A proposed development, whether it is a factory or other industrial facility, is always the focus of great interest. People are prepared to sink massive sums of money into it and work hard on establishing it. This necessitates large-scale planning and examination of the relevant factors before a sod can be turned. One of the main areas of assessment is Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAS), which examines the natural environmental in order to understand whether the site is acceptable for the development, or if not, why not.
People may not always realize how important this environmental assessment is. The attitude that the natural environment does not matter or that pollution does not make any difference to it is not acceptable these days, since present governments and society are more aware of the environment and how it operates. An environmental assessment is therefore important.
As a general approach, then, developers should always try to maintain the attitude that the environment is to be respected. If they try to tell the public that environmental issues are not important, or that the pollution generated by their development is not significant, they may elicit opposition and criticism. Sometimes, this criticism is not unfounded and the authorities impede or prohibit the development entirely.
The ESAS looks at several factors in the natural environment that are of extreme importance in determining the safety of the area. These factors are related to aspects of the environment that can potentially have an influence on human health and the ability of the area to sustain the development or planned activities.
One of these is the nature of the soil. Soil is important in assessing the environment because it absorbs and stores substances. Dangerous chemicals seep into the soil (a process known as leaching). These chemicals may originate from a variety of sources, such as dead animals, rotting plant matter or simply the rain. The soil then becomes poisoned and is not suitable for agriculture or other activities.
Alien species are not allowed by law and should be eradicated. This is because they do not naturally form part of the food chain or ecosystem in the area and they disrupt it. They either draw too many nutrients from the soil or they choke out other (endemic) species by using too much surface area. They also sometimes cause the soil to deteriorate, which in turn leads to erosion. Another problem with vegetation, any vegetation, is that plants draw toxins into their structures from the soil or water, which they then pass on to the animals and insects which use them as a food source. Also, there are plant diseases which are a threat to agriculture.
Undesirable plants are those species which are not wanted by the authorities in that specific area. This is almost always because they are not indigenous species. Alien plant species are a threat to the environment because they do not form part of the endemic food chain. They then cause a disruption in the food chain by absorbing too many nutrients or taking up too much space. They may also cause the soil quality to deteriorate. Unhealthy plants are those which have been poisoned or which are carrying diseases. Poisoned plants are sometimes eaten as fodder by insects and animals, and this is how the poison enters into the local food chain.
A healthy plant is one which is not poisoned and which has not been infected by any diseases. Alien invasive species are not desirable and they are usually prohibited by law. This is because they do not slot naturally into the local food chain. They either take up too much space or they use excessive amounts of soil nutrients. Some of them also cause the soil to weaken and erode. On the other hand, unhealthy plants are those which have been infected by diseases or which are being poisoned, either by the soil or their water supply. They then transmit the poison into the food chain when animals or insects graze on them.
All of these aspects need to be assessed in order to determine whether the environment is suitable for the proposed development. Developers should not try to pre-empt or bypass this assessment.
People may not always realize how important this environmental assessment is. The attitude that the natural environment does not matter or that pollution does not make any difference to it is not acceptable these days, since present governments and society are more aware of the environment and how it operates. An environmental assessment is therefore important.
As a general approach, then, developers should always try to maintain the attitude that the environment is to be respected. If they try to tell the public that environmental issues are not important, or that the pollution generated by their development is not significant, they may elicit opposition and criticism. Sometimes, this criticism is not unfounded and the authorities impede or prohibit the development entirely.
The ESAS looks at several factors in the natural environment that are of extreme importance in determining the safety of the area. These factors are related to aspects of the environment that can potentially have an influence on human health and the ability of the area to sustain the development or planned activities.
One of these is the nature of the soil. Soil is important in assessing the environment because it absorbs and stores substances. Dangerous chemicals seep into the soil (a process known as leaching). These chemicals may originate from a variety of sources, such as dead animals, rotting plant matter or simply the rain. The soil then becomes poisoned and is not suitable for agriculture or other activities.
Alien species are not allowed by law and should be eradicated. This is because they do not naturally form part of the food chain or ecosystem in the area and they disrupt it. They either draw too many nutrients from the soil or they choke out other (endemic) species by using too much surface area. They also sometimes cause the soil to deteriorate, which in turn leads to erosion. Another problem with vegetation, any vegetation, is that plants draw toxins into their structures from the soil or water, which they then pass on to the animals and insects which use them as a food source. Also, there are plant diseases which are a threat to agriculture.
Undesirable plants are those species which are not wanted by the authorities in that specific area. This is almost always because they are not indigenous species. Alien plant species are a threat to the environment because they do not form part of the endemic food chain. They then cause a disruption in the food chain by absorbing too many nutrients or taking up too much space. They may also cause the soil quality to deteriorate. Unhealthy plants are those which have been poisoned or which are carrying diseases. Poisoned plants are sometimes eaten as fodder by insects and animals, and this is how the poison enters into the local food chain.
A healthy plant is one which is not poisoned and which has not been infected by any diseases. Alien invasive species are not desirable and they are usually prohibited by law. This is because they do not slot naturally into the local food chain. They either take up too much space or they use excessive amounts of soil nutrients. Some of them also cause the soil to weaken and erode. On the other hand, unhealthy plants are those which have been infected by diseases or which are being poisoned, either by the soil or their water supply. They then transmit the poison into the food chain when animals or insects graze on them.
All of these aspects need to be assessed in order to determine whether the environment is suitable for the proposed development. Developers should not try to pre-empt or bypass this assessment.
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