Chapter 5: Environmental Engineering

• Environmental or Sanitary Engineering

  The application of engineering principles under certain constraints, for the protection and enhancement of the quality of the environment and public health and welfare
• Role of Environmental Engineer

  • To design structures, equipment, and systems
  • material recovery facility
  • waste to energy facilities
  • waste disposal facility
  • water supply / distribution systems
  • wastewater treatment facilities
• Environmental Laws and Policies

  DENR- EMB (Philippines)

  • formulates plans, programs, and appropriate environmental quality standards for the prevention and control of pollution and the protection of the environment, and ensures their implementation
• Environmental Laws and Policies

  • Ecological Solid Waste Management Act - RA 9003
  • Toxic Substances & Hazardous Waste Management Act - RA 6969
  • Clean Air Act of 1999 - RA 8749
  • Clean Water Act of 2004 - RA 9275
  • Water Quality Guidelines & General Effluent Standards - DAO 2016-08
• Environmental Laws and Policies

  Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003)

  • reduce, reuse, recycle, recovery
  • ban open burning of solid waste
  • phase out open dumping; promote sanitary landfill
  • non-segregation of waste is illegal
  • phase out non-recyclable packaging materials
  • establish recycling centers
  • prepare 10-year SWM programs (LGUs)
• Environmental Laws and Policies

  Toxic Substances and Hazardous Waste Management Act (RA 6969)

  • REGULATE, RESTRICT or PROHIBIT the importation, manufacture, processing, handling, storage, transportation, sale, distribution, use & disposal of all unregulated chemical substances & mixtures that present unreasonable risk and/or injury to health or the Philippine environment.
  • PROHIBITION of entry, transit, as well as storage & disposal of hazardous & nuclear wastes into the country
  • Promotes advancement in research studies regarding toxic chemicals.
• Environmental Laws and Policies

  Clean Air Act of 1999 (RA 8749)

  • Bans incineration or burning of wastes which emits poisonous & toxic fumes
  • Promotes non-burn technologies for handling, treatment, thermal destruction, utilization, and disposal of sorted, un-recycled, un-composted biomedical and hazardous waste
• Environmental Laws and Policies

  Clean Water Act of 2004 (RA 9275)

  • aim to protect water bodies from pollution from land-based sources (industries, commercial establishments, agriculture & household)
  • provides for a comprehensive and integrated strategy to prevent and minimize pollution through a multi- sectoral and participatory approach involving all the stakeholders
• Environmental Laws and Policies

  Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standards (DAO 2016-08)

  1. Water body classification
  2. Determination of time trends
  3. Evaluation of stages of water quality enhancement / deterioration
  4. Basis for taking positive actions for prevention, control, or abatement of water pollution
  5. Designation of water quality management areas
  6. Set the GES
• Environmental Laws and Policies

  Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standards (DAO 2016-08)

  • DAO 2021-19 is an update to DAO 2016-08
  • Ammonia as NH3-N
  • Boron
  • Copper as Dissolved Copper
  • Fecal Coliform
  • Phosphate as Phosphorus
  • Sulfate
• Environmental Issues

  • air pollution
  • climate change
  • soil and land pollution
  • loss of biodiversity
  • public health concerns
  • water pollution
• SDGs

  • 6 clean water and sanitation
  • 7 affordable and clean energy
  • 9 industry, innovation, and infrastructure
  • 11 sustainable cities and communities
  • 12 responsible consumption and production
  • 13 climate action
• CAREER: Duties of Environmental Engineers

  • Prepare, review, and update environmental investigation reports

  • Design projects that lead to environmental protection, such as water reclamation facilities or air pollution control systems

  • Obtain, update, and maintain plans, permits, and standard operating procedures

  • Provide technical support for environmental remediation projects and for legal actions
• CAREER: Duties of Environmental Engineers

  • Analyze scientific data and do quality-control checks

  • Monitor the progress of environmental improvement programs

  • Inspect industrial and municipal facilities and programs in order to ensure compliance with environmental regulations

  • Advise corporations and government agencies about procedures for cleaning up contaminated sites
• Environmental Engineering vs. Environmental science

  Environmental science

  • combines disciplines and methodologies from the biological, information, chemical and physical sciences to study the environment and the impact from external factors like urban development and population growth
• Environmental Engineering vs. Environmental science

  Environmental Engineering

  • focus on combining environmental science methods with engineering principles to develop and implement better infrastructure, technology and industrial operations that reduce the risk of environmental contamination and pollution.