Posted: November 19th, 2022

Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures

Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures for the proposed Chinese Center

Engineering and Construction

Introduction
The main purpose of this report is to identify the environmental impacts and the mitigation measures during the construction and the operation phases of the proposed Chinese Center whose construction had already begun in South Ai Hall. The project is designed to have more than 100 stores in the multi-storeyed building and will deliver a world class shopping experience, dining and entertainment options that will appeal to and attract the residents of Ai Hall and Ai Seeb. The site is near the Shell Petrol Station in South Ai Hall and is easily accessible through the nearby service road as well as the Sultan Qaboos Highway. The direction for this report falls under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) guidelines of the Environmental Protection and Pollution Control Act (EPPCA) of the Sultanate. The environmental impact for the proposed construction project will be based on the possible structural environment conflicts, and thereafter suggest the possible mitigation measures to avoid permanent impact on the environment.
1. The Environmental Impacts during the Construction Phase
The environmental impacts during this phase are concentrated in the working area. This stage often introduces wastes from construction materials, land degradation, local air pollution, and water pollution among others. Here are the probable impacts during the construction phase for the proposed multi-storeyed Chinese Center;
a. Loss of Habitats for Flora and Fauna
Vegetation defines the environment and normally can modify the local as well as the global climates. The flora, often than not, creates habitation for fauna, and consequently, de-vegetation during clearing of the construction site is likely to negatively impact fauna by creating ecological disturbance. Vegetation is food for certain animals and also fortifies soil structure, and prevents erosion. Also, microorganisms flourish in such soils and therefore help in soil enrichment. Therefore, construction impacts the environment by minimizing the natural processes of the existing ecosystem.
b. Occupation Health Risks (OSH)
OSH risks likely to occur include fire, intoxication, and injuries from equipment and injurious substances. The sources of occupation risks are likely to occur from moving parts of equipment (like grinders, tractors, et cetera), open pits, open flames, corrosive chemicals, radiation exposures, sharp edges, et cetera. Also, fire might occur due to exposure to flammable gases and liquids, heat producing materials and burning fuels among others. Fire can be tragic due to the nearby Shell Petrol Station. Finally, the environment risks intoxication from smoke, corrosive chemicals, and other toxic substances.
c. Construction Wastes Impact
Wastes from construction sites pose a great hazard due to no proper care and handling systems. These wastes include stone shavings, bricks, soils, construction effluents, asphalt, cements, ceramics, wood shavings, plastics, et cetera. These wastes can cumulatively, with other activities, cause a change in the microclimate. Also, these wastes can result in soil, air and water contamination, and result in health issues like respiratory diseases, skin disorder, breathing complications, et cetera.
d. Air Pollutant Emission
The pollutants emission during construction phase can pose health problems to both human and the environment. Pollutants come from dusts from the soils during excavation, break carvings, track movements hence loosening of soils, and the cements among other materials. Air pollutants also come from engines that emit oxides of sulphur, nitrogen, and carbon which are great contributors to negative environment and human health.
e. Vibrations and Noise Impacts
Noise and vibrations from tracks, machines, and construction activities from the construction of the Chinese Center for retail and leisure destination also have major environmental impact. Noise can create disturbances or nuisance and even result in the workers’ ear damage.
2. Environmental Risks Mitigation Measures during the Construction Phase
The following proposed mitigation measures are meant to minimize or eliminate the effects of impacts to the environment during the construction phase. The regulations as per the Laws for Construction should be followed to the latter. Also, the construction should adhere to the Law for Waste in tackling and managing wastes. Noise, air, and water pollution measures should also be proposed during construction. Finally, the excavated soils should be deposited in certain areas that would ensure that they are utilized in reshaping and rehabilitating the degraded zones. The following mitigation measures apply during the construction phase of the proposed project;
Mitigating the impacts of construction project on the flora and fauna requires the following measures; first, landscaping using indigenous species is recommended on completion of construction. Second, during construction, the terraces, landscaped gardens, and vegetation should be maintained and only those in the construction zones should be cleared if necessary. Lastly, there should be a demarcation of where clearing should reach.
Mitigation measures for OSH risks can be initiated by the OSH plan, a process that provides risks and their management strategies. Well labeled hazards, proper use of personal protective equipment, frequent monitoring to identify and manage risks, ensuring sufficient security within and around the construction site, sufficient training on OSH regulations, secure storage, chemical labeling, maintain the MSDs, and establishing good emergency procedures.
There are various ways to mitigate environmental impacts from wastes from the construction site. The EMCA regulation on waste puts responsibility and accountability for waste management on the owner of the project. The suitable collection and waste disposal facilities should be put in place. After the daily activities, the wastes should be collected and appropriately sorted for disposals. The project managers and teams must make sure that all the materials are dumped into their respective legally acceptable dumbing areas. Furthermore, the management should think of innovative ideas and creative opportunities for regulating, reducing, reusing, recovering, recycling, renovating and rethinking of the uses of any waste.
