EPL overlooks some vital parameters: expert

The Environmental Protection Licence (EPL) should include wider criteria such as worker safety and resource usage, while businesses should carry regular evaluations, according to an expert speaking at a recent seminar titled ‘Environmental challenges faced by industry and possible solutions’.

“The EPL considers only noise, air and water pollution but the environment is much, much more than that. Those are the basic parameters. My suggestion is to have a complete assessment including environmental pollution, worker safety, accident safety and energy and water usage,” Industrial Technical Institute (ITI) Additional Director General A.S. Pannila said.

He expressed that there is a need for a more comprehensive system and that despite the lack of legal requirements, companies should ideally conduct environmental and safety studies every three years.

“This is for your management decisions, not to follow the law,” he said.

He noted that most industries are not concerned about the importance of mitigating environmental issues, as heavy resource consuming and polluting processes might be cheaper than implementing newer, greener technologies.

Pannila further added that it could also be due to companies lacking human resources to understand the impacts, the lack of capacity and processes for measuring and monitoring the impacts and the lack of adequate support services in the country.

Currently, certain sectors are required to have EPLs from regional authorities and some from local authorities under the National Environmental Act of 1980, while worker safety is stipulated in the Factories Ordinance of 1942.

Since the regulations are somewhat outdated, companies have been relying on a slew of certifications, such as ISO, Rainforest Alliance, etc., as well as guidelines given by the International Labour Organisation and the World Health Organisation, etc., to maintain standards, which are given great importance by export markets.

Pannila said that companies should partner with such organisations to create the comprehensive, regular evaluations of their businesses. He noted that carrying out such studies would help the management discover overall pollution and resource usage as well as those happening during hours past the normal nine-to-five working day.

“Midnight businesses are usually under a supervisor. Maybe managers think it’s running smoothly just like daytime. A worker could be putting his radio really loud and the neighbours can’t sleep,” he said. Pannila further added that Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) should be conducted by all businesses prior to commencement, whether required or not. “It will be good for you and your business,” he said. Interestingly, there have been allegations that certain national projects were carried out by the previous administration without EIAs. The new regime has given the go ahead for the projects after a period of review.

It was not said whether new EIAs were conducted. Therefore, if the projects would serve the-long term national interest remains to be seen.(CW)