Environmental management instruments for port areas

1. Environmental management instruments for port areas Luc Hens & Lien Verbeeck Human Ecology Department Free University of Brussels Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels Human.ecology@vub.ac.be http://www.vub.ac.be/MEKO/

2. Environmental problems related to port activities • Changes in sea flow patterns • Coastal erosion and siltation • Disturbance of benthic organisms • Oil pollution • Loss of habitat • Air pollution • Noise and vibrations • Disposal of wastewater • Land use

3. Instruments to manage environmental problems • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) • Environmental Management Systems (EMS) • Risk Assessment (RA)

4. EIA • Procedure for encouraging decision makers to take account of the possible effects of development investments on environmental quality and natural resource productivity • Tool for collecting and assembling data planners need to make development projects more sustainable and environmentally sound • Goal: prevention of environmental damage or degradation as result of human action

5. Procedure for EIA

6. Screening • Step 1: Is the project listed in Annex I or II (Directive 85/337/EEC)? • No : EIA not required • yes: Step 2 • Step 2: Is the project on a mandatory list of the member State? • Yes: EIA required • No: Step 3 • Step 3: Is the project on an exclusion list? • Yes: EIA not required • no: Step 4

7. Step 4: Case by case: Is the project likely to have significant effects on the environment? • Yes: EIA required • No: EIA not required

8. Scoping • Baseline study: • Description of the project and possible alternatives • Description of the existing environment • Description of the aspects, methods and depth of EIS

9. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) • This report contains: • A summary (conclusions, areas of controversy, issues to be resolved) • Project description • Description of alternatives (location, project design, technology,…) • Aspects of the environment likely to be affected: description and assessment • Measures to prevent, reduce or offset adverse impacts • Non-technical summary • Technical deficiencies and lack in know-how

10. Review • Quality control • Review of the adequacy of EIS • Before EIS can be used for decision making • By the competent authority or independent experts

11. Public involvement • Right of the public (Arhus convention) • At 2 stages of the procedure: after scoping and after EIS review • Active versus passive pubic involvement

12. Monitoring Decision • Measures to be integrated in (building, exploitation) permits Follow up Feed back

14. Initial environmental audit • Identification of environmental aspects: • Activities • Products • Services • Identification of (legal, environmental) requirements related to these aspects

15. Environmental policy • Port authorities commitment to environmental improvement • Foundation for the EMS • General by nature • Framework to set environmental objectives and targets • Used for planning and action

16. Example of an environmental policy • The port commits to : • Develop projects in a manner that provides for sustainable use of the marine ecosystem and to design all infrastructures in such a way as to minimise their environmental impacts. • Minimise any significant adverse environmental impact through preparation and implementation of comprehensive environmental management plans. • Develop indicators of environmental performance by the authority concerned, and includes statistics on these indicators in annual reports to government.

17. Run maintenance operations in ways that enables adherence to environmental regulations, prevention of pollution, reduction of waste, recovery and recycling materials wherever possible. • Maintain the project area in a manner that values its vegetation and its aesthetic appearance. • Involve and communicate with community groups sharing common environmental resources • Extent environmental education and training to all employees concerned. • Encourage the use of environmental management procedures by contractors.

18. Planning • Formulation of a programme to put policy into practice • Designation of responsibilities and time frames • Integration with other managerial plans, strategies and budgets

19. Implementation • Allocation of functions and responsibilities • Training and motivation of employees • Communications on environmental issues • Identifications of potential emergencies and procedures to prevent them and respond them

20. Training • Every port member needs to be trained • Significant environmental impacts related to their tasks should be clear

21. Communication • Internal communication • Communication between different functions and levels within the port • External communication • Communication with the neighbourhood, authorities and the public • Yearly reports, visits, open door events, press conferences

22. Auditing • Periodical evaluation of the functioning of the EMS • Internal and external evaluation • Identification of problems

23. EMS review • EMS is evaluated to optimize its effectiveness • Review ensures continuous improvement

24. The use of EMS in ports Results of European projects: • 1 Self Diagnosis Method (SDM) • Environmental review method for ports • Questionnaires covering all fields of environmental topics that face ports • 2 DATABASE • Environmental legislation • Links to relevant studies • Short descriptions of environmental solutions • Case studies

25. 3 METHODOLOGICAL GUIDE • Working sheets: practical information on a tangible subject (e.g. painting of ships, dredging) • Information sheets: general guidelines on the way a port may adjust environmental activities 4 EMS • Environmental Management and Audit scheme for port communities • Focuses on port authorities, industrial facilities located within the port, companies running port terminals

26. 5 Decision Support System • Basis: environmental problems that arise from port activities • DSS describes effects and solutions • 6 Port Environmental Review System • Good practices to review and report aspects of port environmental management • First step to implement ISO 14001 or EMAS • 7 ECO-WEBSITE contains: • Contact info of participating ports, latest news, information on environmental issues and developments in port environmental management

27. Risk Analysis

28. Risk Analysis

29. 1 Hazard identification: determines whether • a particular danger exists • effects associated with the hazard are significant 2 Exposure assessment • Determines the extend of exposure to the hazardous agent 3 Risk characterization • Describing the nature and magnitude of risks, including uncertainties 4 Risk management • Decisions about accomplishing management to prevent risks

30. Risk analysis in ports Important steps: • Identification of vessel traffic intensity, vessel type, design and construction • Identification of characteristics of hazardous substances handled by the port • Identification of failure scenarios • Determination of accident probability • Estimation of the consequences of an incident

31. Example: RA in case of release of a hazardous substance • Identification of the substance • - Name and CAS number of substances released or markings on tank, car, truck or vessel. • - Physical state of released substance • - Source of release • - Approximate volume of release and/or total volume of source • - Media into which release has occurred and anticipated movement of spill • - Local terrain/ accessibility • - Distance to drinking water supplies

32. Distance to population centres and public areas • Distance to sewers • - Distance from other hazardous substances • - Distance to food and feed facilities • Whether conditions currently at site or forecast over next 24 h • Injured people • Threat of fire • Determination of the response procedure • Mechanical: e.g. dredging, skimming, pumping • Physical: e.g. activated carbon or zeolites • Chemical: addition of a reactive chemical

33. Conclusion • 1 General instruments for EM become more and more specific in their application to ports 2 Fast development in support systems 3 Networking among ports