TITLE:
Evaluation of Environmental Requirements for Sustainable Ready-Mix Concrete Production in Abu Dhabi Emirate
AUTHORS:
Ghanim Kashwani, Abeer Sajwani, Muhammad Al Ashram, Rahma Al Yaaqoubi
KEYWORDS:
Sustainability; Environmental Impacts; Air Quality; Best Management Practices
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.5 No.4,
March
25,
2014
ABSTRACT:
Sustainability
is the main concern for current and future construction projects in the world.
In any project, attaining sustainability requires the integrity of four main
elements. These elements cover economical, societal, cultural, and
environmental aspects to its successful implementation and integration in an
anthropogenic framework. Concrete is one of the main building materials used in
current construction activities around the world; therefore, many issues
pertaining to concrete long term sustainability arise. This makes issues
related to environmental evaluation and assessment for the ready-mix concrete
production process of vital importance. The release of particulate matter (PM)
including PM10 and PM2.5 could be considered the main air pollutant that is
emitted from this industrial sector; where PM can be released from different
stages of ready-mix concrete production process. Another concern arising from
the ready-mix concrete operations which may affect the soil and ground water
quality is the spills or leaks that may occur from the storage containers used
for diesel, motor oil, and chemical admixture. In 2010, Environmental
Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) collected data pertaining to the operations of 73
ready-mix concrete facilities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The data showed that
the average production rate of concrete is around 250,000 m3/year,
which indicates that the concrete industry is a very active industry in the
Emirate. Hence, EAD has established a set of plans and requirements to minimize
the environmental impacts of concrete production on the environment and public
health. The environmental impact of the concrete manufacturing can be reduced
by conserving use of raw material ingredients, conserving energy consumption,
and following Best Management Practices (BMPs) related to readymix concrete
production. In this paper, a variety of BMPs are presented for ready-mix
concrete manufacturing facilities in Abu Dhabi. These BMPs cover the following
areas: raw materials handling and transport, process operation, housekeeping,
waste management, emergency response, and training record. EAD can then
regulate the ready-mix concrete manufacturing sector in Abu Dhabi using these
BMPs and the requirements of the issued permitting conditions in order to have
a sustainable industrial sector.