Environmental Science and Environmental Social Impact Assessment and Audit (EIA / EA)

From Chernobyl to Detroit: How Nature's 'Green Cleaners' Are Fixing Our Toxic Earth For decades, cleaning up toxic waste sites—from nuclear accident zones like Chernobyl and Fukushima to contaminated industrial plots—has been an expensive, exhaustive, and often disruptive process. But what if the solution wasn't heavy machinery, but simple seeds? The field of environmental science is increasingly looking to nature’s quiet power for answers, especially through phytoremediation —the technique of using plants to clean up soil and water contamination. The primary agent in this green clean-up crew? The humble sunflower. Meet the Hyperaccumulators: The Sunflower Fix After devastating nuclear events like Hiroshima , Fukushima, and Chernobyl , one surprising sight was fields planted with bright sunflowers . The reason lies in the sunflower's designation as a hyperaccumulator . These are specialized plants that have evolved root systems capable of pulling high concentrati...

“Uncollected and Unchecked: Understanding the Roots of Solid Waste Dumping in Eldoret’s CBD” FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO INDISCRIMINATE DUMPING OF SOLID WASTE IN CITIES AND URBAN AREAS: A CASE STUDY OF ELDORET CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, KENYA ABSTRACT The problem of solid waste exists wherever human populations are found, and as societies develop, the nature and scale of these problems evolve. What may begin as a local challenge can grow into a major urban crisis as population density and living standards increase. Environmental, technological, and financial factors all influence solid waste management, while the growing need to conserve resources demands even greater attention. In Kenya , concerns over poor waste management have been widely expressed by individuals, NGOs , and government agencies. Despite these efforts, Eldoret Town continues to face serious challenges in managing solid waste effectively. Observations show that domestic, commercial, and electronic wastes are commonl...

Environmental Impact Assessment of the Gioto Dumpsite, Nakuru County, Kenya Chapter One: Introduction 1.0 Overview The Gioto Dumpsite —located approximately 2 miles northwest of Nakuru Town —is an open landfill occupying about 50 hectares . Established in 1972 , it serves as the main disposal site for the region’s domestic, industrial, agricultural, hospital, and electronic waste . Over the years, the dumpsite has exposed nearby residents to dangerous levels of pollutants , especially heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, copper, and zinc , all of which exceed international safety limits. These contaminants pose severe health risks, including respiratory problems, skin diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, central nervous system damage, and eye and ear infections . 1.1 Terms of Reference According to the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA, 1999) , all ongoing projects with environmental impacts must undergo regular Environmental Audits (EA) ....

Ever since the Chernobyl disaster and the Fukushima Daichi disaster , scientists have been studying the best ways to reclaim the lands that are inhabitable and are regarded wastelands that are too toxic for human habitation. In comes SUNFLOWER , The doctor as it is called in West Africa . After the Hiroshima , Fukushima, and Chernobyl nuclear disasters, fields of sunflowers were planted across the affected landscapes to help absorb toxic metals and radiation from the soil. New research now suggests that sunflowers ( Helianthus )  might be as good for the environment as they are pretty to look at. Sunflowers are what environmental scientists call  hyperaccumulators –  plants that have the ability to take up high concentrations of toxic materials in their tissues. Like all land-based plants, flowers have root systems that evolved as extremely efficient mechanisms for pulling nutrients, water, and minerals out of the ground, among them: zinc, copper, and o...

What is Impact Assessment? Environmental Impact Assessment Environmental Impact Assessment ( EIA ) is a process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account inter-related socio-economic , cultural and human-health impacts, both beneficial and adverse. UNEP defines Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a tool used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project prior to decision-making. It aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design, find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local environment and present the predictions and options to decision-makers. By using EIA both environmental and economic benefits can be achieved, such as reduced cost and time of project implementation and design, avoided treatment/clean-up costs and impacts of laws and regulations. Although legislation and practice vary around the world,...