ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT STANDARD FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
ABSTRACT
The review of the Environmental Impact Assessment of study area revealed that some of the newly developed projects are characterized by severe shortage of basic services like potable water, well laid-out drainage system, sewerage network, sanitation facilities, electricity, roads and waste disposal. These in turn result in to numerous environmental and health impacts that must be addressed. The burden of resource use in upcoming buildings or urban housing projects can be minimized in many ways. Properly designed housing projects can provide numerous services such as purification of air and water, pollution control, mitigation of floods and droughts, re-generation of soil fertility, moderation of temperature extremes, climate change mitigation and enhancing the landscape quality.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background of the Study
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a formal study process used to predict the environmental consequences of any development project. It is a technique which is meant to help us understand the potential environmental impacts of major development proposals. This study aimed at prioritizing the most frequent environmental impacts, in order of their impact level, by investigating their frequency and consequences of occurrence.
Environmental Impact Assessment is the term used for the assessment of the environmental consequences (positive and negative) of a plan, policy, program, or concrete projects prior to the decision to move forward with the proposed action. In this context, the term ‘environmental impact assessment’ (EIA) is usually used when applied to concrete projects by individuals or companies and the term ‘strategic environmental assessment’ (SEA) applies to policies, plans and programmes most often proposed by organs of state (Fischer, 2016). Environmental assessments may be governed by rules of administrative procedure regarding public participation and documentation of decision making, and may be subject to judicial review.
The term Environmental Impact Assessment refers to the anticipation of various impacts of a project that will have on the environment and the local community. It is a decision making tool, which guides decision makers in taking appropriate decisions prior to sanctioning clearance of a project. EIA is an iterative process. The key stages in the process include proposal identification, screening, scoping, impact assessment, mitigation, review, decision making and follow up. EIA is integrated into the project development process and is not seen as a barrier to development.
Environmental protection is an important issue throughout the world (Tse and Raymond, 2001). Compared with other industries, construction is a main source of environmental pollution (Shen et al., 2005). Building construction and operations have a massive direct and indirect effect on the environment (Levin, 1997). Pollution sources from the construction process include harmful gases, noise, dust, solid and liquid waste (Chen et al., 2000). This issue has prompted many construction participants to attempt to control the impacts of their activities by adopting environmental management systems (Lam et al., 2011).
The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that decision makers consider the environmental impacts when deciding whether or not to proceed with a project. Environmental Impact Assessment are unique in that they do not require adherence to a predetermined environmental outcome, but rather they require decision makers to account for environmental values in their decisions and to justify those decisions in light of detailed environmental studies and public comments on the potential environmental impacts.
Engineering and construction companies work hand in hand as contractors for building companies executing Environmental Impact Assessment. Companies operating globally are an example of a much bigger pool of expertise globally. These contractors are the ones not only in charge of preparing an Environmental Impact Assessment study but most importantly getting these studies approved by each country government offices prior to the execution of a project. Each country will also have its own local contractors offering the same kind of service hence breaking out monopolies by increasing the supply of Environmental Impact Assessments execution consultants.
Awareness and knowledge are the main factors to intensify the sustainability movement (ZainulAbidin, 2010). The Nigerian government, professional bodies and private organizations have started several programs in order to enhance the awareness and knowledge of construction practitioners, and also to promote the application of sustainable principles within construction projects (ZainulAbidin, 2010). Unfortunately, the sustainability movement is a new concept for the construction industry in Nigeria and there is no comprehensive reference to inform construction practitioners of the riskiest environmental impacts due to the construction process. It is against this background that this study will examine the importance of environmental impact assessment on construction industry in Nigeria
1.1 Aim/Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study are:
- To examine the need for environmental impact assessment on construction industry.
- To find out the problems associated with carrying out environmental impact assessment on construction industry.
- To determine the ways by which these problems militating against environmental impact assessment on construction industry can be solved.
- To determine the causes of failure in implementation environmental impact assessment on construction industry.
- To identify how the construction industry constituted a major environmental problem in Nigeria.
1.2 Significance of the Study
- The significance of this study is that it will provide satisfactory replies to most questions that perturb the minds of policy formulators as it relates to the need for environmental impact assessment in Nigeria.
- The study is very important because it will serve as an eye opener to the construction industries on the need to recognize and appreciate the use of environmental impact assessment.
- It will enable policy makers involved in environmental impact assessment to know what is expected of them in assessing the impact of a construction industry on the environment.
- Finally, it will serve as a reference material for students in various institutions.
1.3 Scope/Limitations of the Study
The aim of the study is to examine the importance of environmental impact assessment on construction industry. The study will also examine if there is a need for environmental impact assessment on construction industry, the state of environmental impact assessment on construction industry done in Nigeria, the challenges associated with carrying out environmental impact assessment on construction industry as well as the ways by which the challenges associated with environmental impact assessment on construction industry can be ameliorated.
This research work was limited to the following factors:
Financial factors: Finance being the life wire of any business and any research work, has posed a major barrier that has immensely militated against the realization of this objective. The researcher faced inadequate finance for photocopying, browsing and typing of this work.
Time factor: Time has been a major constraint that has militated especially as the researcher had to carry it out in the midst of academic pressure.
Negative attitude of some people interviewed. Some of the people interviewed where not ready to give out the required information needed due to the fact that they think the researcher wants to know about their
