
  • For BES: 5 lakhs (For Gov./ PVT. ltd)
  • For IEE: 10 lakhs (For Gov./ PVT. ltd)
  • For EIA: 50 lakhs (For Gov./ PVT. ltd)
• EA is classified into three types:
  • BES (Brief Environmental Study)
  • IEE (Initial Environmental Examination)
  • EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment)
• To implement these Environmental protection programs, the EPA (Environment Protection Act) and EPR (Environment Protection Regulations) are established.

Established

• First established:
  • EPA: 1997 (2053 BS)
  • EPR: 1997 (2053 BS)
• Current:
  • EPA: 2019 (2076 BS)
  • EPR: 2020 (2077 BS)

BES (Brief Environmental Study)

• It stands for Brief Environmental Study.
• It is the initial stage of environmental protection work.
• Brief Environmental Study (BES) means a study to be carried out in a brief form regarding measures to be adopted for the prevention or mitigation of adverse environmental impacts that may arise during the implementation of a proposal.
• It is done to check the possible environmental impacts of a project and to decide whether a detailed study (IEE or EIA) is needed or not before starting the project.
• It is suitable for very small project.
• Scoping is not required.
• As per legal provisions of the EPR 2077, BES shall be approved by concerned authority (753 local governments, Province and Central Government).
• Its requirements like:
  • budget low
  • time short
  • human resources few
• Public notice from local newspaper.

IEE (Initial Environmental Examination)

• It stands for Initial Environmental Examination.
• Initial environmental examination means the analytical study and assessment carried out to assertion whether the implementation of a proposal will cause significant adverse impacts on the environment and identify the measures that should be adopted to avoid, mitigate or minimize such impact.
• In simple words it is the simple study which is done to check whether a project will cause serious harm to the environment, and to find out what measure can be taken to prevent or reduce that harm.
• It is suitable for small scale project.
• As per legal provisions of the EPR 2077, IEE shall be approved by concerned authority (Province and Central Government).
• Scoping are not required.
• The format of TOR is in schedule 7.
• The report format are in schedule 11.
• The public notice should be provided from any local newspaper.
• It takes short time less budget and less human resources.

EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment)

• It stands for Environmental Impact Assessment.
• Environmental Impact Assessment means the detailed study and evaluation carried out to determine whether the implementation of a proposal will cause significant adverse effect on the environment, and to identify the measures that should be adopted to avoid, mitigate or minimize such effect.
• As per legal provisions of the EPR 2077, EIA shall be approved by Ministry of Forest and Environment (MOFE) through respected line ministry of Nepal Government.
• It is suitable for large scale project (Melamchi Khanepani, Nagdhunga Tunnel).
• Scoping are required.
  • Scoping is the step where we decide the environmental impact are importance.
• The format of TOR is in schedule 8.
• The report format are in schedule 12.
• The public notice should be provided from any one National Daily Newspaper and its website (Gorkhapatra, Kantipur, Kathmandu Post).
• It takes more time more budget and more human resources.

Explain Briefly About the Process of EIA (10)

Project Selection and Scoping

Initial Stage

• First of all, the project is identified.
• According to the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) and Environmental Protection Rules (EPR), and Schedule 3, it is examined whether the project requires EIA or not.

If EIA is Required

• If EIA is required, a Scoping Document must be prepared.
• For this purpose, public notice is published in the concerned area and written suggestions (public input) are collected.

Submission to Ministry

• The prepared Scoping Document is submitted to the concerned federal or provincial ministry.

Scoping and TOR Approval

Review and Approval

• The concerned ministry reviews the Scoping Document within 15 days and forwards it with comments and suggestions to the Ministry of Forests and Environment (MOFE).
• MOFE provides approval within 15 days.

Preparation of TOR

• After approval of scoping, the project proponent prepares the Terms of Reference (TOR) and submits it.

TOR Approval

• The ministry reviews and approves the TOR within 15 days.
• Thus, up to this stage, approximately 45 days are required.

EIA Report Preparation and Public Hearing

Public Hearing

• A public hearing is conducted at the project site.
• For this purpose, a 15-day public notice is published in a national daily newspaper.

Report Preparation

• Based on the approved scoping and TOR, and the suggestions received from the public hearing, the EIA report is prepared according to Schedule 12.

Language

• The EIA report must be prepared in Nepali language.
• In case of foreign investment, the report may be prepared in English, but the Executive Summary must be in Nepali.

Review and Recommendation

Submission of Report

• The prepared EIA report is submitted to MOFE through the concerned ministry.

