GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 5745

PURSUANT to regulation 21 of the Environmental Management and Co-ordination (Impact Assessment and Audit) Regulations, 2003, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has received an Environmental Impact Assessment Study Report for the above proposed project. The proponent, Kenneth Odongo Alwora proposes to establish a private hospital and its associated facilities with a main objective of providing modern health/medical services that is secure, comfortable and meets the required competitive standards on plot L.R. No. Butsotso/Shikoti/18683 in Emuhondo Village, Lurambi Sub-location, Kakamega County. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures: Possible Impacts Mitigation measures Increased storm water, runoff and soil erosion • Surface runoff and roof water shall be harvested and stored in underground reservoir for reuse. • A storm water management plan that minimizes impervious area infiltration by use of recharge areas and use of detention and/or retention with graduated outlet control structure will be designed. Increased solid waste generation • Use of an integrated solid waste management system i.e. through a hierarchy of options: 1. Source reduction 2. Recycling 3. Composting and reuse 4. Combustion 5. Sanitary land filling. • Through accurate estimation of the sizes and quantities of materials required, order materials in the sizes and quantities they will be needed, rather than cutting them to size, or having large quantities of residual materials. • Ensure that damaged or wasted construction materials including cabinets, doors, plumbing and lighting fixtures, marbles and glass will be recovered for refurbishing and use in other projects. • Donate recyclable/reusable or residual materials to local community groups, institutions and individual local residents or home owners. • Use of durable, long-lasting materials that will not need to be replaced as often, thereby reducing the amount of construction waste generated over time. • Provide facilities for proper handling and storage of construction materials to reduce the amount of waste caused by damage or exposure to the elements. • Use building materials that have minimal or no packaging to avoid the generation of excessive packaging waste. Dust emission • Ensure strict enforcement of on-site speed limit regulations. • Avoid excavation works in extremely dry weathers. • Sprinkle water on graded access routes when necessary to reduce dust generation by construction vehicles. • Personal Protective equipment to be worn. • Construction materials on site to be covered to prevent to be blown off by wind. Exhaust emission • Vehicle idling time shall be minimized. • Alternatively fueled construction equipment shall be used where feasible equipment shall be properly tuned and maintained. • Sensitize truck drivers to avoid unnecessary racing of vehicle engines at loading/offloading points and parking areas, and to switch off or keep vehicle engines at these points. Noise and vibration • Sensitize construction vehicle drivers and machinery operators to switch off engines of vehicles or machinery not being used. • Sensitize construction drivers to avoid gunning of vehicle engines or unnecessary hooting especially when passing through sensitive areas such as churches, residential areas and schools. • Ensure that construction machinery are kept in good condition to reduce noise generation. • Ensure that all generators and heavy duty equipment are insulated or placed in enclosures to minimize ambient noise levels. 2578 2578 • The noisy construction works will entirely be planned to be during day time when most of the neighbours will be at work. Increased energy consumption • Ensure electrical equipment, appliances and lights are switched off when not being used. • Install energy saving fluorescent tubes at all lighting points instead of bulbs which consume higher electric energy. High water demand • Promptly detect and repair of water pipe and tank leaks. • Ensure taps are not running when not in use. • Install a discharge meter at water outlets to determine and monitor total water usage. • Proper recycling of water from other uses for sprinkling dusty pavements. Minimize occupational health and safety risks • Ensure the general safety and security at all times by providing day and night security guards and adequate lighting within and around the premises. • Construction of a perimeter wall around the project area. Personal Protective Gear (PPG) • Suitable overalls, safety footwear, dust masks, gas masks, respirators, gloves, ear protection equipment etc should be made available and construction personnel must be trained to use the equipment. Health and safety impacts • Implement all necessary measures to ensure health and safety of workers and the general public during operation of the housing project as stipulated in OSHA, 2007. Fire protection • Firefighting equipment such as fire extinguishers should be provided at strategic