GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 9906

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 Tai Lifestyle Limited, proposes to establish and manage an asbestos corrugated sheets disposal site. The strategy for disposal will be pit burial at a depth of 3 meters which will be excavated and lined with concrete and high density polythene to prevent soil and underground water contamination. The dimension of each pit are as follows; length 36m, breadth 14m and height 3m. The expected volume of the asbestos corrugated sheets is approximately 30,000 tonnes. The disposal of the sheets will be sectional, using and closing up filled up sections accordingly. The propose project will be on Plot L.R. No. 12177/68 in Sagalla, Taita Taveta County. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures: Environmental Impacts Potential Mitigation Measures Loss of grazing areas and wildlife habitat • Preserve as possible indigenous trees and other vegetation cover that need not be removed. Destruction of physical environment • Restore degraded areas through landscaping by sediment binding grasses and trees. • Retain the excavated soil to be used in backfilling the disposal pits. Occupational safety and health risks • Register the site as a workplace with the DOSHS. Environmental Impacts Potential Mitigation Measures • Obtain insurance cover for the workers at the site. • Provide adequate and appropriate PPE to workers and visitors to the site and enforce on their use. • Provide employees with correct tools and equipment for the jobs assigned and train on their use. • Ensure moving parts of machines and sharp surfaces are securely protected with guards. • Provide first aid services and emergency vehicle at the site. • Comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2007. Air pollution • Sprinkle water at the excavation areas to suppress dust. • Use of serviceable machinery/equipment and trucks. • Procure and enforce the use of dust masks to workers and visitors to the project site. • Monitor fugitive emissions. • Comply with the Air Quality Regulations, 2014. Noise Pollution • Procure and provide adequate ear muffs to workers and visitors to the site and enforce their use. • Sensitize truck drivers to avoid unnecessary hooting and running of vehicle engines. • Comply the Noise and Excessive Vibration Pollution (Control) Regulations, 2009. Solid waste generation • Use the generated overburden in backfilling and landscaping. • Procure and strategically place adequate solid waste collection bins with a capacity for segregation. • Procure a sizeable central solid waste collection bin with chambers to accommodate separated waste. • Sensitize construction workers on proper waste management • Procure the services of a NEMA licensed waste handler to dispose of the solid waste. • Comply with the Waste Management Regulations, 2006. Water demand and effluent generation • Sensitize the workforce on the need to conserve the available water resources. • Monitor the amount of water being abstracted from the borehole. • Procure and deliver to the site mobile toilets from a NEMA licensed waste contractor. • Comply with Water Quality Regulations, 2006. Littering during transportation • The ACMs waste should be transported to the disposal site in an enclosed vehicle or container. 6680 6680 Environmental Impacts Potential Mitigation Measures • Vehicles transporting the asbestos waste should be licensed as per the Waste Management Regulations, 2006. • Ensure all persons involved in handling and disposal of asbestos adhere to the stipulations set under the National Guidelines on Safe Management and Disposal of Asbestos, 2011. Safety and health risks • Train workers on asbestos handling. • Fence the disposal site using a chain link with an access gate to control access with clear hazard demarcations. • Provide adequate and appropriate PPE to all workers, train them on correct use and enforce their use • Comply with the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2007 and the National Guidelines on Safe Management and Disposal of Asbestos, 2011. Air pollution • Provide adequate and appropriate PPE to all workers, train them on correct use and enforce their use. • Lower the ACMs gently into the disposal site to avoid breakages. • Wet any cracked pieces of ACMs to prevent release of the asbestos fibers. • Comply with the provisions of the National Guidelines on Safe Management and Disposal of Asbestos, 2011 and the Air Quality Regulations, 2014. Noise pollution • Provide earmuffs to employees and visitors to the disposal site. • Comply with the Noise and Excessive Vibration Pollution (Control) Regulations, 2009. Contamination of surface and ground water • The pits should be shallow and as such do not pose a threat to the water table. • The design of the site should include appropriate drainage channels so as to divert surface runoff from the disposal area. • Comply with the provisions of the Waste Management Regulations, 2006 and the National Guidelines on Safe Management and Disposal of Asbestos, 2011. Soil contamination • The burial pits should be lined with concrete. • Ensure the burial pits are fully covered with the HDP liner. • Construct a concrete paved area to be used for clean-up activities • Waste water from the clean-up area should be directed towards the established water drains. • The contaminated soil during clean-up activities should be removed and disposed of at the disposal site. Solid waste generation • Asbestos contaminated PPE should be disposed in the disposal pits. • Comply with the provisions of the Waste Management Regulations, 2006 and the Environmental Impacts Potential Mitigation Measures National Guidelines on Safe Management and Disposal of Asbestos, Water and effluent generation • Sensitize the workforce at the site on the need to conserve the available water resources • Construct sanitation facilities for use by workforce. • Install and commission a bio-digester to manage the generated effluent. • Monitor the quality of the effluent from the bio-digester. • Apply for and obtain an Effluent Discharge License from NEMA. • Comply with the of the Water Quality Regulations, 2006. Economic decline • Train employees on alternative livelihoods prior to decommissioning. • Prepare and issue recommendation letters to the workers to seek alternative employment opportunities. • Review potential job opportunities in other ongoing contracts by the proponent and recommend the employees who qualify. • Comply with labor laws by paying the employees their terminal dues. Creation of ecologically vulnerable land • Maintain the warning signs, fence and gate to prevent vandalism and interference of the disposal site. • Rehabilitate the site through planting grass and appropriate tree species in consultation with the KFS. 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, 12th Floor, Ragati Road, Upper Hill, 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, Taita Taveta 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 project. Comments can also be emailed to dgnema@nema.go.ke MAMO B. MAMO, Director-General, MR/3869021 National Environment Management Authority.