Introduction
Establishing an industrial plant in any area usually has its share of benefits and harm on the locals. Particularly, construction of a smelting plant raises certain public health and social concerns. A feasibility study usually precedes the construction of any significant plant. The study assesses the credibility of the area to sustain the facility and the effect on the public health and environment. A legal memo is developed based on the conclusion of the study, and it outlines the legal issues that would emanate from the construction of the plant. The City of Riverside has asked for a legal memo outlining the potential regulations that could be developed to help limit the effect of the proposed expansion on public health, environment, and social live of the people. This paper investigates the effect the proposed expansion of RRE international company will impose on public health and environment. Particularly, the paper will focus on specific elements of RRE expansion including coal-fired power plant, water discharges into the Long Trout River from the smelter, and the low-income neighborhood proposed for the situation of the smelter. Thus, this memo is divided into three sections corresponding to the mentioned elements.
Operation of the Coal-fired Power Plant
Despite the benefits that will accompany the coal-fired power plant, including jobs opportunities, electricity and so forth, it raises concern about the likelihood of its adverse effects on the visibility and air quality inside and around the City of Riverside. The parties involved need to balance between benefits and adverse effects the establishment of a coal power plant might have, so that the company may implement strategies to reduce the impact of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs).
Impact on the environment and public health
Coal-fired power plants are an important source of hazardous air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulate. Additionally, such plants are the main point source category of arsenic, mercury, and hydrochloric acid emissions to air…In fact, a study in eastern Ohio attributed 70% of the mercury contained in rainfall to coal combustion (Environmental Health & Engineering [EHE], 2011, p.1).
These hazardous air pollutants can cause various negative health effects including injury to respiratory tract, eyes, and skin; negative effects on the critical organs such as kidney, lungs, and nerve system; the capacity to cause cancer; cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions; and impairment of nerve functions and learning ability. In addition, hazardous air pollutants from coal-fired power plants increase exposure to mercury in food, and airborne metal particulates places the major risk to public health and environment. Indeed, the coal-fired power plants may contribute considerably to deposition of mercury in water and soil.
Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has linked increased cases of cardiovascular conditions to fine particulate matter release into the air by a coal-fired power plant. In addition, particulate matter is responsible for increased cases of breathing problems and respiratory conditions including asthma (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA], 2010). EHE states that the environmental adverse effect of air pollutants emission include acidification, bioaccumulation of hazardous metals, contamination of oceans, lakes, and rivers, reduced visibility, and degradation of structures and monuments (2011, p.2).
Regulatory recommendations
The RRE Company must ensure that the stacks for expelling HAPs into the air must be as tall as possible because lower stacks lead to increased impacts near the source compared to higher stacks. Coal-fired power plants in the United States use stack heights ranging between 15 feet to 1.040 feet above the ground (USEPA, 2010). Coal-fired power plants are the leading emitters of mercury, acid gases, and toxic metals. The company should ensure utilization of technologies that are proven to help reduce emission of HAPs. The federal government should develop the standards for power plants to restrain their emission of HPAs, because there is none, although effective technologies are available to reduce emission of HAPs (EHE, 2011, p. 26). The company should also consider constructing the facility no less than one mile from residential and the Long Trout River. This recommendation is sound because, the greatest impacts of HAPs emissions on the ground level from coal-fired plant are normally within a mile’s range of the plant (EHE, 2011, p.26).
Operation of Smelter
Impact on public health and environment
Water used in a smelter cooling system and boiler usually accumulates pollutants. If the polluted water is discharged to the Long Trout River, pollutants can harm both flora and fauna. It might result in death of the fishes in the river. In addition, according to USEPA (2010), if rain falls on the metal ore reserved in heaps outside the facility, the runoffs flush heavy metals from the ore pile, especially lead and arsenic and wash them into the nearby Long Trout River. Other heavy metals associated with water discharge from smelters include manganese, selenium, nickel, chromium, cadmium, and beryllium. Such heavy metals are carcinogenic and may cause cancer of the lung, skin, kidney, and bladder. In addition, the toxic metals may negatively affect immune, respiratory, dermal, cardiovascular, and nervous system. Moreover, lead harms the developing nerves, and impairs learning, memory, and behavior. In addition, it may cause kidney and cardiovascular conditions, anemia, and weakness of the ankles, fingers, and wrist.
Regulatory recommendations
The RRE Company should ensure that the facility minimizes water discharges, and treat polluted water and recycle it to minimize contamination of water. In addition, the storm-water management program should include provision to control runoff and divert run-on away from the Large Trout River. The smelter stack height should be designed to raise the emission higher than the valley air zone to better improve dispersion. This caution may help reduce impact of HAPs. In addition, electrostatic receptors should be installed in the stacks to remove particulates from emissions. The company should install beneficiation, which include “thermal, electrochemical, chemical, magnetic, gravitational, and mechanical techniques for separating heavy metals from discharge water” (Science Applications International Corporation [SAIC], 1995). Moreover, the facility should have process cushion, ponds, and piping structures for cooling and boilers water, incorporated with containment ponds to prevent release of discharge waters.
Site of Smelter
Impact on public health
Public health issues that may arise from the situation of the smelter include health problems arising from metals emissions. Exposure to sulfur dioxide poses a temporary public health problem to asthmatic. According to the Agency for Toxic Substance & Disease Register [ATSDR] (2009), metal particulates in the air may lead to increased lung cancer mortality rates. Adults and children playing and working in their yards and nearby contaminated areas are more exposed to pollutants because all residence is linked to a community water supply from the Large Trout River and contaminated water is a key source of exposure (ATSDR, 2009).
Lead poisoning is another public health concern attributed to smelters. Lead contact in children is especially hazardous since they absorb lead more easily relative to adults. Lead affects the growth and development of preschool children and cause learning disability and effects that are more serious. High lead levels impair several body systems including “neurological, renal, reproductive, gastrointestinal, and hematopoietic systems in the body…impairment of the neurological system in children that lead to behavioral and developmental problem” (ATSDR, 2009). In addition, arsenic exposure is associated with certain public health concern. Arsenic has negative affects on the respiratory tract, central nervous system, the kidneys, the hematopoietic, the heart, and the liver.
General recommendations
The RRE Company should take remedial action to circumvent exposure during clean-up activities. The company and/or the government should educate the public on the negative health effects associated with lead and arsenic emission from prospective smelter. ATSDR (2009) argues that such awareness should encompass methods of controlling and lowering exposure to contaminated dust during the cleanup. “Blood level lead testing for children between age 0-5 old who have not been initially tested, and follow-up blood screening for lead in 6 months interval during the clean up” (ATSDR, 2009).
Conclusion
Although expansion of plant has obvious beneficial results to the general economy and the local community, its adverse effects can outweigh the benefits. Therefore, government agencies and community representatives must ensure that proper preventive measures are put in place to curb such adverse effects. The right of the citizen must always be a priority.
Reference list
Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Register [ATSDR]. (2009). Public health Assessment & health consultation. Buford: Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry. Web.
Environmental Health & Engineering [EHE]. (2011). Emission of hazardous air Pollutants from coal-fired power plants. Needham: Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc
Science Applications International Corporation [SAIC]. (1995). Pollution prevention Environmental impact reduction checklists for nepa/309 reviewers U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Federal Activities.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2010). Water discharge. Web.