locations such as stores and construction areas. • Regular inspection and servicing of the equipment must be undertaken by a reputable service provider and records of such inspections maintained. • Fire escape routes and assembly point to be marked. • Signs such as “NO SMOKING” must be prominently displayed within the premises, especially in parts where inflammable materials are stored. Sewage disposal • Provide adequate and safe means of handling sewage generated at the facility i.e. septic tanks. • Conduct regular inspections for drainage pipe blockages or damages and fix appropriately. • Ensure regular monitoring of the sewage discharged from the project to ensure that the stipulated sewage/effluent discharge rules and standards are not violated. Energy resource utilization • Switch off electrical equipment, appliances and lights when not being used. • Install occupation sensing lighting at various locations such as storage areas which are not in use all the time. • Install energy saving fluorescent tubes at all lighting points within the facility rooms instead of bulbs which consume higher electric energy. • Monitor energy use during the operation of the project and set targets for efficient energy use. • Sensitize occupants to use energy efficiently. Water consumption • Promptly detect and repair water pipe and tank leaks. • Management to conserve water e.g. by avoiding unnecessary toilet flushing. • Ensure taps are not running when not in use. • Install water conserving taps that turn-off automatically when water is not being used. • Install a discharge meter at water outlets to determine and monitor total water usage. Minimization of health and safety impacts • Implement all necessary measures to ensure health and safety of the workers and the general public during operation of the hospital facility as stipulated in OSHA, 2007. General safety and security • Ensure the general safety and security at all times by providing day and night security guards and adequate lighting within and around the premises. Infectious wastes • Chemical disinfection; Wet thermal treatment; Microwave irradiation; Safe burial on hospital premises; Sanitary landfill; Incineration (Rotary kiln; pyrolytic incinerator; single-chamber incinerator; drum or brick incinerator). Sharps • Chemical disinfection; Wet thermal treatment; Microwave irradiation; Encapsulation; Safe burial on hospital premises; Incineration (Rotary kiln; pyrolytic incinerator; single-chamber incinerator; drum or brick incinerator). Pharmaceutical waste • Sanitary landfill; Encapsulation; Discharge to sewer; Return expired drugs to supplier; Incineration (Rotary kiln; pyrolytic incinerator); Safe burial on hospital premises as a last resort. Genotoxic / cytotoxic waste • Return expired drugs to supplier; Chemical degradation; Encapsulation; Inertization; Incineration (Rotary kiln, pyrolytic incinerator). Chemical waste • Return unused chemicals to supplier; Encapsulation; Safe burial on hospital premises; Incineration (Pyrolytic incinerator; facility will have permits for disposal of general chemical waste (e.g. sugars, amino acids, salts) to sewer systems. Radioactive waste • Radioactive waste should be managed according to national requirements and current guidelines from the International Atomic Energy Agency. IAEA (2003). Management of Waste from the Use of Radioactive Materials in Medicine, Industry and Research. IAEA Draft. Safety Guide DS 160, 7 February 2003. High content of heavy metals waste • Safe storage site designed for final disposal of hazardous waste. Waste should not be burned, incinerated, or landfilled. Transport to specialized facilities for metal recovery. General healthcare waste • Halogenated plastics such as PVC should be separated from general health care facility waste to avoid disposal through incineration and associated hazardous air emissions from exhaust gases (e.g. hydrochloric acids and dioxins). Disposal as part of domestic waste. Food waste should be segregated and composted. Component wastes (e.g. paper, cardboard, recyclable plastics [PET, PE, PP], glass) should be segregated and sent for recycling where available. 11th June, 2021 THE KENYA GAZETTE The full report of the proposed project is available for inspection during working hours at: (a) Principal Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, NHIF Building, Community, P.O. Box 30126–00100, Nairobi. (b) Director-General, NEMA, Popo Road, off Mombasa Road, P.O. Box 67839–00200, Nairobi. (c) County Director of Environment, Kakamega County. A copy of the report can be downloaded at www.nema.go.ke The National Environment Management Authority invites members of the public to submit oral or written comments within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice to the Director-General, NEMA, to assist the Authority in the decision making process regarding this plan. Comments can also be emailed to dgnema@nema.go.ke MAMO B. MAMO, Director-General, MR/1813561 National Environment Management Authority.