18
Waste, Noise and Air Quality (I-18)
This topic addresses the management of waste, noise and air quality issues associated with the project. The intent is that noise and air quality in the vicinity of the project are of a high quality and not adversely impacted by project activities, and that project wastes are responsibly managed.
18.1
Background Information
The project’s construction site is complex, with several locations of construction, tunnelling, an ‘industrial plant’ (crushing and concrete batching, and a fuel station), two camps (left bank and right bank), smaller facilities (such as the small concrete plant, and the plant nursery), and the TL. It produces a wide range and a large volume of solid waste, hazardous wastes and spoil. By the end of 2014, it had produced 12,500 tonnes of solid waste, not including spoil. Tunnelling, blasting and crushing, the use of the helicopter for the TL construction, generators, and the access road and vehicles are sources of noise and air pollution. The community of Huanipampa is sandwiched between the left and right bank camps, but most other centres of population are some distance from the sites. The nearest landfill site that conforms to modern standards is at Lima, where all of Peru’s landfills are located. The management of wastewater and effluents are addressed under I‐17.
18.2
Detailed Topic Evaluation 18.2.1
Assessment
Analysis against basic good practice Scoring statement: Waste, noise and air quality issues relevant to project implementation and operation have been identified through an assessment process utilising appropriate expertise; and monitoring is being undertaken during the project implementation stage appropriate to the identified issues. The 2010 Walsh hydropower project EIA and 2012 JGP TL EIA include an initial identification of waste, noise and air quality legal requirements, issues for both implementation and operation stages, and initial proposals for management measures. These and the subsequent ESHSMP (see Management below) were prepared using appropriate expertise. Procedures for waste, noise and air quality management, as described under Management, also identify legal requirements. Monitoring has been undertaken as follows, and is summarised in EGH’s annual report on environmental management:
Monthly reports on kilograms of waste produced in recyclable and non-recyclable categories, describing the type of waste (for example non-recyclable includes oil-contaminated cloth, fluorescent lights, hospital waste, domestic waste), source, and destination. The reports provide charts for volumes in the preceding year for metals, wood, paper / cardboard, plastics, waste oils, hazardous waste, and domestic waste; Monthly letters to OEFA detailing the kilograms of hazardous waste produced and their final disposal; Air quality monitoring in five locations at the site (powerhouse site at Santa Rita, between the concrete plant and Higrompampa community, right bank camp, left bank camp, and at Huanipampa), conducted quarterly (in February, May, August and November during 2014) of PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, and H2S; Noise monitoring in the same five locations, also quarterly (in February, May, August and November) of daytime and night-time dB(A) (A-weighted decibels); Measurement of soil contamination (benzenes, toluenes, polychlorinated biphenyl and others) at five locations (2 points at the industrial plant, left bank camp, powerhouse, and one of the tunnel shafts);
Chaglla, Peru
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