Environmental Impacts of Floriculture Industry in Debrezeit Town: a Need for Strategic Environmental Assessment
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Date
2013-07
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Addis Ababauniversity
Abstract
Floriculture is one of the booming sectors in Ethiopia, and a good way to generating
income for both the owners and the government. Beside this, different environmentalists
complain on the industry because the industry uses too much pesticides and chemical
fertilizers which damage the environment. The general objective of this research is to
assess the ecological impacts of floriculture industries on surrounding environment with
respect to the existing environmental regulations/EIA/ and implementation, and assessing
a need for strategic environmental assessment/SEA/ which basically focuses on
cumulative impacts. The study was conducted on floriculture industry and the surrounding
environment where the industries are congested, in Debrezeit town. The necessary data
are collected through interviewing the employee (Senior Experts) in floriculture industry,
direct physical site observation and assessing existing situation of the study area and by
taking sample from the soil and river water. Water samples are taken at five sample points
along the Wedecha River which is found adjacent to the industries. Eight parameters (pH,
electrical conductivity (EC), Nitrate (No3-N), reactive phosphate (PO4), Biological oxygen
demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), Sulfate (SO4), Total ammonia (T-NH3))
are used to analyze ecological impacts of the industries on water body. The soil sample
also taken from two different green houses those are established in different time series.
The following parameters, pH, CEC, EC, Phosphorus (P) and total Nitrogen (TN) are used
to analyze the impact on the soil by the industries. The founding result indicating that
some parameters BOD5 (54 mg/l), PO4 (3.4 mg/l), NO3 (16.6 mg/l), T-NH3
Keywords: Floriculture industry, effluent, EIA and SEA
(0.1 mg/l) from
water samples are beyond the standard which is stated by EPA. And the soil sample result
of (CEC and EC) also has a great difference when compared to common agricultural soil
and the concentration of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) are high when compared to
international standards. Beside this, 90% of the flower industry uses ground water
resources. As planting media 40% uses soil bed, hydroponics 30% and the rest 30% also
used both planting media. The waste is discharged directly to water body by 30% of the
farm and 40% are drain to the land. The land use change is also visible, 30% of the farm is
established on local farmer’s area, and 40% are established on state farm area and the
rest 30% are established by removing the swampy area. In the case of health issue only
20% of the farms have a clinic. And no one have (100%) EIA document. Therefore, to
assure the environmental sustainability of the booming projects of floriculture industry, the
introduction of SEA to the country will flourish the way. SEA can do in a better way which
EIA is unable to do. Wastewater recycling, Wastewater treatment, Vegetation Buffer
preparation, integrated pest management (IPM) practices, Health and safety training to
workers, and application of Strategic Environmental Assessment SEA are a good
practices to minimize the impact and For better, sustainable and conducive environment
sake
Description
Keywords
Floriculture industry, effluent, EIA and SEA