Recommendation from Local Level

• Recommendation from the concerned local government must be obtained within 15 days.

Review Committee

• A Review Committee is formed to examine the EIA report.
• The draft report is published with a 15-day public notice to collect public opinions.

Time Period

• The review of the report is completed within 35 days.

Final Approval

Decision

• If all requirements are fulfilled, the ministry approves the EIA report.
• If not, the report may be rejected or sent back for revision.

Processing Time

• The maximum processing time for the entire EIA process is approximately 162 days.

Project Implementation

• The project must be started within 3 years of EIA approval.
• If not started, an extension of 2 years may be granted; otherwise, EIA must be conducted again.

Environmental Protection Plan

• Finally, according to Schedule 20, an Environmental Protection Plan must be prepared.
• Self-assessment must be conducted every six months, and the report must be submitted to the ministry.

EIA Process Flow Chart

• Project identification and scoping preparation
• 7 Day Public Notice (input from locals)
• Submission to Concerned Ministry
• MoFE Review and Approval of Scoping TOR
• Detailed EIA Study and Public Hearing
• Recommendation from Local Government
• Final EIA Report Submission to MoFE
• Review Committee Assessment (30 Days)
• Final Decision (Approval/Rejection)

Government Rules, Regulation and Procedures for BES, IEE and EIA

Rain Water Harvesting

Introduction

Rain water harvesting is the process of collecting, filtering and storing the rain water from surface, roof tops or open land for the purpose of

• irrigation
• drinking (after treatment)
• recharging ground water levels

As per Act and Regulation 2019, 2020

• Rain water harvesting falls under BES if it is part of small scale local project (small rural water supply schemes or small scale community farming project.)
• Rain water harvesting falls under IEE if it is part of medium scale commercial buildings or residential building (construction of a apartment complex, hotels, meeting the height area thresholds) must include the rain water harvesting as a mandatory mitigation measures to manage water demand.
• Rain water harvesting falls under EIA if it is part of massive infrastructures project. (large reservoirs, city supply)

Advantage of Rain Water Harvesting

Advantage of rain water harvesting are given below:

• To control the scarcity of water.
• Water security and self sufficiency.
• Ground water recharge.
• Control urban flood.

Disadvantage of Rain Water Harvesting

Disadvantage of rain water harvesting are given below:

• High initial installation cost.
• Regular maintenance required.
• The chance of contamination is high.
• The rain water is unreliable.

Chure Conservation Efforts in Nepal

President Chure-Conservation Program

• The Chure range consists of the youngest hills, which is formed by the river deposition during the formation of Himalayas around forty million years ago.
• The Chure range extends from the Indus river in Pakistan in the west to the Bharamaputra river of India in the east.
• This range is also known as "Shivalik". The Chure range expands over the 36 districts nearly covering the area of 800 Km from Ilam in the east to Kanchanpur in the west.
• This region covers about 12.78 percent of the total land area of Nepal.
• In most of the places the Chure adjoins the up hills of Terai and lower land of Mahabharat range and in some other places it has bifurcated into two ranges with valleys in between and forming the inner Terai with the Mahabharata range.
• The Chure range consist of unadjusted fluvial sediments.
• The rivers that origin from Mahabharata Range flows down hills towards the Terai plains making the landscape of this region more fragile.
• For the protection, conservation and development of the Chure region, the Government of Nepal has started the President Chure-Conservation Program from the fiscal year 2066/67.
• Further to ensure the efficient implementation of this conservation program the President Chure-Terai Madhesh Conservation Development Committee has been set up on June 16, 2014.
• The committee has developed and approved the master plan for the campaign and is implementing the plans/projects accordingly.

Main Objectives of the Master Plan

• To mitigate the damage likely to be caused by the climate change and natural disasters through ensuring the sustainable management of the natural resources (land, water, vegetation and biodiversity) of the Chure hills (including gullies) and Bhavar region, favorable to their geological, physiographical status and ecosystems.
• To mitigate the damage likely to be caused by the water induced disasters in the Chure hills, Dun and Terai Madhesh Landscape, and to continue the flow of the environmental services.
• Maintain accessibility in the household use of energy, and to increase the accessibility of the residents (especially from the Terai-Madhesh region) living far from the national forests, in the use of timber, wood and other energy resources.

Implementation

• Maintain accessibility in the household use of energy, and to increase the accessibility of the residents (especially from the Terai Madhesh region) living far from the national forests, in the use of timber, wood and other energy resources.

