Industrial wastewater management
Effluent means wastewater of any type that is discharged (flows out) from a pipe or other structure.
Effluent produced by an industry should meet the national guideline values of wastewater quality before it is released into rivers, streams or even municipal sewer systems. However, it is beyond your mandate to check on this. If you have any concerns, you should request inspection by experts such as occupational and environmental health officers in the district or higher administrative bodies. Given the expansion of agricultural-led industrialisation in rural areas, the challenge of industrial pollution is likely to increase in the future. In your role as a community health professional, you can assist a relevant expert by providing the necessary information to your immediate supervisor to facilitate the enforcement of environmental law in your locality. You are not expected to take actions by yourself. Public health complaints by community members should also be communicated to the relevant officers for timely action.
Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a preliminary step in in the planning phase of major development projects. It is a systematic process of assessing the possible impacts that a proposed project may have on the environment. The process usually requires the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that should report on the findings of the EIA and recommend ways of reducing or mitigating any negative environmental impacts, including possible alternative actions.