For air pollution, the mitigation measures include sprinkling water before excavation to reduce raising dusts, enclosing the structures using dust proof nets, using machine that has reduced emission during the burning of fossil fuel, controlling the speed of the vehicles at the construction site, maintaining the engines on a regular basis, use cleans fuels (unleaded gas), and create awareness by training workers on techniques that reduce air pollutants.
Finally, the following are the proposed ways to mitigate noise impact on the environment. First, equipment with noise suppression technology should be used during construction. Second, the workers should be given the PPEs. Third, the project needs to effect the use of signage that alert people on the noisy condition. Also, the construction time should be limited to between 0800 HRS to 1700 HRS.
3. The Environmental Impacts during the Operation Phase
Operations are likely to have even more impacts on the environment. The project’s activities can introduce infectious and hazardous wastes, pollution of water and air from the discharges, and potential exposure to infections in the line of occupation. These impacts include;
a. Micro-climate modification
The area of the site is quite minute to hold any quantifiable microclimatic change. However, it has a potential to add cumulative impact on the environment together with other infrastructural developments projects that emit greenhouse gases (GHGs). Also, a change in land surface from natural vegetation to build up landscape affects the microclimate through a reduction of evapotranspiration, therefore introducing natural sink.
b. Increase in Air Pollution
In addition to other projects and the activities therein, the proposed project would emit pollutants that pose risks to the general ecosystem health. Pollutants expected from the project during its operations are carbon dioxides, carbon monoxides, sulphur oxides, oxides of nitrogen, and dusts and particulates. These pollutants come from fossil fuels, and burning activities from vehicles, water pumps, generators, welding, et cetera. The risks they render include GHG, acid run-off, suffocation, climate modification, respiratory diseases, smog, et cetera.
c. Generation of Wastes
During the operation phase, the project is expected to generate several streams of wastes emanating from the stores and leisure. The likely wastes will be office and kitchen wastes, garbage, liquid wastes, sewerage, grey water, and water heat. The associated risks include water pollution, nuisances, air pollution when they decompose, respiratory illness, and waterborne diseases. Sewerage and gray water may cause subsurface and surface pollution, and contaminate both air and soil. Finally, there is a likelihood that waste heat from power generators, water pumps, machine cooling water, electronics, and air conditioning can lead to thermal pollution, and microclimatic modification.
d. OSH Risks
These risks are probable injuries from equipment and substances, fire risks, and intoxication. Sources of these dangers are moving parts, trucks and vehicles, parking barriers (can hit people), slippery floor, electricity dangers, chemicals, fuels, et cetera.
4. Environmental Risks Mitigation Measures during the Operation Phase
The following proposed mitigation measures are meant to minimize or eliminate the effects of impacts to the environment at operation phase;
The mitigation measure to reduce the effects of microclimate modification would require the use of renewable energy sources, for instance, solar and wind energy. Paving should not be done aimlessly, but orderly, to reduce the reflection resulting from solar radiations. Also, the machines and vehicles should use clean fuels like desuphurized and unleaded fuels. Moreover, a sustainable drainage system would be commendable since it mimics the natural percolation of water right into the soil.
To reduce air pollution at the operation phase, the toxic gas emission from the vehicles can be reduced through filtering by the use scrubbers installed at the exhausts. Moreover, clean sources of energy like wind and solar energy, use of unleaded and desuphurized fuels, banning combustion of wastes at the site, and use of machines that emit fewer pollutants are also recommended.
The best way to mitigate risks due to wastes generation is to have a well-planned waste management initiative. The management can use waste minimization approaches like buying in bulk, allocating responsibilities to licensed waste handling personnel, buying preprocessed products, availing waste collection facilities and points, and providing bins that are color coded for waste sorting. Lastly, the waste collection points must be protected from the rain as well as vandalism from animals.
Mitigation measures for OSH risks can be initiated by the OSH plan, a process that provides risks and their management strategies. Well labeled hazards, proper use of personal protective equipment, frequent monitoring to identify and manage risks, ensuring sufficient security within and around the construction site, sufficient training on OSH regulations, secure storage, chemical labeling, maintain the MSDs, and establishing good emergency procedures.
Conclusion
The impacts that are anticipated in the project must be contained by mitigation measures; otherwise, the smooth project implementation would be compromised. No risks should be overlooked when handling big projects like the construction of the multi-storeyed Chinese Center for leisure and retail. All the undertakings must be in accordance to the environment laws and regulations governing construction projects.

Bibliography
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Nemry, F., Uihlein, A., Colodel, C.M., Wetzel, C., Braune, A., Wittstock, B., Hasan, I., Kreißig, J., Gallon, N., Niemeier, S. and Frech, Y., 2010. Options to reduce the environmental impacts of residential buildings in the European Union—Potential and costs. Energy and Buildings, 42(7), pp.976-984.
Zolfagharian, S., Nourbakhsh, M., Irizarry, J., Ressang, A. and Gheisari, M., 2012. Environmental impacts assessment on construction sites. In Construction Research Congress 2012: Construction Challenges in a Flat World (pp. 1750-1759).

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