Main Programs

• Mitigation of natural resource degradation/decline
• Stabilization of environment and increase in productivity
• Mitigation of climate change and water-induced disaster risk impacts

Long / Descriptive Questions and Answers

Difference between IEE and EIA (5)

Explain Different Types of Environmental Impacts with Examples (5) or (10)

Environmental Impacts

Environmental impacts are the changes that occur in the environment due to a project, plan, or human activity.

It is classified into several types:

Positive Environmental Impact

Positive environmental impacts are the beneficial effects on the environment.

Examples:

• Plantation of trees improves air quality.
• Hydropower projects produce clean energy.
• Waste recycling reduces environmental pollution.

Negative Environmental Impact

Negative environmental impacts are the harmful effects on the environment.

Examples:

• Industrial emissions cause air pollution.
• Discharge of untreated wastewater pollutes rivers.
• Deforestation leads to loss of biodiversity.

Direct Environmental Impact

Direct impacts are the immediate effects of a project or activity.

Examples:

• Construction activities create dust and noise.
• Mining directly removes soil and vegetation.

Indirect Environmental Impact

Indirect impacts are the secondary effects that occur later.

Examples:

• Road construction increases traffic and air pollution.
• Dam construction causes population migration and pressure on natural resources.

Short-term Environmental Impact

Short-term impacts last for a limited period of time.

Examples:

• Noise during construction work.
• Temporary water pollution during bridge construction.

Long-term Environmental Impact

Long-term impacts last for a long period or permanently.

Examples:

• Climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions.
• Permanent loss of fertile agricultural land.

Reversible Environmental Impact

Reversible impacts are those that can be corrected or restored.

Examples:

• Noise pollution after construction ends.
• Dust pollution controlled by water sprinkling.

Irreversible Environmental Impact

Irreversible impacts are those that cannot be restored.

Examples:

• Extinction of plant and animal species.
• Permanent destruction of wetlands.

Explain Environmental Assessment (EA) Process in Nepal (5)

• Environmental assessment is the process of identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the various types of problems in air, water, soil, forests, and human health before the implementation of any project.
• The main purpose of EA is to protect the environment and support sustainable development.
• In Nepal, Environmental Assessment is conducted according to the Environmental Protection Act and Environmental Protection Rules.

Steps of Environmental Assessment Process

Screening

Screening is the first step of the Environmental Assessment process. It decides whether a project requires BES, IEE, or EIA based on its nature, size, and location.

Scoping

Scoping identifies the key environmental issues that need to be studied. It helps to set the boundary and focus of the assessment.

Baseline Environmental Study

This step studies the existing environmental condition of the project area, such as air, water, soil, forest, wildlife, and socio-economic condition.

Impact Identification and Prediction

In this step, possible positive and negative environmental impacts of the project are identified and their level is predicted.

Mitigation Measures

Appropriate measures are proposed to prevent, reduce, or control the negative environmental impacts.

Public Consultation

Local people and concerned stakeholders are informed about the project. Public hearing is mandatory for EIA projects in Nepal.

Preparation of EA Report

A detailed BES, IEE, or EIA report is prepared including impacts, mitigation measures, and Environmental Management Plan (EMP).

Review and Approval

The concerned authority reviews the report and provides environmental clearance if the report meets legal requirements.

Implementation of EMP

The Environmental Management Plan is implemented during construction and operation of the project.

Monitoring and Environmental Audit

Monitoring checks whether mitigation measures are properly applied, and environmental audit evaluates the overall environmental performance of the project.

Define EIA and Write Down the Importance of EIA in EA (5)

EIA stands for Environmental Impact Assessment. It is the detailed study and evaluation carried out to determine whether the implementation of a proposal will cause significant adverse effect on the environment, and to identify the measures that should be adopted to avoid, mitigate or minimize such effect.

The importance of EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) in EA is given below:

• to identify the probable environmental impacts of a project before implementation.
• to protect air, water, soil, forest, wildlife, and human health from possible damage.
• to find suitable mitigation measures to reduce negative environmental impacts.
• to support sustainable and environmentally sound development.
• to provide a scientific basis for decision-making on project approval.
• to ensure compliance with environmental laws, acts, and rules.
• to involve local people and stakeholders through public consultation.
• to reduce future environmental risks, conflicts, delays, and extra costs.
• to prepare an effective Environmental Management Plan (EMP).
• to ensure long-term environmental safety and protection for future generations.

Draw the Flow Chart of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Process (5)

(See the EIA Process Flow Chart given above under "Explain Briefly About the Process of EIA (10)".)