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Urbanite EHO strategy to remedy air and noise pollution - Coggle Diagram
Urbanite EHO strategy to remedy air and noise pollution
Noise Pollution (short term)
Step 2a. EHOs meet with Eldon timber mill's owners/managers regarding reports of noise made outside the hours of 7am to 7pm on work days and Saturday and 8am to 7pm on Sundays and any other day.
Possible outcomes
Timber factory complies and only emits noise between the hours of 7am and 7pm going forward.
No further action required.
Timber factory continues to emit noise outside the hours of 7am to 7pm on a business day or Saturday or between 8am and 7pm on Sunday or any other day.
Possible action
EHOs pass findings on to qualified Health and Safety representative who may issue an official warning, PIN under s.90 of the
Work Health and Safety Act 2011
, or prosecute depending on the level/time of compliance shown by the timber yard.
Issue a public health order under s.23 and s.24 of the
Public Health Act 2005 (Qld)
.
Timber yard does not comply
EHOs apply for an enforcement order under s.27 of the
Public Health Act 2005
(QLD).
2 more items...
TImber yard complies
No further action.
Step 2b. EHOs meet with Eldon timber mill owners/managers regarding noise emitted from the factory exceeding 40dB when reaching nearby local residential areas. Include suggestions such to reduce the amount of noise reaching the residential areas adapted from s.8(2) of the
Environmental Protection (Noise) Policy 2019
(Qld) which recommends the order to deal with noise be to
Firslty, avoid the noise. In Eldon's case that would be to separate the residential and industrial areas and enquiring about the possibility of the factory moving to a different location.
Secondly, minimise the noise. Attempt to face the problem activity identified in the door-to-door surveys away from residential areas, or using technology to minimise the noise. Technological remedies may include ensuring machinery is in good repair, maintaining and sharpen blades, purchasing quieter machinery, installation of isolation dampeners, muffling engine and the noise made by compressed air, isolating the source of the noise with an insulation room, or installing acoustic foam panels to reduce noise
Thirdly, manage the noise by reducing the hours allowed to undertake particularly noisy activities would only be discusses with the timber factory after the first and second options have been exhausted.
Possible outcomes
Timber mill complies and promptly makes necessary adjustments to work practices to ensure noise emitted does not reach residential areas at greater than 40dB.
No further action.
Timber mill continues to emit noise which reaches residential areas at a frequency greater than 40dB.
Step 1. Conduct door to door surveys at all local houses in the Eldon area within 100m radius of factories regarding the noise being emitted from the local factories asking questions such as; which factories specifically are emitting the noise, at what times, what does the noise sound like and how is the noise affecting you and other residents in the household.
Findings will determine which businesses step 2 will apply to. For the purpose of this assessment we are going to assume that the Eldon timber mill poses the only issue related to noise.
Air Quality (short term)
Ozone
Isocyanate
Advise local health clinics as some of the local incidences of asthma maybe misdiagnoses and instead be separate respiratory issues related to isocyanate exposure.
Identify local polluter and issue warning. Note: in some cases there may be more than one point source.
Possible action if factory emissions continue
Issue a public health order under s.23 and s.24 of the
Public Health Act 2005 (Qld)
.
Local polluter complies
No further action.
Local polluter does not comply
Apply for an enforcement order under s.27 of the
Public Health Act 2005
(QLD).
2 more items...
Pass findings onto qualified Health and Safety representative.
S.19(2) of the
Work Health and Safety Act 2011
states that businesses not only have a duty of care to ensure the health and safety of their employees but also to any persons who may be put at risk from work carried out by the business.
Ensure residents and local health clinics are made aware of residents' exposure to certain pollutants and the potential health risks associated with each pollutants.
Lead
Possible findings
Atmospheric lead is determined to be a pollutant from local industry.
Lead not found to be a pollutant from local industry and atmospheric lead levels are likely to be caused by the use of leaded vehicles.
Provide local health clinic with information regarding local atmospheric lead levels for their consideration when managing the treatment of local patients.
Provide local residential with information surrounding local atmospheric lead levels, the associated health impact and the likely cause being the local use of leaded vehicles. This may be achieved as simply as by sending letters to residents.
Nitrogen dioxide
EPA
Meet with EPA representatives to discuss why the air quality data recorded over the past 10 years has not previously been acted upon.
Possible outcomes
EPA guidelines regarding ambient concentrations find the levels recorded to be acceptable.
Write and submit report to EPA and local/state government recommending change to Urbanite's current acceptable concentrations to be in line with those listed in the
Environmental Protection (Air) 2019
(Qld) to protect the local residents' health.
EPA guidelines regarding ambient concentrations find the levels recorded to be unacceptable.
Recommend EPA/state government investigate process failures which lead to innaction within the EPA and put residents' health at risk.
Cigarettes
Develop a public health campaign for locals attempting to reduce the smoking rates and improve the smoking behaviours of those who are unable to quit.
Total suspended particulates
Long term solution
Obtain a copy of Eldon's town plan from local council.
Write and submit a report including professional recommendations and information gathered during the course of the investigation to inform local council about the identified heath hazards likely to be associated with the proximity of the residential and industrial areas in Eldon. Use the
Planning Act 2016
(Qld), the
Planning Regulation 2017
(Qld) and the
Development Assessment Rules 2016
(Qld) as a guide when making suggestions on how best to remedy.
Air Quality (immediate)
Set up air quality monitoring equipment in Burley and in another town which is situated roughly 5km from Burley/10km from Eldon.
Compare air quality data from Eldon, Burley and the second control group to search for similarities and differences.
Begin factory inspections and monitoring
Local factories are willing to cooperate and allow site access for inspections, enter under s.385 of the
Public Health Act 2005
(Qld).
Undertake inspections and air quality monitoring of each local factory; timber mill, paint manufacturer, spray painter, electroplater and dry cleaner to determine where the point sources of each of the pollutants are and if any possible process errors, leaks or maintenance issue are present on site. Samples or objects may be taken under s.300 of the
Public Health Act 2005
(Qld).
Note: The concentrations of lead in the air quality data appeared to be trending downward. If lead emissions are not found in data taken from the factories it is possible that atmospheric lead is due to local cars using leaded petrol vehicles, especially as the air quality data was obtained in the 1980s and 1990s. Cross checking air quality data with control towns 5km and 10km away would also assist in determining the likely cause of atmospheric lead assuming all towns have the similar amount of leaded vehicles.
Local factories are unwilling to cooperate or allow site access for inspections.
Application for a warrant to access the premises may be made in person to a magistrate under s.394 of the
Public Health Act 2005
(Qld).
Conduct local surveys gathering information on the smoking behaviour of residents, i.e, do residents smoke around children, indoors, in public spaces, in their cars?